| Author |
Message |
Wavy G
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:08 am
Post subject: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
Love,
Wavy |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 12:15 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G wrote:
| Quote: | Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
|
The answer is perhaps answered by one of these two facts:
1. The number of people who can use an apostrophe correctly is in sharp
decline.
2. British English uses punctuation marks less often than American
English.
We have quite a few words in BrE that fall into the "greengrocers"
category, including (but not limited to):
greengrocers
newagents [=AusE "newsagency"]
doctors
florists
grocers [= "greengrocers"]
chemists [=AmE "drugstore"]
fishmongers
etc.
It would be unusual to use the apostrophe with these, even for people who
are otherwise careful with their punctuation. Perhaps the possessive form
has been "nominalized".
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:09 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe. |
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando FL |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:12 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
|
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking about the
word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the same phenomenon,
but in fact unrelated.
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:50 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers",
since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in
the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another
British thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my
understanding that their are only a certain few words where it is
proper to spell without an apostrophe when used in the possessive
form, ("its" "yours" etc), but I don't think this is won of them.
Can somewon "help a brother out"? Peace and Godspeed.
The answer is perhaps answered by one of these two facts:
1. The number of people who can use an apostrophe correctly is in
sharp decline.
2. British English uses punctuation marks less often than American
English.
We have quite a few words in BrE that fall into the "greengrocers"
category, including (but not limited to):
greengrocers
newagents [=AusE "newsagency"]
doctors
florists
grocers [= "greengrocers"]
chemists [=AmE "drugstore"]
fishmongers
etc.
It would be unusual to use the apostrophe with these, even for
people
who are otherwise careful with their punctuation. Perhaps the
possessive form has been "nominalized".
|
I'd always use the apostrophe for "going to the fishmonger's".
--
Mike. |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 2:52 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:50:50 +0100, Mike Lyle wrote:
| Quote: | Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers",
since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in
the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another
British thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my
understanding that their are only a certain few words where it is
proper to spell without an apostrophe when used in the possessive
form, ("its" "yours" etc), but I don't think this is won of them.
Can somewon "help a brother out"? Peace and Godspeed.
The answer is perhaps answered by one of these two facts:
1. The number of people who can use an apostrophe correctly is in
sharp decline.
2. British English uses punctuation marks less often than American
English.
We have quite a few words in BrE that fall into the "greengrocers"
category, including (but not limited to):
greengrocers
newagents [=AusE "newsagency"]
doctors
florists
grocers [= "greengrocers"]
chemists [=AmE "drugstore"]
fishmongers
etc.
It would be unusual to use the apostrophe with these, even for
people
who are otherwise careful with their punctuation. Perhaps the
possessive form has been "nominalized".
I'd always use the apostrophe for "going to the fishmonger's".
|
I'm now doubting "grocers" also. Odd, huh?
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:41 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
<bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking about the
word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the same phenomenon,
but in fact unrelated.
|
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.", "There
are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The greengrocer's bicycle
was leaning against the wall." that I wonder why he would ask the
question.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando FL |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:10 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:41:21 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking about the
word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the same phenomenon,
but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.", "There
are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The greengrocer's bicycle
was leaning against the wall." that I wonder why he would ask the
question.
|
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for the shop
that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went to the
greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one shop was
visited, not several of the same type. The sentence "There is a
greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was down the lane,
not his/her shop.
| Quote: | Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
|
Onederful!
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:13 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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|
Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:41:21 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com
wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers",
since it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or
"greengrocer's stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when
using a word in the possessive form, so what's the big deal?
Unless this is another British thing (forgive me, but I am an
American), it is my understanding that their are only a certain
few words where it is proper to spell without an apostrophe
when
used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but I don't
think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused
apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe
in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was
red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you
will
see a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking
about the word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the
same phenomenon, but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a
great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.",
"There are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The
greengrocer's bicycle was leaning against the wall." that I
wonder
why he would ask the question.
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for
the shop that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went
to the greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one
shop was visited, not several of the same type. The sentence
"There
is a greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was
down the lane, not his/her shop.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
Onederful!
|
Y knot?
No, I didn't just mean fishmongers: I'd always put the apostrophe for
"greengrocer's" and all the others too.
--
Mike. |
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Skitt
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:22 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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|
Mike Lyle wrote:
| Quote: | Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
Tony Cooper wrote:
Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
Tony Cooper wrote:
Wavy G wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers",
since it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or
"greengrocer's stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when
using a word in the possessive form, so what's the big deal?
Unless this is another British thing (forgive me, but I am an
American), it is my understanding that their are only a certain
few words where it is proper to spell without an apostrophe when
used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but I don't
think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe
in the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was
red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will
see a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking
about the word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the
same phenomenon, but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.",
"There are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The
greengrocer's bicycle was leaning against the wall." that I wonder
why he would ask the question.
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for
the shop that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went
to the greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one
shop was visited, not several of the same type. The sentence "There
is a greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was
down the lane, not his/her shop.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
Onederful!
Y knot?
No, I didn't just mean fishmongers: I'd always put the apostrophe for
"greengrocer's" and all the others too.
|
Yeah, but you are one of those who know what they are doing.
--
Skitt (in Hayward, California)
www.geocities.com/opus731/ |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:30 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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|
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:13:04 +0100, Mike Lyle wrote:
| Quote: | Andrew Gwilliam wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:41:21 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com
wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers",
since it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or
"greengrocer's stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when
using a word in the possessive form, so what's the big deal?
Unless this is another British thing (forgive me, but I am an
American), it is my understanding that their are only a certain
few words where it is proper to spell without an apostrophe
when
used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but I don't
think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused
apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe
in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was
red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you
will
see a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking
about the word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the
same phenomenon, but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a
great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.",
"There are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The
greengrocer's bicycle was leaning against the wall." that I
wonder
why he would ask the question.
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for
the shop that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went
to the greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one
shop was visited, not several of the same type. The sentence
"There
is a greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was
down the lane, not his/her shop.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
Onederful!
Y knot?
No, I didn't just mean fishmongers: I'd always put the apostrophe for
"greengrocer's" and all the others too.
|
D'oh!
Well, as I get old and grey[1] I'm more inclined to "reconstruct" the
spelling and put an apostrophe in. But the usage is definitely now
standard.
FWIW, some Google results:
greengrocer's - 11,200
greengrocers - 108,000
newsagent's - 10,100
newsagents - 414,000
fishmonger's - 12,300
fishmongers - 144,000
Obviously these need to be taken with even a bigger pinch of salt than
normal, because the form without the apostrophe will also pick up plurals.
Nevertheless, I think it's indicative (particularly "newsagents").
[1] Metaphorically speaking; I'm very sensitive about these things ever
since someone claimed some years ago that my hair was receding.
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Adrian Bailey
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:54 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
|
|
"Andrew Gwilliam" <bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4267edc1$0$38044$bed64819@news.gradwell.net...
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The answer is perhaps answered by one of these two facts:
1. The number of people who can use an apostrophe correctly is in sharp
decline.
2. British English uses punctuation marks less often than American
English.
We have quite a few words in BrE that fall into the "greengrocers"
category, including (but not limited to):
greengrocers
newsagents [=AusE "newsagency"]
doctors
florists
grocers [= "greengrocers"]
chemists [=AmE "drugstore"]
fishmongers
etc.
|
Since when does "grocer(')s"="greengrocer(')s"?
| Quote: | It would be unusual to use the apostrophe with these, even for people who
are otherwise careful with their punctuation. Perhaps the possessive form
has been "nominalized".
|
I use an apostrophe in all of them, and expect others to, too. Also in "I'm
going to grandad's." etc.
Adrian |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:01 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
|
|
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 23:54:21 GMT, Adrian Bailey wrote:
| Quote: | Since when does "grocer(')s"="greengrocer(')s"?
|
Maybe it's a regional thing. I grew up knowing the two terms as synonyms,
assuming one to be an abbreviation of t'other. Only now that I'm older and
wiser do I know that once they were different things. But true grocers are
something of a rarity, and I'd be surprised if I'm the only person who
didn't grow up with a distinction between 'em.
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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Wavy G
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:15 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin', we're gonna do what they say
can't be done. We got a long way to go, and a short time to get there.
I'm eastbound, just watch ol' "Andrew Gwilliam" run.
| Quote: | On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:41:21 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking about the
word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the same phenomenon,
but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.", "There
are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The greengrocer's bicycle
was leaning against the wall." that I wonder why he would ask the
question.
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for the shop
that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went to the
greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one shop was
visited, not several of the same type. The sentence "There is a
greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was down the lane,
not his/her shop.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
Onederful!
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Oh, that hurt. Et tu, Andrew? |
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Andrew Gwilliam
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:15 am
Post subject: Re: ***Question about the "greengrocer's" thing*** |
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On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 03:31:26 GMT, Wavy G wrote:
| Quote: | Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin', we're gonna do what they say
can't be done. We got a long way to go, and a short time to get there.
I'm eastbound, just watch ol' "Andrew Gwilliam" run.
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:41:21 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 21:12:02 +0100, Andrew Gwilliam
bottomless_pit@southernskies.co.uk> wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:09:40 GMT, Tony Cooper wrote:
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:08:02 GMT, Wavy G <imwavy@gmail.com> wrote:
Wouldn't "greengrocer's" be proper, rather than "greengrocers", since
it's possessive (as in "greengrocer's market," or "greengrocer's
stand")? It's proper to use an apostrophe when using a word in the
possessive form, so what's the big deal? Unless this is another British
thing (forgive me, but I am an American), it is my understanding that
their are only a certain few words where it is proper to spell without
an apostrophe when used in the possessive form, ("its" "yours" etc), but
I don't think this is won of them. Can somewon "help a brother out"?
Peace and Godspeed.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is a term for a misused apostrophe.
For example: "The apple's were ten cents each." The apostrophe in
the word "apple's" is the "greengrocer's apostrophe.
There is no "greengrocer's apostrophe in "The apple's skin was red."
Whenever you see reference to a greengrocer's apostrophe, you will see
a misplaced apostrophe in some word.
He wasn't asking about the "greengrocer's apostrophe", he got the
explanation for it in a thread a day or so ago. He was asking about the
word "greengrocers"/"greengrocer's". Superficially the same phenomenon,
but in fact unrelated.
Perhaps, but this is Wavy, you know. He hasn't demonstrated a great
deal of quickness in assimilating new data. I don't get the
impression that's he figured out what the references mean.
It seems so basic that "There is a greengrocer down the lane.", "There
are several greengrocers down the lane. and "The greengrocer's bicycle
was leaning against the wall." that I wonder why he would ask the
question.
I don't think you're grasping the point here. In BrE the word for the shop
that a greengrocer has is a "greengrocers". Thus: "I went to the
greengrocers down the lane" would usually one mean that one shop was
visited, not several of the same type. The sentence "There is a
greengrocer down the lane" would suggest that the person was down the lane,
not his/her shop.
Of course, he would write that "I oneder why he would ask the
question."
Onederful!
Oh, that hurt. Et tu, Andrew?
|
Damn, I thought you weren't looking.
--
Andrew Gwilliam
To email me, replace "bottomless_pit" with "silverhelm" |
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