apostrophe agony

[hugoboss]

I'm one of those annoying people who hates incorrect usage of apostrophies on signs/shop fronts etc. Imagine my agony when my local fish and chip shop changed their name to....Fryway's. Now, i'm sure there isn't someone called Mr Fryway running it...so why have they done it!?? Sad, i know, to get worked up about it, but we all have our pet peeves, don't we? Should I go in and ask them why they have done it? They are Kurds and don't speak a lot of English, so probably best not to upset them....

[THECORBYLOON]

I used to work wi someone who used an apostrophe for all plurals so three giro's, two pen's etc. By the way, the plural of "apostrophe" is "apostrophes".......

[IndieSinger]

hugoboss - I'm the same. I think the confusion here is because you can legitimately use the above construction for things like I'm going to Sainsbury's/butcher's. In the first case, it's (originally) because, I guess, traditionally, the shops were the owners' names (as you mentioned) and obviously that supermarket was started by J. S. Sainsbury. In the second case, the word shop is implied ("I'm going to  the butcher's shop [the shop of the butcher]")

I'd imagine that we now use the apostrophe-s contstruction out of habit even if it is not strictly warranted.

Here, shop is not implied ("I'm going to the shop of the Fryway") and it's clearly not the owner's name!

And on a completely different - and slightly less intellectual - note, there is a chippy near me called the Broomhill Friery, which I can never say when I've had a few, so it always comes out as the "Broomhill Fwyaway".

[hugoboss]

ah, TCL, thanks for your correction. Don't think i've ever written the word in question before. Will remember for future. *slapped wrist*!

cheers IndieSinger also

[Jackanory]

Whilst pouring myself a small sherry recently, I noticed the absence of an apostrophe in the name HARVEYS on the label.  As it is 'Distributed by or for John Harvey & sons' surely there should be one either before or after the S?

Any old how, as we are not the only ones who have strong feelings about the use of the beloved apostrophe, I thought you might be interested in the following site:

http://www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk/

Enjoy!

[Xollob]

A lot of companies are apostrophically challenged: Diners Club and Mothers Pride are two examples that spring to mind.

Is it any wonder the kids of today sniff glue and worship Satan?

[acw]

Apostrophically challenged - what a WONDERFUL phrase Xollob!  And yes - it gets on my nerves too!  I'm borderline Truss - I WANT the little apostrophe stickers, or the brush on a stick with an industrial size pot of tippex - I've just not QUITE reached the point of going to action on it!

[hugoboss]

ah...good to see i'm not alone in this world!!