75ZT Community

... to be a pedant.

A very old friend of mine, with a somewhat whimsical, if not wicked sense of humour was engaged in a forum thread today, a part of which which caused considerable mirth.

The forum is private and therefore a direct link would be both inappropriate and ineffective but I hope the salient points, quoted below, give a flavour.

My friend, Anne, has the username Cerces and here she is bewailing the fact that she had been rail-roaded into a decision.

Cerces:-

"... so as you can see, it was really Hobsons's choice."

Mercutio:-

"... gratifying to see you trying to apply the basic rules of grammar even whilst failing miserably in that endeavour. The choice was that of Hobson, and as such, would be indicated by the use of an apostrophe in possession, that apostrophe being betwixt the N and the S, thusly: Hobson's.
Your efforts are to be applauded but please, if you feel the need to impress with your command of grammar, may I suggest that a little further study might result in less embarrassment?"

Cerces:-

"A point well made Mercutio. The lesson you provided is something which I feel will stay with me for a considerable time.

You are quite new to our forum and I find user-names far too impersonal for friends so perhaps I can introduce myself.

My name is Anne-Marie Hobsons and for my sins, I'm Professor of English Language Studies at ****** University."

I did enjoy that

Just the two of us then Carl

I revel in grammatical traps, deliberate or otherwise, and that example did indeed provide mirth.


It may be well known that there is a debate currently being held on the benefit to be obtained from the hybridisation of 'their', 'they’re', and ‘there’, and the absolute abandonment of the apostrophe in any form (greengrocers will rejoice).

If I may say, your example demonstrates the need, if any demonstration were needed, for caution in the apparent downhill rush to illiteracy. The frequency of the deliberate trap or innocent misunderstanding, or, by another name, excuse for fun, is one of the most enjoyable aspects of our, international, language.

Cerces’ well-mannered and impeccably polite correction of her would-be teacher (how delicious) is a joy.

just like wot I wood have put

raistlin wrote:Just the two of us then Carl

No, I enjoyed it too! (I must admit the apostrophe does flummox me from time to time, so I usually construct my sentences to avoid it's usage....)

(hope I was correct above!)

I read recently that a Local Authority somewhere had changed it's mind and reinstated the apostrophe on a street called Prince's Street, as the local residents said, without the apostrophe the meaning totally changed. The street was named in Victorian times to commemorate Prince Albert, to drop the apostrophe would have lost the historical link to the reason behind the original naming.

Cheers

Mike