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thread: Does the Grocers' Apostrophe feel pain?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    Does the Grocers' Apostrophe feel pain?

    I say whilst not physically, emotionally that poor little apostrophe must be in pain. I always feel sorry for them and want to cover their shame by taking them home and handing them out to those who need them.

    Also - grocer's apostrophe or grocers' apostrophe? I say grocers' as it is used by more than one grocer.

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Follow Pandora On Twitter

    Jan 2005
    cowtown
    8,276

    I agree.
    grocer's implies a single grocer, where grocers' is plural.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Add Kazbah on Facebook Follow Kazbah On Twitter

    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
    7,526

    If I'm off to the grocer's then its a singular, and is an abbreviation of "grocer's shop"

    Have you noticed that Sunrise lately needs someone to check the grammar & spelling of the news ticker?

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jan 2007
    in a pig-sty
    351

    Ryn, I agree with you on the placement of the apostrophe, but I am a little confused as to why he might feel pain. Is it because nobody knows where to put him?

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    OK, the word "grocer" is looking so weird right now... must stop analysing spelling!

    Ali, it is a silly title, I agree. Luckily we have a great grocer who knows how to use an apostrophe, but I do feel for a missused apostrophe; he is neither form nor function, so must be despised! Poor love, to be brought erroneously into this world to meet with nought but hate. I'm married to a man who can't use a comma, let alone an apostrophe, so my red pen gets a good work out already (he asks me to!) - just hope DS copes a bit better. Two men abusing an apostrophe in one house is too cruel!

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jan 2007
    in a pig-sty
    351

    Oh Ryn, you're a funny one! I used to proof read DH's assignments for uni, and I was lethal with the red pen!

    I hate when you over-analyse a word. The other week they had an article in the sunday paper that was going on about new slogans for Brisbane, and I was reading the suggestions aloud for everyone, and by the time that I had finished reading the suggestions, Brisbane was like a foreign word to me, and I was confused as to where it even was geographically. And I live in Brisbane! What an idiot!

  7. #7
    Administrator
    Add Rouge on Facebook

    Jun 2003
    Ubiquity
    9,922

    Have you guys seen grammar girl? Classic. I would have said Grocers'. But I don't like Paris's either I always type/write Paris'

    Google Grammar Girl if you haven't been there

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    Great site, thanks Cailin.

    BTW, just recalled another hate while reading my webcomic... the word is HAMSTER. There is no p in hamster (well, not unless the beast has just drank lots of water, but that's not my point).

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    whoop whoop or not, not sure yet!!!
    1,347

    I thought Cailin that if the word ended in s in the singular form then the ownership rule was "....s' " not "....s's" which would make Paris' the correct form. ???

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Add Kazbah on Facebook Follow Kazbah On Twitter

    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
    7,526

    Jaspen - I agree with that

  11. #11
    Administrator
    Add Rouge on Facebook

    Jun 2003
    Ubiquity
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    Jaspen re read my post hon thats exactly what I'm saying

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    On the other side of this screen!!!
    11,129

    Ryn - yep haha, I'm pretty sure the Grocers' brocolli (sic) feels pain too !

    Fortunately the real test of good green grocers is not where they place their apostrophe but rather whether they sell blood oranges!

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    NSW Central Coast
    5,301

    Oh my goodness my head hurts reading all of this!!!! But it is good for the brain, LOL!

  14. #14
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    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
    7,526

    Ryn - yep haha, I'm pretty sure the Grocers' brocolli (sic) feels pain too !

    Fortunately the real test of good green grocers is not where they place their apostrophe but rather whether they sell blood oranges!
    As long as their blood oranges taste better than their potatoe's (sic)

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    whoop whoop or not, not sure yet!!!
    1,347

    Sorry Cailin - it was obviously too early in the morning and I read your post differently to what you meant - apologies from now on I will wait til my brain kicks in before posting LOL

    hehe Kazbah

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Jan 2005
    Down by the ocean
    6,110

    Have moved this to Writing and Poetry.

  17. #17
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Feb 2006
    South Eastern Suburbs, Vic
    6,054

    Hey, while I'm thinking of this - help me with 'it's'. I automatically put the apostrophe in every time, and then confuse myself thinking 'Should that be there? No, I should take it out...no I think that's right...'

    It's - it is.
    It's - as in, belonging, like the dog's collar - it's collar. Right?
    Its - as in, humour at its best. Is that right?

    Can someone help me out here? Am I even more confused than usual?

  18. #18
    Registered User
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    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
    7,526

    The only time "its" has an apostrophe is when it's the shortened version of "it is".
    Else it's no apostrophe.

    Your second and third examples are the same - as Humour is the noun and its is used as the possessive (humour at humour's best or humour at its best).

    HTH

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