Don't you just HATE errant apostophes?

[mariner2]

They were quite rare 15 or 20 years ago but now they're everywhere!

Photo's, video's, bloody apple's and pear's - I`ve yet to see one in a national newspaper, but it is only a matter of time, espeically when you consider the level of brain that writes for the Sun.

[mariner2]

Typical! I put in a load of errant apostrophes on purpose and they get edited out!

[Litchick]

I'm with you -- I HATE that!!!!

I was at the ferry terminal and the sign said "this way to the slip's!" GRRRRRRRRRR

[robbo82]

There's a restaurant near me with a sign saying "Bring you'r own wine", I kid you not!

[Buenchico]

Although I also hate 'errant' apostrophes, I think that it's unfortunate that Mariner2 has chosen to use a couple of examples where they might have some validity.

Apostrophes can be used to indicate the abbreviation of a word. I was taught to write 'bus and 'phone to show that both of these words are abbreviated forms of their original forms. It could also be argued that photo's and video's are also abbreviated forms of longer words and that this validates the use of the apostrophes. (The real test, however, would be to find out how the person who uses those apostrophes would write the singular form of the words. For consistency, photo' and video' would have to be used).

Chris

[beetucks]

My favourite was in Stratford -" Shakespeare Collectible's"on a tourist trash shop

[vehelpfulguy]

They get on my nerve's too

[Lindylou]

Where I live there's a van with LEWIS'S PIES written all over the side. One day, one day, I shall drag the driver out of the cab and strangle him.

[Mr Songman]

I agree with you mariner2 about errant apostophes.

I notice however, that you don't seem to have the same antipathy towards errant dashes! :) Or in this case - hyphens! :)

[BigMac]

A pub once advertised itself as "one of London's finest carvery's"... but has since corrected the text, thank goodness.

I rarely have anything good to say about the Sun, but there is a definite skill in telling a story in as few words as possible. A broadsheet writer may have 800-1,500 words to explain an idea or story - how much harder to do it in just 80?

[shammydodger]

A local offender has put up a sign: "Pick Your Own Strawberrie's".

Beachcomber of The Daily Express would have something to say about this particular prize idiot.

[mariner2]

TV advert last night, Essex motors or something advertising "mondeo's"

[mike b]

My favourite example, quoted by Keith Waterhouse I think, was a large hand-written sign from the time of the marriage of Prince Edward(?): ROYAL WEDDING - SOUVENIR PEN'S - with an unfortunately long apostrophe...

[mariner2]

One thing I REALLY don't understand is how professional signwriters can go ahead and painstakingly create beautiful signs that are WRONG!!

Just across the road from me now is an Indian restaurant called "Curry Night's"

But the best one I've seen is on a white van that drives around here advertising "Signwriting for Yacht's and Boat's"

[Echo]

Yes.

[jno]

can't see anything wrong with LEWIS'S PIES... Also, you'll see far more errors in the 'quality' papers than in the Sun. The tabloids restrict their language, but they use it with care. It's reporters on the big papers who use words they can't quite handle.