Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

'Laziness has won': apostrophe protection society admits its defeat

Featured Replies

Organisation formed in 2001 to preserve punctuation mark comes to a full stop

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/01/laziness-has-won-apostrophe-society-admits-its-defeat

A society dedicated to preserving the “much-abused” apostrophe is to be shut down as its chairman said “ignorance and laziness” had won.

John Richards, who worked in journalism for much of his career, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001 after he retired.

Now 96, Richards is calling time on the society, which lists the three simple rules for correct use of the punctuation mark.

Writing on the society’s website, he said: “Fewer organisations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in the English language.

“We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!”

Richards started the society after seeing the “same mistakes over and over again” and hoped he would find half a dozen people who felt the same way.

He said: “I didn’t find half a dozen people.

“Instead, within a month of my plaint appearing in a national newspaper, I received over 500 letters of support, not only from all corners of the United Kingdom, but also from America, Australia, France, Sweden, Hong Kong and Canada.”

Apparently Mr. Richards doesn't give a fuck about the Oxford comma.

11 minutes ago, Parliament said:

Your wrong. People still care.

Youre

This is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.

Winston S. Churchill

There's a big difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit.

Why do demons so love apostrophes you ask?

I say because they show possession.

It should have been the apostrophe protection and eradication society.  For every one left out, I see five extraneous ones.

Id weigh in on this if I thought itll make a ounces difference either way.

I blame Chad Briscoes trip to Dalla's. 

ETA: Its the crux of the biscuit

Edited by El Diablo

Gotta like a statement from someone who is dedicating their life to protecting apostrophes, bu

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

Apparently Mr. Richards doesn't give a fuck about the Oxford comma.

There's also a comma missing in a compound sentence. So two out of five sentences quoted above have comma errors. No wonder his stupid society failed.

Are you the one that keeps telling me to beware?  Cause Ill l tell you where to be, out of my face!

5 hours ago, deadshank said:

Why do demons so love apostrophes you ask?

I say because they show possession.

its a close call

Are you guys talking about the 'Sky Comma'?  

Gary Gulman has much to say on this topic, though he is often described as n'er-do-well 

I refuse to give up the fight. When using apostrophes is against the law, only grammarians will have apostrophes. 

I still can't get over one space after a period.  What the fuck is that shit?  It's TWO spaces, after a period, you fucking millennials!

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.