Subject: [FFML] [SEMI-SPAM/GRAMMER] Apostrophies
From: wyrm@mail.utexas.edu (Thomas R Jefferys)
Date: 9/5/1996, 1:16 PM
To: fanfic@fanfic.com


Uh, I don't want to sound like a nitpicker, but I really see a misuse of
appostorphies in writing. I admit, we have a f-ed up language, but it's our
language, and we have to deal with it.

<kun-chan>
(Though it is 'it's' not 'its' ... If it was 'its laugh' it would be like
saying 'Jimbos laugh' when you should use 'Jimbo's laugh'...)
</kun-chan>

No, it's not. You don't type "it's laugh" for the same reason you don't
type "she's laugh"; you use "its" instead of "it's" because "its" is the
possessive form of "it", just as 'him' and 'her' are used as the possessive
forms of "he" and "she". An "-'s" attached to "he/she/it" means "he/she/it
is", which is worse.

You _do_ use "-'s" to make a noun possessive, but this is also used for the
contraction of "is", just as with pronouns.

Remember: pronouns don't take apostrophes unless there is a contraction. No
exceptions.

                           ---------------------
-wyrm(AKA Tom Jefferys; Time Lord for Hire, "Have TARDIS; Will Travel.")
<wyrm@mail.utexas.edu>                       <JEFFERYSTR@rascal.guilford.edu>
Member of the AFSS          Depraived Kawaii Thing of the First Order, Martin
   =<SIG>= Wyrm-chan @_@ H-Wyrm @_@ Ten @_@ Chibi-Usa @_@ Azusa =</SIG>=
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