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Post by MJB on Feb 3, 2023 20:56:36 GMT
The irony being that what was being referred to would be a "doctors' waiting room" so the gotcha, well, didn't hit. He lives in the sticks, so perhaps a doctor’s waiting room. Nah. Their's free GP's at the practise.  Note, edited by 3rd party for the lols. |
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Post by geoffr on Feb 3, 2023 22:01:22 GMT
In the informal setting of this forum the only people requiring punctuation are pedants and grammar Nazis. Of course if you know that the punctuation was incorrect then it proves you understood what was written and therefore punctuation is unnecessary. Without wishing to annoy anyone, it isn’t about formality, it is about recognising that we aren’t a closed community. Anyone and his dog can see everything we post and a good proportion of those won’t understand. Better, in my opinion, to punctuate for those who don’t know the difference than to assume that the expected audience doesn’t need it. However, probably best not to bite the hand that feeds us. |
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Post by JohnY on Feb 4, 2023 15:19:50 GMT
As usual I will refer you to 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves' by Lynne Truss.
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Post by Chester PB on Feb 4, 2023 16:23:29 GMT
As usual I will refer you to 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves' by Lynne Truss. Personally, I look for clarity in what I type here so that the precise meaning is clear, and still don't understand why the correct use of the humble apostrophe is so difficult for so many people. This may require a pause to check what I've typed before clicking on the 'Create Post' icon, or an edit a few moments later after I've noticed my error. When an employer of mine first purchased word processing software in the mid 1980s, one of the ladies in the secretaries' room (which dates it), had put up a notice that read something like 'Just because its got passed the spell chequer dozen mean its write'. |
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Post by MJB on Feb 4, 2023 17:46:56 GMT
As usual I will refer you to 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves' by Lynne Truss. Where the commas are far more important to the comprehension than the apostrophes. Interestingly I put my "doctors waiting room", in the sentence it was used in, in front to someone with a diagnosed learning difficulty and they understood it in the context it was intended. I also got my daughter to show it to her Korean friends to who English is not their first language, and the English alphabet is not their preferred alphabet. Guess what? They all took it in the context it was intended. Perhaps Chester, Geoff, and John could clarify who it is that requires the apostrophes to understand it? |
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Post by Kath on Feb 4, 2023 18:20:47 GMT
Given the number of people who randomly shove apostrophes in where none have any business being shoved ("Fresh in! Leek's! Potatoe's! Carrot's!" etc) I don't suppose anyone would really have any issues understanding or gleaning understanding from a lack of the same. I mean, if you are listening to someone talking, you can't see if there's an apostrophe and you have to work out the number of doctors from context.
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Post by John Farrell on Feb 4, 2023 18:56:26 GMT
You can see why it's called a greengrocers' apostrophe...
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Post by steveandthedogs on Feb 7, 2023 15:19:55 GMT
As usual I will refer you to 'Eats, Shoots & Leaves' by Lynne Truss. Where the commas are far more important to the comprehension than the apostrophes. Interestingly I put my "doctors waiting room", in the sentence it was used in, in front to someone with a diagnosed learning difficulty and they understood it in the context it was intended. I also got my daughter to show it to her Korean friends to who English is not their first language, and the English alphabet is not their preferred alphabet. Guess what? They all took it in the context it was intended. Perhaps Chester, Geoff, and John could clarify who it is that requires the apostrophes to understand it? Shouldn't that be "for whom"? S alright, I'm going |
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Post by zou on Feb 7, 2023 16:33:36 GMT
My new year's resolution was to annoy less pedants.
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Post by MJB on Feb 7, 2023 16:39:02 GMT
My new years resolution was to annoy less pedant's. FTFY |
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Post by geoffr on Feb 7, 2023 18:25:15 GMT
My new year's resolution was to annoy less pedants. fewer! |
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Post by zou on Feb 7, 2023 18:26:14 GMT
My new year's resolution was to annoy less pedants. fewer! Huh, I think your right. |
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Post by MJB on Feb 7, 2023 19:11:03 GMT
Mr. Hooper! Another barrel if you please.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2023 20:05:48 GMT
My new year's resolution was to annoy less pedants. How many days did that last? Enjoy Japan. Trust you didn't forget any of the 6 cameras you were taking. |
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Post by zou on Feb 8, 2023 13:40:19 GMT
My new year's resolution was to annoy less pedants. How many days did that last? Enjoy Japan. Trust you didn't forget any of the 6 cameras you were taking. Got them all. But appear to have forgotten the charging cable for my smart watch. My find it when fully unpacked, fingers crossed. |
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