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.