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Active: 1509 users

Pluralization with Apostrophe

Blogs > jwd241224
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JWD
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States12607 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 19:10:24
January 20 2009 19:03 GMT
#1
Pluralization with an apostrophe is easily the most mysterious and most infuriating common grammatical error, and I see it everywhere on TL (for example, you need look no further than the General forum's spot in the sidebar: "Firm's cut down on logos").

[image blocked]

Pluralization with an apostrophe is the practice of pluralizing with an apostrophe (duh). Some nasty examples:

BeSt has a million gateway's. A million gateways' what? Note that even if "gateways" was possessive, the apostrophe would appear after the "s".
The Smith's drove to Chicago. This means that "drove to Chicago" belongs to the Smith.

The only case in which an apostrophe is necessary for pluralization is for abbreviations with periods. For example: C.D.'s, Ph.D.'s. Note that abbreviations without periods (which, generally speaking, should be used instead of abbreviations with periods whenever possible) should not be pluralized with an apostrophe: CDs, ELOs, MSLs, OSLs.

I hope at least one person reads this and tries to avoid this common mistake. Reaching for that apostrophe key for every pluralization is hard work!

I also have a question for anyone who has ever made this mistake: why? I just don't understand why it's intuitive to stick an apostrophe in there.

***
✌
bluemanrocks
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States304 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 19:08:13
January 20 2009 19:06 GMT
#2
thank's

EDIT: *thanks', my bad.
I AM THE THIRD GATE GUARDIAN
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
January 20 2009 19:06 GMT
#3
d035 17 m4k3 ani difer3nze to any-1 1f 1 wr173 li3k th3's ?
Chromyne
Profile Joined January 2008
Canada561 Posts
January 20 2009 19:07 GMT
#4
Thats' crazy! Are you's s'ure?

But seriously, I have never seen anyone do this before.
Soli Deo gloria.
SnowFantasy
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
4173 Posts
January 20 2009 19:08 GMT
#5
Woah, how do you make your fon't red?
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 19:09:30
January 20 2009 19:09 GMT
#6
no but sesoruily i dnot thnik abyndoy caers

edit: caer's
JWD
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States12607 Posts
January 20 2009 19:09 GMT
#7
On January 21 2009 04:07 Chromyne wrote:
Thats' crazy! Are you's s'ure?

But seriously, I have never seen anyone do this before.


As I said, look no further than the left sidebar of this webpage:

[image blocked]

Can you spot it?
✌
PH
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States6173 Posts
January 20 2009 19:12 GMT
#8
These are really dumb mistakes that a lot of people make...and that I make myself sometimes too.

I for one am glad you went ahead and clarified.
Hello
motbob
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
United States12546 Posts
January 20 2009 19:13 GMT
#9
Read this for an extension of what jwd is talking about.
ModeratorGood content always wins.
Chromyne
Profile Joined January 2008
Canada561 Posts
January 20 2009 19:18 GMT
#10
On January 21 2009 04:09 jwd241224 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 21 2009 04:07 Chromyne wrote:
Thats' crazy! Are you's s'ure?

But seriously, I have never seen anyone do this before.


As I said, look no further than the left sidebar of this webpage:

[image blocked]

Can you spot it?


Interesting. I have to say, that is the first time I've seen that, but you can correct me if I ever make that mistake.
Soli Deo gloria.
Schnake
Profile Joined September 2003
Germany2819 Posts
January 20 2009 19:28 GMT
#11
On January 21 2009 04:09 EsX_Raptor wrote:
no but sesoruily i dnot thnik abyndoy caers

edit: caer's



I really had to laugh at this comment. ^_^
"Alán Shore" and "August Terran" @ LoL EUW - liquidparty
Raithed
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
China7078 Posts
January 20 2009 19:35 GMT
#12
On January 21 2009 04:08 SnowFantasy wrote:
Woah, how do you make your fon't red?

this is how.
LordWeird
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
United States3411 Posts
January 20 2009 19:38 GMT
#13
Hooray for the new trend of blogs teaching people how to type/post.
Chains none
Archaic
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States4024 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 19:48:37
January 20 2009 19:47 GMT
#14
On January 21 2009 04:35 Raithed wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 21 2009 04:08 SnowFantasy wrote:
Woah, how do you make your fon't red?

this is how.

Just type these tags: and then put something in it.
You will ge't RED

Just quote me, and you'll see how sneaky I really am.
SnowFantasy
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
4173 Posts
January 20 2009 19:57 GMT
#15
lol archaic.
brjdrb
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
United States577 Posts
January 20 2009 19:57 GMT
#16
lol. i hate this too. other big pet peeves of mine are people who use the wrong their / there / they're and you're / your
Stork's biggest fan
clazziquai
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
6685 Posts
January 20 2009 20:01 GMT
#17
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
#1 Sea.Really Fan / #1 Nesh Fan / Terran Forever~
paper
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
13196 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 20:05:56
January 20 2009 20:05 GMT
#18
I AM HILARIOUS BECAUSE I POST IN THIS THREAD WHAT THE OP IS TRYING TO CORRECT LOLZ!
Hates Fun🤔
LordWeird
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
United States3411 Posts
January 20 2009 20:13 GMT
#19
On January 21 2009 05:05 paper wrote:
I AM HILARIOUS BECAUSE I POST IN THIS THREAD WHAT THE OP IS TRYING TO CORRECT LOLZ!


classic! burned! owned!
Chains none
Navane
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Netherlands2749 Posts
January 20 2009 20:52 GMT
#20
thank you!
Durak
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Canada3685 Posts
January 20 2009 20:57 GMT
#21
It really isn't worth posting grammatical guides on the internet. Mistakes will always occur because English is a second/third/fourth language for a lot of people on the internet. It would be just as futile for me to run around IRL trying to correct everyone who uses "is" instead of "are".
LemOn
Profile Blog Joined July 2005
United Kingdom8629 Posts
January 20 2009 21:02 GMT
#22
Hahaha which noob was the op of that thread. I would like to see that idiot
Much is the father figure that I miss in my life. Go Daddy! DoC.LemOn, LemOn[5thF]
JWD
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States12607 Posts
January 20 2009 21:08 GMT
#23
On January 21 2009 06:02 LemOn wrote:
Hahaha which noob was the op of that thread. I would like to see that idiot


^^ sorry, I had to make an example of someone.
✌
Nitrogen
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States5345 Posts
January 20 2009 21:23 GMT
#24
On January 21 2009 05:05 paper wrote:
I AM HILARIOUS BECAUSE I POST IN THIS THREAD WHAT THE OP IS TRYING TO CORRECT LOLZ!


i'm' f'u'c'k'i'n'g' h'i'l'a'r'i'o'u's'
UNFUCK YOURSELF
LemOn
Profile Blog Joined July 2005
United Kingdom8629 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 21:27:05
January 20 2009 21:23 GMT
#25
No problemo.

Or maybe I thought firm's cut down on logos, as The Source Firm (Idnes is a firm) cut down on logos of other corporations.

Or at least my brain thought so ;o

+ Show Spoiler +
There is no reason to be prude about English. I can deduct what the person is trying to say almost every single time. And even Idra himself didn't bash OctZerg when his English was horrible in their retarded exchange of masculinity.

And that counnts for something
Much is the father figure that I miss in my life. Go Daddy! DoC.LemOn, LemOn[5thF]
Pholon
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Netherlands6142 Posts
January 20 2009 21:24 GMT
#26
I don't really care, but on a sidenote I wrote 'hobbies' once which, apparently, in Dutch should be spelled hobby's for some insane reason. I mean, if you're gonna steal the word why not steal its (NO APOSTROPHE HERE) pl spelling. We don't write fax as faks or shirt as sjurt either.

Anyway, point I might make is that maybe there is some copying from the native language here.

Also, I think the plural of house should be hice.
Moderator@TLPholon // "I need a third hand to facepalm right now"
HamerD
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
United Kingdom1922 Posts
January 20 2009 21:35 GMT
#27
On January 21 2009 05:05 paper wrote:
I AM HILARIOUS BECAUSE I POST IN THIS THREAD WHAT THE OP IS TRYING TO CORRECT LOLZ!

Tihs
"Oh no, we've drawn Judge Schneider" "Is that bad?" "Well, he's had it in for me ever since I kinda ran over his dog" "You did?" "Yeah...if you replace the word *kinda* with *repeatedly*...and the word *dog* with son"
Kau *
Profile Joined March 2007
Canada3500 Posts
January 20 2009 21:45 GMT
#28
Would of could of should of!

Please use more 've instead of 's!
Moderator
MasterOfChaos
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
Germany2896 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 21:49:44
January 20 2009 21:47 GMT
#29
It's get's really annoying when people's use the wrong one of "it's" and "its".
On January 21 2009 05:05 paper wrote:
I AM HILARIOU'S BECAUSE I POST's IN THI's THREAD WHAT THE OP I's TRYING TO CORRECT LOL's!

corrected
LiquipediaOne eye to kill. Two eyes to live.
NrG.Bamboo
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States2756 Posts
January 20 2009 22:12 GMT
#30
I only put apostrophes when I type PM's, just to avoid something like "check yo pms dawg".
I need to protect all your life you can enjoy the vibrant life of your battery
JWD
Profile Blog Joined October 2007
United States12607 Posts
January 20 2009 22:27 GMT
#31
On January 21 2009 07:12 Valentine wrote:
I only put apostrophes when I type PM's, just to avoid something like "check yo pms dawg".


This is why the English language has capital letters
✌
Scorch
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Austria3371 Posts
January 20 2009 22:40 GMT
#32
You'd be surprised what embarrassing errors native speakers come up with on German forums. The 's stuff is nothing compared to that. Always makes me wonder what's become of our school system when kids can't write properly in their mother tongue. The general language quality is better here than on your average German forum, even though half of the people here don't speak English as their first language.
MoltkeWarding
Profile Joined November 2003
5195 Posts
January 20 2009 23:04 GMT
#33
It really isn't worth posting grammatical guides on the internet. Mistakes will always occur because English is a second/third/fourth language for a lot of people on the internet. It would be just as futile for me to run around IRL trying to correct everyone who uses "is" instead of "are".


Studied non-native speakers tend to know grammar better than native speakers, but possess shallower vocabularies and masteries of idioms.
SayaSP
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Laos5494 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 23:05:15
January 20 2009 23:04 GMT
#34
On January 21 2009 04:47 Archaic wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 21 2009 04:35 Raithed wrote:
On January 21 2009 04:08 SnowFantasy wrote:
Woah, how do you make your fon't red?

this is how.

Just type these tags: and then put something in it.
You will ge't RED

Just quote me, and you'll see how sneaky I really am.

:o omg
[iHs]SSP | I-NO-KI BOM-BA-YE | のヮの http://tinyurl.com/MLIStheCV , MLIS.
Durak
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Canada3685 Posts
January 20 2009 23:10 GMT
#35
On January 21 2009 08:04 MoltkeWarding wrote:
Show nested quote +
It really isn't worth posting grammatical guides on the internet. Mistakes will always occur because English is a second/third/fourth language for a lot of people on the internet. It would be just as futile for me to run around IRL trying to correct everyone who uses "is" instead of "are".


Studied non-native speakers tend to know grammar better than native speakers, but possess shallower vocabularies and masteries of idioms.


I think you're right. However, I doubt there are many native speakers of a language that would seriously look at this blog to improve their grammar. If they could have learned it in school or by a simple google search, a blog about apostrophes isn't going to make a huge difference.
ShadowDrgn
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States2497 Posts
January 20 2009 23:16 GMT
#36
Don't look at me. I got all A's in English.
Of course, you only live one life, and you make all your mistakes, and learn what not to do, and that’s the end of you.
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
January 20 2009 23:29 GMT
#37
On January 21 2009 08:16 ShadowDrgn wrote:
Don't look at me. I got all A's in English.

I hated that class so damn much -.- don't even know how I passed it
Jumbalumba
Profile Joined February 2007
Australia118 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-20 23:30:37
January 20 2009 23:29 GMT
#38
I admit I have not looked at the aforementioned topic as in the OP of this topic but I believe it could make sense with the apostrophe. It can be talking about a firm's cut-down on logos but that would require 'cut down' being hyphenated, so probably not what the OP intended in any case.
QuanticHawk
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States32098 Posts
January 20 2009 23:34 GMT
#39
It's the internet. No need to get worked up about grammerz~~~

If you do, you're gonna be go crazy =[
PROFESSIONAL GAMER - SEND ME OFFERS TO JOIN YOUR TEAM - USA USA USA
NrG.Bamboo
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States2756 Posts
January 20 2009 23:42 GMT
#40
On January 21 2009 07:27 jwd241224 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 21 2009 07:12 Valentine wrote:
I only put apostrophes when I type PM's, just to avoid something like "check yo pms dawg".


This is why the English language has capital letters

But all the cool kids ignore them.

Don't you want me to fit in? ;__________;
I need to protect all your life you can enjoy the vibrant life of your battery
vhallee
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
899 Posts
January 20 2009 23:52 GMT
#41
[image loading]
Marijuana causes amnesia and other things I don't remember.
NrG.Bamboo
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States2756 Posts
January 20 2009 23:54 GMT
#42
Almost got it!
I need to protect all your life you can enjoy the vibrant life of your battery
EsX_Raptor
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
United States2802 Posts
January 20 2009 23:56 GMT
#43
[image loading]
GGQ
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Canada2653 Posts
January 20 2009 23:57 GMT
#44
On January 21 2009 08:34 Hawk wrote:
It's the internet. No need to get worked up about grammerz~~~

If you do, you're gonna be go crazy =[


internetz r srs bznz
Kentor *
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States5784 Posts
January 21 2009 00:48 GMT
#45
alright now do a blog on

it's
its

they're
their
there

who's
whose

who
whom
asdfqwertyuiop
Profile Joined December 2008
17 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-21 01:43:35
January 21 2009 01:42 GMT
#46
Well, if you choose to follow the New York Times Manual of Style, then there are two (maddening and puzzling) exceptions to this rule: years (the 1900's not 1900s) and all abbreviations (DVD's not DVDs). They're the only publication I know of though that employs this antiquated style.
Snet *
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
United States3573 Posts
January 21 2009 02:44 GMT
#47
it's a common mistake
LemOn
Profile Blog Joined July 2005
United Kingdom8629 Posts
January 21 2009 11:29 GMT
#48
Thank you very much for your opinion sir.

Although technically I can counter your argument and call the apostrophe (it is not in fact a quotation mark) being positioned correctly.

I had no intention on using a plural of the word firm, rather than to refer to Idnes (Czech News Corporation), as the originator of the cuts in logos of many corporations.

Therefore I am stating that the apostrophe was indeed needed and it doesn't look asinine for the person that was able to understand my train of thought, however that might be difficult for a mortal.

There are many possibilities in grammar, and one should always see if there really is a mistake, or if the author has just used a sentence that has (and I have to admit that) meaning somewhat far away from the general standard of sentence composition.

In addition, there is a need to highlight the composition of TL's members, who come from all over the world. I believe it is benefical towards us if we allow anyone to try to express them in a language that might be their second, third or fourth, without undermining their confidence.


Have good day sir,


LemOn

-----------------------------------------
Original Message:
Apparently you found it necessary to add a superfluous quotation mark where it was not needed. It looks rather asinine.


+ Show Spoiler +
I have no problems with the usage of apostrophe, the problem is sometimes I change what I am trying to say mid-sentence. It was a composition nonsense rather than grammar -.-
Much is the father figure that I miss in my life. Go Daddy! DoC.LemOn, LemOn[5thF]
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