I suppose the endangered apostrophe will cause more confusion when it finally becomes extinct,perhaps English speakers will have to use 'of' instead and abandon contractions, like other less sophisticated laguages.


One generation's illiteracy is the next generation's standard English.

Don't worry Michelle, I have heard there's an army of Dickensian old codgers bunkered down under libraries all over the globe, safely ensconced while the language wars rage above. They are watching and waiting, ready to emerge into the postapocalyptic hellscape to repopulate the English language with all manner of apostrophes and miscellaneous grammatical symbols, as well as correcting the use of "I" as a direct object pronoun back to its use as an indirect object pronoun. We will then witness a New Dawn and the eradication of the blight that is inflicting untold damage across the internet and now society as a whole.

Or so I'm told.

I'm a member of the 'Save the Apostrophe Foundation' but unfortunately I don't know of any other members in Australia. Is there anyone else out there who would like to join? Membership is free and the only rule is that members must always point out, and attempt to have corrected, any incorrect use of the apostrophe whenever and wherever they see it so used. I'm thinking for running for political office on this issue but I need a nice catchy slogan such as 'Apostrophes Rule, OK?' but I'd welcome alternative suggestions.
To join the Foundation, all you have to do is write a new post on OLO or send a message to my facebook site.
Bernie Masters

Street Pilot has a problem with the apostrophe and for some that is probably the closest they come to reading English literature, apart from advertising signs of course. Then there is Internet gaming and 'texting'. Books are on the endangered list and that comes ahead of saving the apostrophe.

The best fight-back is to give books at Christmas and yes, if one tries very hard there are a few new adventure books for boys despite the deluge of wizardry and witchcraft pap.

May there be more articles like this.

So, Michelle, you won't mind my suggesting that it would have been better to write 'greengrocer's (rather than greengrocers') apostrophe'. Think of nursemaid's knee, mother's ruin and plumber's crack.

No need to think of the last of those if it's too distasteful, which on reflection it probably is.

Here's a thought, Bernie Masters.

>>I need a nice catchy slogan such as 'Apostrophes Rule, OK?' but I'd welcome alternative suggestions.<<

How about "Apostrophes 'r' Us"?

Entertaining, Michelle.

Like the greengrocer's apostrophe (yes, like DNB, I'd go with the singular - the idea of a whole town full of them manipulating a poor apostrophe is a bit much; if you use the plural, then logically is should be "the greengrocers' apostrophes"), there is another which causes lip curling when it appears: "I'm a friend of John's".

Of John's what? What's wrong with "I'm a friend of John" or "I'm John's friend"

A butchers' shop in my neighbourhood recently had a chalk sign with the following:
Xma's Cake's for sale.
Is this a record?

Bernie Masters; I would be keen to join such a group, I feel it is only by eternal vigilance that the apostrophe can be saved. Boycotting of outlets that misuse the apostrophe is a start, I would also suggest boycotting all roadside fruit and vegie vendors that cannot spell avocado, tomato and other similar produce.

Pericles wrote: How about "Apostrophes 'r' Us"?

Or "Apostrophe's 'r' U's"?

Or "Apostrophes 'r' Us[eless]"?

I agree and am ready to sign the petition to enforce the proper usage. The apostrophe is vital as without it one is halted in order to revise the sentence to ascertain the intended meaning. But there's also the misplaced apostrophe and the exalted possessive. Instead of an apostrophe with an extra s, such as Marcus's, more and more people write Marcus' when such distinction is properly Jesus' and Herodotus'
Although some commoners get in; if one is calling in at the Joneses' house, for instance; one could hardly pronounce Joneses's, let alone visit them.
"Gay" is mentioned too as a word fallen into disrepute, which brings to mind my own pet obsession: the word "presently", which surely to any civilised individual can only mean "soon". But no, it has atavistically fallen to its former usage.
I don't care, I have banned such sordid usage in my household!

Hi Bernie - Join me up! -oops is 'up' appropriate at the end of a sentence? I love apostrophes almost as much as I love commas and semi-colons - but I think they are lost on the young - not on the grammar syllabus I suspect.
Chatting outside church 2 weeks ago, this very topic arose. The gentleman in question was lamenting the lapse of the CAPITAL. I said - "What about the semi-colon?"
But, perhaps in overlooking the apostrophe, we are part of the bigger picture! Join me up Bernie! Join me up!

Rather than boycotting illiterate fruit and vegie vendors (we should be supporting them) why not urge grammar be reintroduced into the curriculum.

My grammar is not perfect. My generation (born in the early 60s) started well but was hijacked by 'reformist' curriculums where grammar was no longer emphasised in favour of creativity. Both are clearly important and one cannot exist without the other for real creativity to bloom.

One of my personal beefs is 'complement' and 'compliment' which seem to be used interchangeably by numerous real estate agents.

I agree with Pelican, spelling and grammar have taken a nosedive, quality-wise, over recent years. One has only to look at postings on this very forum to see the evidence.

As for place names dropping their possessive apostrophe, it has been official policy for many years to do so. The creek named for Mr Cooper, Cooper's Creek, becomes Coopers Creek. I suspect it's (speaking of this last word, there is an incredible percentage of people who don't understand the usage difference with -its-) to make signage simpler and neater (maybe even a tad cheaper).

I suspect also that the egregious tendency to put apostrophes in every plural in sight comes from a British trend going back decades to put apostrophes in foreign words ending in a vowel- witness Suzuki's and Honda's. It has spread to all plurals, regardless of whether the last letter is a vowel or consonant. Unfortunately, as Michelle has pointed out, possessive apostrophes are often left out, so one sees countless written passages these days with "plural apostropes" plastered willy-nilly thoughout, with nary a possessive apostophe in sight. It's really hard on the eyes.

The butcher's cakes were a laugh. My silliest recent example of a wayward apostrophe came in the form of - it'self.

I notice from Dr Smith's blog address (www.girlsliterature.com) that urls are also an apostrophe-unfriendly zone.

Between truncations, possessive and plural, apostrophes sure are fun and sort the players from the pretender's ;)

On misused grrrrammar, may I add endemic when epidemic or pandemic are intended, and decimate when annihilate was intended. Thank you

Apos.. U kid?
I fear texting spells 'doom' for literature in general; apostrophes are a mere footnote. I suspect spell checkers (checker's? checkers'?) do more harm than good in that respect. Lately I've noticed a remarkable number of people -including journalists, for Pete's sake- have trouble with loosing things. Let's hope they aren't trousers; although that works both ways, come to think on't.
Can I join Bernie's gang too?