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Unsurprisingly, I don't really agree with you at all on this point. :p Nate Send a noteboard - 05/10/2011 10:29:59 PM
I NEVER use apostrophes in possessives (unless the noun ends in "s,") for two reasons:

1) Consistency. Contrary to the practice of centuries, the style for several decades has been, as you know, to spell "its" (the possessive form of "it") with no apostrophe to avoid confusion with "it's" (the contraction of "it is".) I merely observe that practice with all nouns and pronouns rather than in a single anomalous pronoun.

2) The aforementioned practice is sometimes justified on the grounds apostrophes represent elided letters and that none are present in a possessive construction. This is not, strictly speaking, true, because the use of apostrophe plus "s" to form English possessives reflects English forming possessives in "es" about half a millennium ago. Custom gradually elided the "e" with an apostrophe so we use apostrophe plus "s" today despite most peoples ignorance of the cause. Few but language history scholars would now recognize "es" as possessive, and it is consequently quite justifiable to drop the apostrophe altogether for possessives.

In other words, it can be argued that an apostrophe has a rightful place in both "its" and "everyones" AND that it has no place in either, but arguing it belongs in one and not the other is untenably contradictory. As with "its" and "it's" context invariably makes quite clear whether "Mikes" means "the thing belonging to Mike" or "Mike is." So much so that I have consistently avoided apostrophes in forming possessives from the day I joined wotmania yet believe this may be the first time anyone has corrected me for it. ;)


You said yourself, to random thoughts, that grammatical rules are all about consistent ability to effectively and accurately communicate. Changing conventions for a specific effect is one thing, but you can't really change them just because you don't like them, even though nobody else has adopted your change, and expect to be considered right.

In fact, there is an example right here in your very own writing where you left out the apostrophe and the context does not solve the meaning. You say, "despite most peoples ignorance of the cause." Do you mean ignorance that belongs to people, or ignorance that belongs to peoples? Because those are different words with different meanings, the latter being a plural form referring to multiple groups of distinct people. Unless we know about your "unless the noun ends in s" qualifier, which because you are using a set of rules that are not commonly accepted we would have no reason to, there is no way to pick out your exact meaning.

That is the trouble with using a rule set that is different from the one everyone else is using. It's like using a different form of chess notation that you've invented. It doesn't matter if you use it consistently or if it makes sense; all the other chess players are going to tell you it's wrong. And they're going to be right.

I do have some sympathy for your stance, because of the "it's vs its" convention. However, what you are arguing is that the apostrophe is not needed because context makes the meaning clear. But the exact same is true when you do use the apostrophe. Context makes it clear whether "everyone's" means "everyone is" or "belonging to everyone".

Given that context makes it clear in either case, what is the point of using a non-standard, non-accepted, this-is-my-personal-rule version when using it in the accepted way is just as understandable (and one could argue much more understandable because it follows the rules that people expect when they read something and does not lead to conversations like this)?

The only answer is that you have an idea you like and you're stubborn about it. Which, okay. No one can stop you. But you can't expect to be considered right about it, because grammatical conventions say that you are not, and that's what grammar is all about — it is a set of conventions that allow people to communicate accurately, and if you step outside of those conventions you are, by definition, no longer being grammatical.
Warder to starry_nite

Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
This message last edited by Nate on 05/10/2011 at 10:32:21 PM
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Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 06:46:31 PM 1209 Views
I'm not always sure that I'm correct, but.... - 05/10/2011 07:04:13 PM 910 Views
I didn't see any errors - 05/10/2011 07:24:27 PM 896 Views
Re: I didn't see any errors - 06/10/2011 03:14:07 PM 767 Views
You mean ... - 06/10/2011 03:58:32 PM 866 Views
Must ... have ... grammar. - 05/10/2011 07:53:34 PM 1085 Views
For you and Tom as well, the same question about question eight. - 05/10/2011 08:33:39 PM 1383 Views
Tom can probably give you actual terms and correct rules, but here's my take on it. - 05/10/2011 08:43:47 PM 862 Views
That makes sense as far as it goes. - 05/10/2011 09:02:42 PM 931 Views
But do you actually regard them that way? - 05/10/2011 09:08:36 PM 878 Views
Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:25:18 PM 847 Views
Re: Yeah, pretty much. - 05/10/2011 09:29:33 PM 719 Views
OK then. - 05/10/2011 09:59:50 PM 882 Views
You bring up a point that I was researching the other day - 05/10/2011 08:53:40 PM 923 Views
You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 05/10/2011 09:00:25 PM 891 Views
You're right of course! - 05/10/2011 09:13:44 PM 958 Views
I frequently am. - 05/10/2011 09:16:38 PM 964 Views
So I've noticed. - 05/10/2011 09:19:38 PM 895 Views
I like telling people, too. - 05/10/2011 09:34:50 PM 890 Views
You can use charmap. - 05/10/2011 10:21:32 PM 914 Views
Re: You guys mean a hyphen, not a dash. - 06/10/2011 01:15:02 PM 820 Views
Mmm, dashing. - 05/10/2011 09:02:53 PM 872 Views
Emdashing is an entirely different form of punctuation. - 05/10/2011 09:07:36 PM 969 Views
Achtung! Grammatik! :insert Nazi-saluting smiley as the Wehrmacht marches by: - 05/10/2011 08:10:45 PM 990 Views
I love this bit. - 05/10/2011 08:26:52 PM 970 Views
Bring back the BSG! - 05/10/2011 08:55:32 PM 919 Views
Re: your 2nd irritating error for question 2 - 06/10/2011 04:12:49 PM 842 Views
Good poll, especially for this site. - 05/10/2011 08:11:10 PM 996 Views
Re: serial comma. - 05/10/2011 08:31:58 PM 879 Views
Maybe I was being a little anal there. - 05/10/2011 08:35:33 PM 853 Views
Same here - 05/10/2011 08:43:34 PM 742 Views
I think it's conventional to use a comma before "etc". - 05/10/2011 08:55:11 PM 826 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:33:06 PM 884 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 05/10/2011 08:49:43 PM 945 Views
People should talk in a way that can be understood, else they are not communicating. - 05/10/2011 09:17:37 PM 935 Views
Re: "everyone's". ~winky~ *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:22:18 PM 430 Views
Is it time for my lecture on superfluous apostrophes again? - 05/10/2011 09:43:47 PM 842 Views
You mean your lecture on "superfluous" apostrophes. - 05/10/2011 09:53:31 PM 792 Views
As have I. Multiple times. *NM* - 05/10/2011 09:55:08 PM 413 Views
I am not stubborn, just true to my convictions. - 05/10/2011 09:56:39 PM 1043 Views
Unsurprisingly, I don't really agree with you at all on this point. :p - 05/10/2011 10:29:59 PM 932 Views
I do not really think I am "right" on this one so much as "not wrong." - 06/10/2011 12:01:36 AM 863 Views
But contradictions are inherent in the entire English language! - 06/10/2011 01:25:39 AM 843 Views
Sure, but not deliberate ones created by grammarians who know better. - 06/10/2011 05:40:58 AM 839 Views
I'm going to listen to the others. - 06/10/2011 06:17:18 AM 864 Views
Like I say, I appreciate exceptions when justified (and again, only claiming to be "not wrong." ) - 06/10/2011 07:26:18 AM 750 Views
But you are wrong - 06/10/2011 02:17:40 PM 906 Views
that is OK he is very good at being wrong *NM* - 06/10/2011 03:43:23 PM 442 Views
I disagree. - 07/10/2011 12:15:14 AM 830 Views
How utterly unsurprising - 07/10/2011 02:21:38 PM 824 Views
"We want to be nothing if not persistent." - 07/10/2011 02:39:19 PM 856 Views
Doesn't matter. - 07/10/2011 03:12:14 PM 855 Views
What. - 06/10/2011 06:17:41 PM 937 Views
You called? - 05/10/2011 08:53:54 PM 927 Views
Grammar schmammar! - 05/10/2011 09:01:47 PM 960 Views
Wongy tip #77 - 05/10/2011 11:15:12 PM 821 Views
#1) I do not use NetSpeak while playing games, texting or using social media. - 05/10/2011 11:34:12 PM 816 Views
What about NateSpeak? *NM* - 06/10/2011 04:01:08 PM 401 Views
I did use that once to tell the story of you and CNRedDragon going to see Ice Princess. *NM* - 07/10/2011 01:46:50 AM 434 Views
A timeless classic. - 07/10/2011 01:53:36 AM 794 Views
Re: Grammar junkies - 06/10/2011 01:17:28 AM 848 Views
Yes. - 06/10/2011 06:53:46 AM 780 Views
I forgot about "of" for "have." - 06/10/2011 07:31:11 AM 827 Views
I try - 06/10/2011 09:18:29 AM 894 Views
I freebase split infinitives on a regular basis. - 06/10/2011 01:53:36 PM 746 Views
The split infinitive is not grammatically incorrect. - 06/10/2011 02:04:34 PM 841 Views
I wish more people knew this. - 06/10/2011 07:38:46 PM 775 Views
Junky Grammar. - 06/10/2011 04:24:01 PM 797 Views

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