Rogue Apostrophe

This picture was culled from a Web site called brooklynbackstretch.com It's basically a thoroughbred racing site maintained by a woman who is a racing fan, as well as an English teacher. Most pictures in the gallery have to do with racing, Saratoga, and cats, but no doubt the egregious misuse of the apostrophe AND the plural were more than Teresa could stand, so no doubt an ever present camera came out and captured the misuse.

Teresa I'm sure read Lynne Truss's book, 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves.' Handicappers and English teachers look for details. A good deal of attention is given in that fun book on language usage on the apostrophe and the use of plurals. Anyone who knows the rules has spotted some beauties over the years.  I have to say, the pictured example is one of the best ones of misuse I've seen.

I don't have a picture of it, but if the sign is still there, then the Bravo pizza place on Park Avenue South and 21st Street can be checked out for their 'Hero's.' Plurals and apostrophes have been bedeviling people for years. I'm not sure eliminating apostrophes altogether on the grounds that it is not really pronounced would make things any better.  I read someone's comments about the HBO miniseries 'Luck' and they spelled 'itself,' as 'it's self.' That's so complete a bollix that I hope it doesn't hinder their poker playing.

'Jack's, or better,' might keep giving them a losing hand if they don't understand what it really means.

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