What is the correct usage of the apostrophe?
Quite a number of english speaking individuals do not seem to know, as can be seen by the number of errors in shop signs and advertisements. Therefore follow some english grammar basic rules worth knowing for english translators or writers. Some of the worst culprits are supposedly greengrocers, thus the expression the "greengrocer's apostrophe". Signs can often be seen promoting juicy pear's, savory apple's or the best banana's . Greengrocers however are not the only ones to get it wrong. Here are a few more real world examples of incorrect utilisation:
Menu's printed.
New CD's just in.
Open Sunday's.
Ideal for heaters, lighting, TV's, radio's and other appliances.
There is now an association called The Apostrophe Protection Society, established in 2001 with the aim of hunting down examples of misuse and reminding people of the rules for using apostrophes.
Perhaps it is hardly surprising that foreign speakers have troubles with the apostrophe, if the British or American can't get it right!
So what is the rule? It's actually quite simple.
An apostrophe is to be used in two cases:
1. to indicate omitted letters:
I'm afraid I can't make the appointment ( I am afraid … I cannot)
It's really quite true (it is)
I don't know that story (I do not know)
2. to denote possession : the dog's bone, the president's people, the company's policies, our competitor's products
Note that:
* In the plural the possessive apostrophe is placed after the –s:
the dogs' bone (more than one dog), the companies' policies (more than one company)
* An apostrophe is not used with "it":
This is in its best interest
It is its best offer
* What about names that end in –s?
There is no hard and fast rule here. It is usual to add –'s after the first –s, for example:
Mr Jones's speech, St James's Street.
However it has also become accepted practice to simply add an apostrophe (Dickens' novels).
An apostrophe is NEVER used when the –s simply signals the plural form of a noun!
Hence: the greengrocer sells "juicy pears, savory apples and the best bananas ", and the other examples of wrong usage given at the beginning of this article should read:
Menus printed.
New CDs just in.
Open Sundays.
Ideal for heaters, lighting, TVs, radios and other appliances.
One last point: be careful when using your and you're. Confusion is easy, as they sound the same.
Your is possessive: this is your car
You're is a contraction of "you are": you're right about the schedule.
And beware – tracking down examples of incorrectly used apostrophes can become quite habit-forming!
J. McCorquodale is a linguist writing about languages in English, French and Italian. She acts as a legal translator with Tectrad, a professional translation service group for english to spanish, english to french translation, web site translation and other specialist work. More articles on the subject of grammar, vocabulary and translation are also available there.
Source: www.isnare.com
