Misuse of the apostrophe
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
A quick flick of the pen and one Hangars, wooden, aircraft became one hangers, wooden, coat with a suitable 21B sect/ref. Unfortunately he didn't have any wooden coat hangers either.
No problem he was told. Another F21 and the hangers became hangers, wire, coat with a 21C sect/ref and were now magically C-stores which were later written off.
Clearly the man who painted the hangers at South Cerney had not been paying attention in the lecture.
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Nixor ut Ledo
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"The attendance of a 47 Sqn, Hercules, Loadmaster will be required on the day"
So, ABIW by the misuse of commas you and the rest of your Loadmaster mates, a Hercules aircraft and, presumably, the remainder of 47 Sqn will all be required to pitch up. However, if the sentence was written correctly, viz:
"The attendance of a 47 Sqn Hercules Loadmaster will be required on the day"
...then only you are required to don your best pressed grow bag and be on duty!
or,
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs, a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
Accommodation for 4???? or....
....just 2 - the LM and FE?
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs: a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
Yep, it can all be deduced from the sense of it (not)!
So, ABIW by the misuse of commas you and the rest of your Loadmaster mates, a Hercules aircraft and, presumably, the remainder of 47 Sqn will all be required to pitch up. However, if the sentence was written correctly, viz:
"The attendance of a 47 Sqn Hercules Loadmaster will be required on the day"
...then only you are required to don your best pressed grow bag and be on duty!
or,
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs, a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
Accommodation for 4???? or....
....just 2 - the LM and FE?
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs: a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
Yep, it can all be deduced from the sense of it (not)!
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....just 2 - the LM and FE?
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs: a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs: a loadmaster and a flight engineer"
"The CMC is to provide accommodation for 2 SNCOs: a Loadmaster and a Flight Engineer"
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Alllan,
Oh for a public school education, how I have managed for the past 32 years without the grammatical know how that only ISS or a degree in under water basket weaving can bring I will never know
I can count, on the amount of fingers a worm has, the times I have failed to convey my intentions and get the task done with either written or verball instructions........but perhaps another one of your patronising lessons in grammer will complete my otherwise lacking in all things writen or maybe enhance my oral (in)capabilities....
you ex blunt (cleaned that up).....................ooops but that will be the baldrick in me
Merry Xmas Sir
all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Oh for a public school education, how I have managed for the past 32 years without the grammatical know how that only ISS or a degree in under water basket weaving can bring I will never know
I can count, on the amount of fingers a worm has, the times I have failed to convey my intentions and get the task done with either written or verball instructions........but perhaps another one of your patronising lessons in grammer will complete my otherwise lacking in all things writen or maybe enhance my oral (in)capabilities....
you ex blunt (cleaned that up).....................ooops but that will be the baldrick in me
Merry Xmas Sir all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced
Last edited by Always_broken_in_wilts; 23rd Dec 2006 at 02:14.
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Anyone who doesn't know how to use an apostrophe or a shift key on the keyboard should not be trusted to operate the correct switches, keyboards or controls on the flight deck. It's no place for the illiterates.
So endeth a fundamental pronouncement!!
So endeth a fundamental pronouncement!!
Ha! Think the apostophe police are bad? I work for an allegedly English speaking airline in the Far East where we have been told we all have to take an English language test!
Mind you, as the company employs a lot of Austarlians, perhaps they have a point!
Mind you, as the company employs a lot of Austarlians, perhaps they have a point!
Last edited by Dan Winterland; 23rd Dec 2006 at 06:25. Reason: Punctuation!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
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Always Broken
Would you be so dismissive if it was a servicing schedule that was mis-apostrophised and your airframe ended up with 2 widgets being fitted instead of 4?
That said I’ve been fixing things slightly longer than you’ve been breaking them and have never had a problem with an aberrant apostrophe (to my knowledge), possibly because I understand how to use them.
These days I spend my time reading and writing rather than getting my hands dirty and totally support Pontius's POV:
My local council has just built a new entrance into the tip, the 2 lanes are marked, CARS - H.G.V'S!!!
Happy Christmas and keep safe.
It's still not working.
Would you be so dismissive if it was a servicing schedule that was mis-apostrophised and your airframe ended up with 2 widgets being fitted instead of 4?
That said I’ve been fixing things slightly longer than you’ve been breaking them and have never had a problem with an aberrant apostrophe (to my knowledge), possibly because I understand how to use them.
These days I spend my time reading and writing rather than getting my hands dirty and totally support Pontius's POV:
ABIW, the point, at least from my POV, is that the misuse of the apostrophe, other punctuation and spelling is a jar to the senses of those with sensibility, and it destroys their understanding of the text. By the time they had deduced the probably intent of the author they will probably have lost patience and lost the gist of the whole message.
Happy Christmas and keep safe.
It's still not working.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Like the 2001 census, lots of this type of work is often vested in HMP. My local council had a Viewpoint near RAF Scampton. After I complained (humourously) a plate with I E was placed in the sign to correct the spelling. No humour in the council though - no reply.
Ooops, I meant Probable intent
Ooops, I meant Probable intent
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If one wishes to be understood and taken seriously when speaking, the position of the apostrophe does not matter a f*** . However, if one wishes to be understood and taken seriously when writing, the position of the apostrophe is very important (as is spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction). I guess I failed at both, but I do appreciate the importance of the discipline.
Sorry ABIW.
Sorry ABIW.Well said Roghead, you and Pontius Navigator:
The whole point of correct spelling etc is to ensure accuracy of content and understanding of intent.
ABIW - I suspect that the reason you have supposedly never failed to convey your writen (sic) intentions is that the reader has not understood your mistake
or they have had to pause to interpret the context in which it was written to get the idea.
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The increased and downright misuse of the apostrophe to form plurals shows a general mental lethargy of the population of the UK.
The spread of this nasty and avoidable error and its acceptance into common use shows that this mental lethargy continues to grow at an alarming pace. So, if we the people of the RAF are not mentally vigilant enough to be mindful of the abuses of our beautiful language, how can we expect to be mentally vigilant enough to be mindful of the abuses of our Senior Officers memos and correspondence and help the people trying to join the RAF today?
The spread of this nasty and avoidable error and its acceptance into common use shows that this mental lethargy continues to grow at an alarming pace. So, if we the people of the RAF are not mentally vigilant enough to be mindful of the abuses of our beautiful language, how can we expect to be mentally vigilant enough to be mindful of the abuses of our Senior Officers memos and correspondence and help the people trying to join the RAF today?
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ABIW, the point, at least from my POV, is that the misuse of the apostrophe, other punctuation and spelling is a jar to the senses of those with sensibility, and it destroys their understanding of the text. By the time they had deduced the probably intent of the author they will probably have lost patience and lost the gist of the whole message.
The recent DIN that misused PERSONAL when it meant PERSONNEL in relation to the use of image capture devices was a case in point. Not only that but legally the instruction becomes nonsense.
The whole point of correct spelling etc is to ensure accuracy of content and understanding of intent.
PS we are having smoked salmon so it is to late for a late bite.
The recent DIN that misused PERSONAL when it meant PERSONNEL in relation to the use of image capture devices was a case in point. Not only that but legally the instruction becomes nonsense.
The whole point of correct spelling etc is to ensure accuracy of content and understanding of intent.
PS we are having smoked salmon so it is to late for a late bite.
Sorry. Just seen your 1218 post.
Last edited by Jehu; 23rd Dec 2006 at 19:31.