Punctuation nitpick
I know I've read enough rants about punctuation and word choice and grammar on my flist to know that I'm not alone in my annoyance when mistakes are repeatedly made. But there is one thing that I see everywhere (by folks with otherwise good grammar usage, in the RL and online) that it is DRIVING ME UP A WALL and I knew I could share it here.
The apostrophe-s used to signify a plural of something, specific the plural of a family name.
AAAAAAAGH. *pulls hair*
For instance, saying The Winchester's when speaking of Sam and Dean as a unit. IT'S JUST AN S PEOPLE. NO APOSTROPHE NEEDED. Or Padalecki's or Anderson's or whatever. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
If it's the gun belonging to a Winchester, then it's Winchester's gun. Multiple guns belonging to the Winchester boys: Winchesters' guns. Otherwise it's just Winchesters.
It gets a little murkier when speaking about the Thomas family or the Cummins family or the Adams family (heh). I have always thought it should be The Thomases or The Cumminses or The Adamses. I told this to friends with the last names of Thomas and Cummins and they looked at me like I was nuts. Am I incorrect? And the Adamses? I always just address their Christmas card to the Adams family to give myself a little chuckle.
*climbs off of soapbox*
Thanks for listening. And PLEASE smack me down if any of my notions on this topic are incorrect.
On a completely separate note, Ben Browder is very hot. *gazes fondly at my moodtheme icon*
The apostrophe-s used to signify a plural of something, specific the plural of a family name.
AAAAAAAGH. *pulls hair*
For instance, saying The Winchester's when speaking of Sam and Dean as a unit. IT'S JUST AN S PEOPLE. NO APOSTROPHE NEEDED. Or Padalecki's or Anderson's or whatever. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.
If it's the gun belonging to a Winchester, then it's Winchester's gun. Multiple guns belonging to the Winchester boys: Winchesters' guns. Otherwise it's just Winchesters.
It gets a little murkier when speaking about the Thomas family or the Cummins family or the Adams family (heh). I have always thought it should be The Thomases or The Cumminses or The Adamses. I told this to friends with the last names of Thomas and Cummins and they looked at me like I was nuts. Am I incorrect? And the Adamses? I always just address their Christmas card to the Adams family to give myself a little chuckle.
*climbs off of soapbox*
Thanks for listening. And PLEASE smack me down if any of my notions on this topic are incorrect.
On a completely separate note, Ben Browder is very hot. *gazes fondly at my moodtheme icon*