Brits declare apostrophes "confusing and old fashioned"

[ELaurie]

England's second-largest city has decided to drop apostrophes from all its street signs, saying they're confusing and old-fashioned.

 

I guess it's a "sign of the times" ;)

 

 

Here's a link

[pqr]

There'll always be an England,

While there's a country lane.

Wherever there's a cottage small

Beside a field of grain

There'll always be an England

While there's a busy street.

Wherever there's a turning wheel

A million marching feet.

 

Well, perhaps there won't.

Edited February 6, 2009 by pqr

[AndyJoy]

England's second-largest city has decided to drop apostrophes from all its street signs, saying they're confusing and old-fashioned.

 

I guess it's a "sign of the times" ;)

 

 

Here's a link

 

Don't you mean a "sign of the time's"--since apostrophes are so confusing, you know!:D

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Apparently in Birmingham they speak the Queens English. HM Elizabeth II probably wonders who the heck is sitting on her throne during her off hours.

[Laura Corin]

Whilst I'm a punctuation pedant, there is a long tradition of British place names losing their apostrophes. St Andrews in Fife is one example, as is St Albans in Hertfordshire (neither town was connected with more than one saint of that name). Before you wonder, by the way, Britain has largely lost the full stop after the abbreviation of 'saint'; in this case I really can't argue, as it's hard to see what confusion its lack would cause.

 

Laura

[Michelle in MO]

You know, I don't really understand why proper nouns would need to lose the apostrophe; I can understand that there is a common usage and understanding, but I agree with pqr up above: losing the apostrophe altogether would be confusing. I hope this isn't going to be indicative of further confusion in English usage. (I realize, of course, that the article is not suggesting that; I'm defending proper English in general, however.) It's one of the few things left in English that clearly shows possession and it also takes the place of a missing letter in contractions. In fact, I clearly remember SWB stating at one of her conferences that one of the first things she tells some of her freshmen students is the following: "Its and it's are two completely different words; don't confuse the two when you write." That's why losing the apostrophe altogether would be confusing. Languages like Latin and German show possession by the genitive case; the apostrophe is virtually all that is left in English----unless we start using constructions like "______ of ______" all the time, or writing out all contractions, like "you will; I will; I cannot; she would not", etc. Using an apostrophe is incredibly easy; why drop it?

Edited February 7, 2009 by Michelle in MO

[Jackie in AR]

That stinks.

[Laura Corin]

You know, I don't really understand why proper nouns would need to lose the apostrophe;

 

However there is a long tradition of it happening in place names.

 

Laura

[GreenKitty]

It doesn't sound like such a bad idea though I can think of better things to change within the English Language. :001_huh:

[TCoppock]

When do we get to drop the commas?:tongue_smilie:

[cathmom]

Languages like Latin and German show possession by the genitive case;

 

Actually, German is losing the genitive; many younger German don't use it at all and use prepositional phrases in its place like you suggested. And of course they do use the "s" possessive without the apostrophe with proper names - "Giselas Tasche" for example.

[Michelle in MO]

Actually, German is losing the genitive; many younger German don't use it at all and use prepositional phrases in its place like you suggested. And of course they do use the "s" possessive without the apostrophe with proper names - "Giselas Tasche" for example.

 

Wow---I did not know that; I can see switching to prepositional phrases, as it's so common in English, but I wasn't aware of this switch. I guess German is changing, too.

 

I still think that in English usage, apostrophes are important. I will still continue to use them to show possession, and of course words like "its" and "it's" have two different meanings---one meaning with the apostrophe, and one without the apostrophe.

 

One other thought: the "s" possessive without the apostrophe in German makes perfect sense and is not at all confusing, but in English I think it's good to show the distinction between "s" possessive and "s" plural. It makes it easier for the reader to distinguish the difference, without having to refer to context. So many English nouns form their plural simply by adding "s"; German has numerous plural endings, i.e., das Lied, die Lieder, etc.

 

Just my .02 worth. I'm a traditionalist in many ways, I guess! :)

Edited February 7, 2009 by Michelle in MO
additional thoughts

[Guest Lorna]

England's second-largest city has decided to drop apostrophes from all its street signs, saying they're confusing and old-fashioned.

 

I guess it's a "sign of the times" ;)

 

 

Here's a link

 

 

 

Birmingham isn't England's second city; Liverpool is. :D

[Guest Lorna]

Whilst I'm a punctuation pedant, there is a long tradition of British place names losing their apostrophes. St Andrews in Fife is one example, as is St Albans in Hertfordshire (neither town was connected with more than one saint of that name). Before you wonder, by the way, Britain has largely lost the full stop after the abbreviation of 'saint'; in this case I really can't argue, as it's hard to see what confusion its lack would cause.

 

Laura

 

I took a few pictures today in Canterbury to illustrate her point.

[Guest Lorna]

Here is another example from Canterbury.

I still like to use a dot after Mrs. and Mr. and Dr. because I was taught this is correct. I rarely see people use it though.

 

Another interesting observation is that in England people say 'sint' when they see 'St.' but 'saynt' when they see the word 'Saint' spelled out. Fascinating.