Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

I agree with you, tonta, although if I say James' book, it sometimes doesn't seem enough and so I am likely to say James's book. It is an old chestnut, as you say, and unlikely ever to go away until the apostrophe is abolished!

Orson

I`ve heard `a shellacking` being used to mean a good drubbing, but not so much nowadays

Tonta & Orson

St James` Park (Newcastle) always seems to be pronounced St James`s, which is how the London one is written - no wonder there is confusion!

Malone

Nice to see one of your favourite words, b'o's'u'n, in the Times today.

Grunger, I too spotted that this morning! Doesn't it look so much nicer without all the pesky apostrophes?

Malone

Yes it does. It was lovely to see the full word.

Grunger, thanks. I suppose the only problem with the word is the pronunciation - I'm sure my children (and probably my mother!) would have gone around saying 'Boat's wain'. That's logical, of course!

Malone

I used to pronounce it - "Boat Swain", i.e. someone who swains boats, although I have never heard of swain being used as a verb, only in the "lover" sense.

I have tried to imagine how you might swain a boat or a cox, without success unfortunately.

Tyke

I see in the Times that Bon Jovi reported that Bayern shellacked Chelsea, after spending the previous evening sipping whisky with him.

Would that help Rovers?

Grunger

Most Rovers supporters need a good stiff drink before and after our games!

I`ve cast my vote in the leadership election - the online voting method was different - it involved `dragging & dropping` the candidate`s name into a box - not sure all the older members are familiar with this!

Tyke

Thanks. I can think of a few people that I would like to drag and drop into a box.........not necessarily on a ballot paper.