I’m taking a bit of a risk today, letting y’all see behind my mild-mannered mask of normalcy…
Language changes. It evolves. That’s a good thing. Language use in speech is much less formal than the written word and God knows texting has made things less formal. However, unless I missed a major memo, we did not agree as English-speaking peoples of earth, to combine possessive and plural word endings or use them interchangeably!
It’s huge. I’ve seen it all over the internet, on billboards, in print ads. It is my singular pet peeve and inordinately irritating. Truly, I sometimes see red. Seriously, did I miss this memo? It seems I’m the only one so offended.
On the off chance I’m not alone, here’s a series of sentences. In each group, one sentence is glaringly wrong.
The Carson’s are coming to dinner.
The Carsons are coming to dinner
The Carsons’ daughter is coming to dinner.
I need to get my girl’s from school.
I need to get my girls from school.
I need to get my girl’s homework from school.
I’ve never liked banana’s.
I’ve never liked bananas
I’ve never liked a banana’s taste.
Vegetable’s are good for you.
Vegetables are good for you.
A vegetable’s vitamins are good for you.
I have the best customer’s.
I have the best customers.
I have the best customers’ reviews.
Husband’s are nice to have.
Husbands are nice to have.
A husband’s presence is nice to have.
So tell me. Am I truly alone in this? Am I the only one bothered by the misuse of the apostrophe?
No. In fact, you are not alone at all.
I’m with you! It drives me bonkers. Seems like the simplest of things to master, and yet, as you say, the misuse of the apostrophe is rampant. Here’s my blog post on it: http://www.wordstrumpet.com/2014/01/the-misuse-of-the-apostrophe-.html
Loved your post, Charlotte. Well, at least we’re a party of three with Rose. 🙂