tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post1274815483016850327..comments2023-09-21T06:15:03.099-07:00Comments on Conjugate Visits: Making 'Em Gasp in Grammar ClassJune Casagrandehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-68452752518687197082008-09-17T09:22:00.000-07:002008-09-17T09:22:00.000-07:00Good one! (Any why do I have the feeling that was ...Good one! <BR/><BR/>(Any why do I have the feeling that was one frightening apostrophe argument?)June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-2271295172740198792008-09-17T08:41:00.000-07:002008-09-17T08:41:00.000-07:00In an apostrophe argument on Usenet I once pointed...In an apostrophe argument on Usenet I once pointed out that if your DVDs were stolen you might say you were de-DVD'd . . .<BR/><BR/>-- Adrian (<A HREF="http://outerhoard.wordpress.com/" REL="nofollow">outerhoard.wordpress.com</A>)Adrian Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06469026342375625260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-80594176217449025612008-09-15T15:02:00.000-07:002008-09-15T15:02:00.000-07:00Yeah, I made a purile joke about "feeling badly" i...Yeah, I made a purile joke about "feeling badly" in "Mortal Syntax." I was young then ("then" being 2007). I was just thinking the other day how quickly I've tired of jokes like that. I'm so last year.<BR/><BR/>Anyhoo, if you're going to crop "until," definitely keep the apostrophe to denote the omitted letters. But don't worry about the recent slip-up. I bet nobody noticed.<BR/><BR/>Re 1980s and '80s. <BR/><BR/>Most say do it as above. The New York Times (the Mary, Mary quite contrary of the newspaper world, just as the New Yorker is the Mary, Mary quite contrary of the magazine world), writes them:<BR/><BR/>1980's and 80's. <BR/><BR/>Don't mind them. They're just being wankers. (Their choice isn't wrong, just very unpopular.) I stick with: <BR/><BR/>1980s and '80s<BR/><BR/>(Note to self: stop wearing acid-wash jeans and patent leather belts.)June Casagrandehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363096837053080969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8507136945842934293.post-50621825460189958982008-09-15T14:51:00.000-07:002008-09-15T14:51:00.000-07:00I messed up and used "til" (is it that much worse ...I messed up and used "til" (is it that much worse without the apostrophe?) even in the last 24 hours. I'm pretty sure your point about it is news to me. So thank you. Well, you could have been quicker and saved me the embarrassment, but that's forgivable. <BR/><BR/>Don't you have something in one of your books about "feeling badly"--as in, that it would describe someone who gropes awkwardly as opposed to fingering deftly? "Feel badly" is what adolescents do when they discover petting. Maybe that's not exactly what you said, but something like that, I thought I remembered. Anyways, "feel badly" makes me laugh. "I feel happily" in the context of "copular" makes me laugh too. Maybe I shouldn't confess that though.<BR/><BR/>The bit about A's and Bs is interesting. I'm not a big fan of apostrophes outside of what I consider their normal, wholesome uses: in possessives and contractions and as single quotes. Like, isn't there supposed to be an apostrophe in "80's" too? It never feels right. Feels creepy. In fact, I'd say it feels badly. It would make me happy if you said that was optional. Maybe you already have and I've forgotten.Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550742712966484303noreply@blogger.com