Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
As a frequent reader of Apostrophe Abuse and The "Blog" Of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks and Apostrophe Catastrophes: The Worlds' Worst. Punctuation;, this report from the Daily Mail is discouraging. Waterstone's, the bookstore chain founded by Tim Waterstone, is dropping the apostrophe from its name. All the right people are outraged:
John Richards, chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society said: ‘It’s just plain wrong. It’s grammatically incorrect.
‘If Sainsbury’s and McDonald’s can get it right, then why can’t Waterstone’s?
'You would really hope that a bookshop is the last place to be so slapdash with English.’
The most important part of this whole story? Learning that there's an Apostrophe Protection Society. Do you think we could start a chapter here at Ricochet?
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
I just followed the link to Judith's blog and I would pronounce it a perfect website were it not for two small bits of misinformation (slandering celery and whiskey--apparently Judith doesn't realize that Bourbon is a whiskey). I'm going to have to get her new book.
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Severely, thank you! I see you're a Wodehouse fan, so you're clearly a person of great taste and discernment. I'm honored by your praise.
Now, I'll bend to no man in my attitude toward celery, but confess that I didn't realize when I wrote the piece that there is a relationship between whiskey and Southern Comfort. That stuff is luscious.
Mar '11
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Misthiocracy
I think that should be "misthiocratically". · Jan 12 at 12:39pm
You know best. I was just a wee lad when Ancient Greek became "a thing".
Dec '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Misthiocracy
I hesitate to accuse the Prawn of endorsing an apartheid state which separates users of the 'preview' button from users of the 'edit' button.
Stinkin' previewist... · Jan 12 at 11:58am
Edited on Jan 12 at 12:01 pm
Gratuitous use of the preview button only reduces the use of the edit button; it can never eliminate its valuable function.
Aug '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Casey
Misthiocracy
I think that should be "misthiocratically". · Jan 12 at 12:39pm
You know best.
I never get tired of reading that sentence.
Jun '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Misthiocracy
tabula rasa
A well-placed and illuminating adverb is fine, and most good writers use them. But bad writers overuse them, and each writer should go through their draft and eliminate those that add nothing.
Really good writers meticulously go through their drafts and definitively eliminate those that absolutely add nothing.
Bad writers don't.
· Jan 12 at 11:38am
Edited on Jan 12 at 11:40 am
"Your analysis is correct," I responded perceptively.
Mar '11
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
I try to write the way I talk and the rhythm is an important part of that.
Either that, or I really say "really" too often.
Mar '11
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
I liked the site too, Judith.
Oh, and if I'm the one breaking out the truffle oil, I'm in over my head. It would be a good idea to call both the fire department and the pizza man.
Dinner will be late...
Dec '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Percival
I try to write the way I talk and the rhythm is an important part of that.
Either that, or I really say "really" too often. · Jan 12 at 3:20pm
One of my professors told me my writing had a poetic feel to it. It was quite possibly the best compliment I received in school.
Jul '11
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
I offer my sincere apologies to all of you. You know we doc's have issues with punctuality.
Aug '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Judith, Youth and whiskey are wasted on the young. Damned charming though. Mazel tov
Apr '11
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
Sign me up as well!
May '10
Re: Bookstore Chain Embrace's Poor Grammar
As the late great Frank Zappa succinctly put, "The crux of the biscuit, is the apostrophe!"