Apparently (from an article in the Chicago Tribune), the local government in Birmingham, UK is officially removing all apostrophes from street signs. They claim apostrophes are confusing. ?!?!? It’s so much more confusing without them! Here’s the article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-britain-no-apostrophe,0,5519367.story
Inane Chatter
What were you expecting?
Jessica
I don’t understand how apostrophes are especially confusing, unless they’re used incorrectly.
(I dont know how apostrophes are especially confusing unless theyre used incorrectly.)
So, as an example, rather than admit that King’s Heath once belonged to a king, they would rather have a place named after an unknown number of random kings named Heath? (“Kings Heath” sounds like an incomplete sentence, actually. I.e. “Kings Heath and Graham went forth.”)
Zannah
The whole thing drives me crazy. Would they really rather use punctuation incorrectly (by not using it all) than just get it right on the street signs? What kind of example does this set for kids learning about grammar in school? It doesn’t matter because we won’t have to use it in real life anyway? That may be true for many people, but we don’t have to tell them that straight off. And I think they DO need to know this stuff. Just because people can get by without good grammar doesn’t mean they should. And since when is “getting by” good enough?
Zannah
I read “Kings Heath and Graham went forth” as “Kings, Heath, and Graham went forth.” I like them as a trio of adventurers more than as two kings named Heath and Graham. 🙂
Jessica
Or maybe a rock band. Like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. 🙂
You’re completely right, though. It seems that mediocre is becoming more and more acceptable, especially when it comes to the English language.
ibcrandy
As someone who lives on “Horseman’s Lane” I encounter this problem often. The reason it’s confusing isn’t because of the grammar, but because a lot of computer systems that track addresses don’t allow the apostrophe. Why I don’t know, but most mail I get says “Horsemans Lane”. Drives me batty. And then people say “Shouldn’t it be Horsemen Lane?” and it takes an effort not to break down weeping.
Zannah
I probably would have resorted to violence by now. I admire your restraint.