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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Can we PLEASE stop putting apostrophes in plural nouns?

Can we PLEASE stop putting apostrophes in plural nouns?
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shifuimam
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:26 AM
 
Please. I beseech you all.

It's not "Mac Mini's", "Microsoft Ad's", or "iMac's". For people who nitpick about writing "Mac" in all caps (incorrectly, of course), you should be able to get this right.

I've learned to passively ignore "then" in place of "than" and "it's" for the possessive of "it", but this apostrophes-in-plurals is getting to be too much.

Just sayin'.

P.S. Happy Friday!
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Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:26 AM
 
Whats' up?
     
Tiresias
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:29 AM
 
     
shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:33 AM
 
Panda bears are so damn cute.
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Gankdawg
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:36 AM
 
lose, loose
there, their
payed, paid
     
shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:38 AM
 
since, sense
their, they're, there
your, you're

The English language is dying a painful, brutal death at the hands of MySpace idiots everywhere.
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zro
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:43 AM
 
My sediment's exactly.
     
Mrjinglesusa
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:47 AM
 
where, were
     
moep
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:49 AM
 





instead of

'
"
"
"The road to success is dotted with the most tempting parking spaces."
     
Tiresias
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by moep View Post





instead of

'
"
"
Huh?
     
Big Mac
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:51 AM
 
I really do love it when otherwise intelligent people don't use your and you're properly.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:51 AM
 
Smart quotes. They break if you don't encode them correctly on webpages, and they're not available in all fonts (normal fonts, yes; specialty fonts, not always).
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ShortcutToMoncton
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:55 AM
 
Teh intarweb: it's not just for bad grammar anymore
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turtle777
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Can we PLEASE stop putting apostrophes in plural nouns?
Ye's, ab'solutely.

Thi's i's no problem.

-t
     
starman
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:09 AM
 
there their they're

Pisses me off all the time.

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olePigeon
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:17 AM
 
Now shifuimam understands my frustration.
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Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:18 AM
 
Obviously you guys need to start a task force that will permeate threads, searching and pointing out errors.
     
starman
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:20 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
The English language is dying a painful, brutal death at the hands of MySpace idiots everywhere.
But MySpace gives us text trails with our cursors and LOUD OBNOXIOUS MUSIC. Whee!

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ShortcutToMoncton
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:22 AM
 
Who will be the first person to accidentally make a grammar error in this thread?

A bead of sweat drips down my temple every time I post....

greg
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Jawbone54
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:46 AM
 
I haven't heard this much complaining since Seinfeld's last episode in the 90's.
     
Laminar
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Ye's, ab'solutely.

Thi's i's no problem.

-t
Congrats on being the third one to make the joke.
     
besson3c
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Oct 24, 2008, 11:59 AM
 
It drives me crazy too shifuimam, I feel you're pain.


P.S. I know that I spelled "your" wrong, I just thought it would be cool to make my own ironic misspelling joke so that I fit in around here a little more, as I often feel like I don't and that I'm not accepted.
     
turtle777
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
Congrats on being the third one to make the joke.
I really admire your observation skills. Really mad skills you got going. Congrats.

-t
     
shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:04 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar V View Post
Obviously you guys need to start a task force that will permeate threads, searching and pointing out errors.
Believe me, if I became a forum mod, I'd spend most of my time correcting idiotic grammatical and spelling errors.
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besson3c
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:04 PM
 
Don't mind him turtle, you have a friend in me. I hear that you have a shaved head? That's cool, i always envisioned you that way, sort of in keeping with your name. I bet you look cool.

Anyway, bye for now.
     
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Believe me, if I became a forum mod, I'd spend most of my time correcting IP perma-banning people for idiotic grammatical and spelling errors.
Fixinatednessish.
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
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Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Believe me, if I became a forum mod, I'd spend most of my time correcting idiotic grammatical and spelling errors.
Yeah, I don't think you'd be authorized to do that.
     
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:19 PM
 
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shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar V View Post
Yeah, I don't think you'd be authorized to do that.
Mods can edit posts...
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Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:33 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Mods can edit posts...
Not for any reason.
     
mattyb
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Believe me, if I became a forum mod, I'd spend most of my time correcting idiotic grammatical and spelling errors.
How sad.
     
turtle777
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Oct 24, 2008, 12:48 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar V View Post
Not for any reason.
Technically, of course they can.

Ethically, on the other hand...
Who the fark cares.

-t
     
Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Technically, of course they can.
No ****, which is what she was staying

Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Ethically, on the other hand...
No ****, which is what I was getting at.

Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Who the fark cares.

-t
Looks like you too, since you took the time to respond.
     
::maroma::
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:09 PM
 
Lets just change the rules of grammar so that its correct to use apostrophes whenever anyone wants to. That would solve all of this silliness.

Or better yet, get rid of all apostrophes. Who needs em? I dont.
     
Doofy
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:10 PM
 
Here's a nice pic of Naomie not caring.

Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
shifuimam  (op)
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by Dakar V View Post
Not for any reason.
Not on this forum, I'm sure. If people used my PunBB installation, however, I'd destroy all bad grammar.

I can't help it. It's instinct.
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Dakar V
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:18 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Not on this forum, I'm sure. If people used my PunBB installation, however, I'd destroy all bad grammar.

I can't help it. It's instinct.
I think a bunch of us would have fun with you and go all Railroader, hoping to either make you collapse from exhaustion or have your head explode.

Actually, this is almost a worthwhile experiment at this point.

*I believe I just coined the term Railroader, for someone who spitefully and trickily uses poor grammar.
     
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Oct 24, 2008, 01:41 PM
 
Talking about, I do not know what you are. [/YODA]
     
Mac User #001
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Oct 24, 2008, 02:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
It's not "Mac Mini's"
I suppose you just caught me on that one, and I must have been the one to set you off... ...
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Andrew Stephens
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Oct 24, 2008, 03:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
Who will be the first person to accidentally make a grammar error in this thread?

A bead of sweat drips down my temple every time I post....

greg
You win!

every time I post...

not

every time I post....
     
ShortcutToMoncton
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Oct 24, 2008, 03:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens View Post
You win!

every time I post...

not

every time I post....
Nonsense. I'm always right; you should know that by now....

greg
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KeyLimePi
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:37 PM
 
Hey speaking of unnecessary pluralization, why do we need to put an 's' on the end of 'toward?' I know both are acceptable, but am I the only one who thinks it sounds kinda rednecky to say 'towards?'
     
vmarks
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:47 PM
 
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Oisín
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Oct 24, 2008, 10:59 PM
 
Originally Posted by KeyLimePi View Post
Hey speaking of unnecessary pluralization, why do we need to put an 's' on the end of 'toward?' I know both are acceptable, but am I the only one who thinks it sounds kinda rednecky to say 'towards?'
That’s not to do with plurals; it’s an old genitive form (the genitive was often used in locative or accusative-locative words in Old English).

Originally Posted by moep View Post





instead of

'
"
"
Yes. Thank you. I realise you and I are probably more or less alone in this, but it still annoys me to no end to see words like “don't”. Or, even worse, to see big-time magazines quoting things ”like this”.

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens View Post
You win!

every time I post...

not

every time I post....
That’s not a grammar error, it’s an orthography error. And since we’re on orthography errors, it’s not “every time I post...”, but “every time I post…”.
     
red rocket
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Oct 25, 2008, 05:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by Oisín
Originally Posted by KeyLimePi
Hey speaking of unnecessary pluralization, why do we need to put an 's' on the end of 'toward?' I know both are acceptable, but am I the only one who thinks it sounds kinda rednecky to say 'towards?'
That’s not to do with plurals; it’s an old genitive form (the genitive was often used in locative or accusative-locative words in Old English).
Moreover, it is the superior form. Dropping the ‘s’ is slang. Prevalent amongst Americans, no doubt, yet widely considered uneducated and boorish amongst speakers of proper English.

Oversimplifying spelling dulls the mind.
     
subego
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Oct 25, 2008, 05:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by moep View Post





instead of

'
"
"

What always gets me is `this'.
     
wataru
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Oct 25, 2008, 05:52 AM
 
My pet peeve is incorrect use of company or organization names as plural nouns. Example:

"Apple are releasing new MacBooks."

This is wrong. Apple is a company. Singular.
     
red rocket
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Oct 25, 2008, 06:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by OED
company n An association formed to carry on some commercial or industrial undertaking.

‘When there are only a few individuals associated, it is most commonly called a copartnery, the term company being usually applied to large associations…who conduct their operations by means of agents acting under the orders of a Board of directors’
Companies typically are comprised of various individuals. Referring to a company in the plural respects this. In a way, it’s shorthand for ‘those guys calling themselves Apple.’

Thus, Apple make computers.

If you said, Apple makes computers, that would imply there’s some giant robot called Apple making them all by himself.
     
Amorya
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Oct 25, 2008, 06:47 AM
 
Originally Posted by wataru View Post
My pet peeve is incorrect use of company or organization names as plural nouns. Example:

"Apple are releasing new MacBooks."

This is wrong. Apple is a company. Singular.
I believe that's an English vs American difference. Over here, it's definitely correct to say "Apple are going to ___".

Amorya
What the nerd community most often fail to realize is that all features aren't equal. A well implemented and well integrated feature in a convenient interface is worth way more than the same feature implemented crappy, or accessed through a annoying interface.
     
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Oct 25, 2008, 07:34 AM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
...widely considered uneducated and boorish amongst speakers of proper English.
You mean those people who refuse to grudgingly acknowledge* that English is an evolving language? If it were left to them we we would still spell the word 'music' as 'musick.'

(*Note the split infinitive. That probably sounds wrong to self-proclaimed 'speakers of proper English' as well, put it's acceptable today. Sorry fellas.)
     
 
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