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mrs trellis

10th November 2012, 10:07
Syzygy, I think my friend now knows what I'm getting at, I have explained the whole removing the third person thing but she is refusing to bow to my pedantry. In fact I'm surprised she's still talking to me. Shrink - I agree, less for fewer is another pet hate. Supermarkets have started using 'no more than 10 items' on their express checkouts. Cowards.
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bernie

10th November 2012, 10:07
If you're travelling North bound!
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bernie

10th November 2012, 10:09
Self inflicted slap on the wrist, Northbound!
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mrs trellis

10th November 2012, 10:11
rambler, great link - think I'm a perpositionist.
Btw, I expect you all know who led The Pedants Revolt? (scroll down if you don't)

















Which Tyler.
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rosalind

10th November 2012, 10:11
Not sure how you can correct anyone's spelling or grammar without giving offence. How about people who say "Haich"? I have to bite my tongue when I hear that one
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rambler

10th November 2012, 10:13
bernie and mrs trellis, :)
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mrs trellis

10th November 2012, 10:23
I am currently self-flagellating for mis-typing prepositionist and leaving apostrophe off Pedants'. I beg everyone's forgiveness :-)
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mrs trellis

10th November 2012, 10:24
Just got your quip bernie, lol.
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mrs trellis

10th November 2012, 10:27
I agree rosalind, it's impossible not to give offence,but I think the sort of people who are irritated by these lapses are probably the ones who find it hardest to bite their (our) tongues. Haitch is 'orrible isn't it.
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bobs mum

10th November 2012, 12:00
Hi all,

Following the apostrophe query and answers, 'im indoors found and old book.
Treble H.A. and Vallins G.H. (1936)Oxford University Press London.

Whilst old fashioned and 'wordy', it does have some good general rule of thumb.

'SINGULAR: Singular noun +'s
The only exceptions are classical names like Mars and Venus which make genitive Mars' and Venus'
PLURAL
(a) If the noun ends with an s in the plural: Plural noun + an apostrophe after the final s.
(b) If the noun does not end with an s in the plural: Plural noun +'s. (pg 23)

It is a good working rule NOT to use an apostrophe form of the genitive when the resultant word would be ugly or cacophonous. Thus of a rhinoceros, not rhinoceros's.

'Third person pronouns have no apostrophe: ours, yours, hers, its, theirs.'

Hope that shed's some light, a handy little tome way out of print now but maybe available on e-bay.


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