How to use an apostrophe: the character '

A person's use of language does affect how he is perceived.

It is popular to portray firearm owners as being ignorant rednecks.
A marginally literate letter to an editor or politican can contribute to the perpetuation of the stereotype. The message is likely to be overlooked.
 
lister said:
So my sig line is correct. It was bugging me that it might not be.:)
ie-possesive.
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Actually, yours is a unique quote from tjhaile in that it would work in many different iterations:

ORIGINAL:
The hypocrisy of the anti-gun position is that the antis would have the states’ agents use guns to seize private guns from their owners. These people who claim to be against violence are in fact in favour of initiating violence against another class of people who have committed no aggression. -tjhaile

The key word is states.

If one were to refer to a single state - "the state's agents..."
Referring, as it does, to multiple states - "the states' agents..."

So, basically, it all depends on whether you're talking about one state (singular) or more than one combination of states (plural).

It's a win-win for the apostrophe user! :)

And yes, the "freedoms'" is correct - if one is referring to "the many freedoms afforded us" rather than "freedom" as a singular concept. This was nicely explained by BP7 above.

-M
 
I thought the correct use was: left-overs can easily be packed away in Glocks and reheated the next night while still tasting fresh!
 
Doc M said:
Actually, yours is a unique quote from tjhaile in that it would work in many different iterations:

ORIGINAL:
The hypocrisy of the anti-gun position is that the antis would have the states’ agents use guns to seize private guns from their owners. These people who claim to be against violence are in fact in favour of initiating violence against another class of people who have committed no aggression. -tjhaile

The key word is states.

If one were to refer to a single state - "the state's agents..."
Referring, as it does, to multiple states - "the states' agents..."

So, basically, it all depends on whether you're talking about one state (singular) or more than one combination of states (plural).

It's a win-win for the apostrophe user! :)

And yes, the "freedoms'" is correct - if one is referring to "the many freedoms afforded us" rather than "freedom" as a singular concept. This was nicely explained by BP7 above.

-M
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lol. I forgot about the "states'" part. I was thinkiing of the "freedoms'" one.:)
Glad to hear they're both right though! (although apparently depending on what it was saying it could go multiple ways)
Maybe I'll switch it back and forth just to amuse myself.;)
 
ESL.jpg


The essential guide to Questions Apostrophical.

:) Stuart
 
BP7 said:
Glocks = plural, as in many Glock pistols (notice again that in this instance pistols is spelled pistols, and not pistol's)

Glock's = possessive, as in the Glock's trigger isn't always loved by everyone

Glock's = contraction, as in this Glock's (Glock is) a cheap but good gun

:kickInTheNuts:
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I vote BP7 for grammar moderator...:p

2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
tjhaile said:
The apostrophe was behind the "s" when I originally said it:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4326590&highlight=hypocrisy#post4326590

It was my intention to use the word "state's" as a singular possessive noun to refer to a single generic state, rather than one particular state or a number of states.
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hmmmm..now that you mention it, I vaguely recall doing a drunken grammar check on a bunch of stuff one night.....goes to show you shouldn't drink and surf.:D:p
 
So at what point did this site turn from CGN to Spelling Bee?? If spelling errors were punishable, there wouldn't be many members remaining. In fact some of the spelling is quite humorous but unfortunately the poster has no idea they are doing anything wrong. Sadly it is proof that todays education system is far from successful but it is a free country and we have the ability to post as we wish......even if it is a non firearm related posting on a firearms thread:rolleyes:

how about: the incredible level of horrid writing on here by people who would otherwise want to be viewed as intelligent members of society.

hey, for fun, look at your sig! people appear intelligent until you read what and how they write...
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Nice to know there is a grammar/punctuation expert out there making the site safer...Nice to see poster#2 caught the error on your original:D
dB
 
Another one that no one here ever seems to get is "a lot". Not to be confused with allot, which although being a word has a completely different meaning.

BP7 said:
how about: the incredible level of horrid writing on here by people who would otherwise want to be viewed as intelligent members of society.

hey, for fun, look at your sig! people appear intelligent until you read what and how they write...
Click to expand...

Capitals are always good too! :D I still commend your efforts in teaching this lot how to spell though.

Doc M said:
Actually, yours is a unique quote from tjhaile in that it would work in many different iterations:

ORIGINAL:
The hypocrisy of the anti-gun position is that the antis would have the states’ agents use guns to seize private guns from their owners. These people who claim to be against violence are in fact in favour of initiating violence against another class of people who have committed no aggression. -tjhaile

The key word is states.

If one were to refer to a single state - "the state's agents..."
Referring, as it does, to multiple states - "the states' agents..."

So, basically, it all depends on whether you're talking about one state (singular) or more than one combination of states (plural).

It's a win-win for the apostrophe user! :)

And yes, the "freedoms'" is correct - if one is referring to "the many freedoms afforded us" rather than "freedom" as a singular concept. This was nicely explained by BP7 above.

-M
Click to expand...

I was going to raise that point about state's, but while we're nitpicking about everyone's grammar, quote is a verb, and quotation is the noun. The only time you can use quote as a noun, (or at least it's used so pervasively that it has become accepted) is in the context of an insurance quote.


A little knowledge is a dangerous thing folks.

As an aside, this thread ought to be required reading for most of CGN.
 
^ hey, fix your sig! sure, "a lot" is two words. but IT IS two words, as in it's two words. not its. the word "its" is actually a possessive, meaning "belonging to it". plus, i used up my CAPITALS quota on my alias. kinda tapped out at the moment!



^^ daBear - what error on the original? no error, just that poster #2 added some variants and started to wonder how to combine plurals and possessivenes.
 
Ever hear the one about the Army and Navy store manager, he told the sign guy he wanted to "see equal spaces between Army and And, and And, and Navy." OK grammar fun done, this is a shooting site. IBTL
 
There, their and they're is my pet peeve around here.

For a Country with some of the best schools, there are a lot of illiterates around.

Have you ever noticed that Americans, even with a higher illiteracy rate than Canada, portray far better grammar than Canadians.

Yes, grammar does make a difference in communications.
 
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