# This is a friendly pitting: Apostrophes and plurals **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 7, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880 "2010-07-07T18:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/61 "2010-07-12T15:17:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I find _you’re_ particularly problematic. For some reason, I inherently type it for _your_ about half the time. Try changing your inner monologue voice for your/you’re. Really drag out the “ooouuuuur” for “you’re” to almost 2 syllables as a mental reminder that there are two words in there. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/62 "2010-07-12T16:47:08Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Show me where I called it wrong, moron. Easy-peasy. You restate it yourself in just the next sentence of that post (emphasis added): > [@](#): > > There’s nothing wrong with common usage, but **it got to be common usage because of laziness in how we speak the language**. Don’t fucking open your mouth on the subject again until you’ve taken at least one undergrad-level course in linguistics. If you prefer self-edification, I’d recommend [American English: Dialects and Variation](http://www.amazon.com/American-English-Dialects-Variation-Language/dp/1405112662/) by Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes and [English with an Accent: Language, Ideology and Discrimination in the United States](http://www.amazon.com/English-Accent-Language-Ideology-Discrimination/dp/0415114772/) by Rosina Lippi-Green. Fight your fucking ignorance already instead of wallowing in it. (Otherwise, why are you **here**?) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/63 "2010-07-12T17:19:50Z")
> [@The\_Surb](#): > > When you are done tilting at this windmill, can you please pit using “of” in place of have? I see that all the time, would of, could of, should of. I just want to scream “no you dumbfuck, it’s would have, could have, should have!” Don’t let’s get’s upse’t. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/64 "2010-07-12T17:52:30Z")
So how would you spell the plural of [this](http://www.itsiticecream.com/)? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/65 "2010-07-12T18:02:10Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > So how would you spell the plural of [this](http://www.itsiticecream.com/)? 😉 It’s a proper name. 😛 IT’S-IT’s opening stores to sell IT’S-ITs. IT’S-IT’s taste is amazing! Whoo, my head’s spinning from writing that. ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/0ea827/32.png) [@Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod_Beeblebrox)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/66 "2010-07-12T18:45:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s = it is. Always\* It can also mean “it has”, so the “always” is incorrect. Edited to add: **Zaphod** , learn to start reading threads in their entirety before you post! ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/67 "2010-07-12T18:56:59Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Don’t let’s get’s upse’t. Ugh, seriously? _Upse’t?!_ \*Any \*idiot could tell you that it’s \*clearly \ ***up’set**. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/68 "2010-07-12T19:02:51Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > \*Any \*idiot could tell you that it’s \*clearly \ ***up’set**. Too true. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/69 "2010-07-12T19:20:45Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Too true. Wait a minute… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/70 "2010-07-12T22:15:20Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Easy-peasy. You restate it yourself in just the next sentence of that post (emphasis added): > > Don’t fucking open your mouth on the subject again until you’ve taken at least one undergrad-level course in linguistics. If you prefer self-edification, I’d recommend [American English: Dialects and Variation](http://www.amazon.com/American-English-Dialects-Variation-Language/dp/1405112662/) by Walt Wolfram and Natalie Schilling-Estes and [English with an Accent: Language, Ideology and Discrimination in the United States](http://www.amazon.com/English-Accent-Language-Ideology-Discrimination/dp/0415114772/) by Rosina Lippi-Green. > > Fight your fucking ignorance already instead of wallowing in it. (Otherwise, why are you **here**?) “Don’t open (my) fucking mouth”? Eat shit and die, asshole. From your condescending tone and your arrogance, it’s apparent that you graduated Magna Cum Loudmouth. You must have been just the smartest little prick in your whole high school. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/71 "2010-07-13T00:19:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > . . . little prick . . . Uhm, in a way, yes. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/72 "2010-07-13T03:36:22Z")
And I thought this was supposed to be a \*friendly \*pitting… ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/73 "2010-07-13T03:45:29Z")
**Guns** _is_ being friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/74 "2010-07-13T03:52:31Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > You know what pisses me off? People whose language study ended with their eighth grade English class who think they know fuck-all about linguistics and proceed to pompously announce what’s “right” and what’s “lazy.” Tangent, but as long as we’re all here: “fuck-all” actually means nothing or very little, not everything. That’s the British for you. [Dee dee dee deee.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3rhQc666Sg&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/75 "2010-07-13T04:33:39Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > Tangent, but as long as we’re all here: “fuck-all” actually means nothing or very little, not everything. That’s the British for you. Oh wow, I actually missed that the first time around. Yeah, if someone knows fuck all about something, they don’t know shit. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880/76 "2010-07-13T15:10:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Eat shit and die, asshole. From your condescending tone and your arrogance, it’s apparent that you graduated Magna Cum Loudmouth. You must have been just the smartest little prick in your whole high school. Uh _huh_. So you _don’t_ have anything to show that you’re right. Again, care to explain why you’re bothering to post to a board dedicated to fighting ignorance? > [@descamisado](#): > > Uhm, in a way, yes. If we whipped 'em out, I have no doubt that my clit could beat his dick. @ **Jimmy Chitwood** : I actually [knew that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12601605&highlight=fuck-all#post12601605). Apparently I couldn’t decide if I wanted to write “who think they know everything” and “who know fuck-all” and my brain just threw up its hands, said “fuck it,” and combined the two. It does that a lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-friendly-pitting-apostrophes-and-plurals/545880.md?page=3)