Germans decry influence of English as ‘idiot’s apostrophe’ gets official approval - eviltoast
  • BumpingFuglies@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Interesting. In English, I’d say the “idiot’s apostrophe” is an apostrophe that’s used for a non-possessive, non-contraction ‘s’.

    E.g., “The Johnson’s are going to the mall to buy pizza’s.”

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Doesn’t “idiot’s” in this example show possession?

      And the “Johnson’s” is a plural?

      Or do I misunderstand what you’re trying to say saying?

      • BumpingFuglies@lemmy.zip
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        2 months ago

        In English, apostrophes are only used for possession and to indicate missing letters (usually vowels), as in contractions.

        My example showed apostrophes incorrectly being used for non-possessive plural nouns. I used a proper noun (“Johnson”) and a common one (“pizza”) to better illustrate my point.

        • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
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          2 months ago

          Thanks.

          Wanted to make sure I was getting what you were puttin’ down.

          Yea, the rules are pretty clear, at least I always thought so.

          Kind of telling that so many people can’t be bothered to understand it.

          • BumpingFuglies@lemmy.zip
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            2 months ago

            Nah, it’s pretty simple. Pronouns don’t use apostrophes for possession; they only use them for contractions like “it’s”.

  • froh42@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Oh they mentioned Verein Deutscher Sprache who suggests words like “Klapprechner” but forgot to mention a much bigger online movement to prevent anglicisms where we all speak Zangendeutsch. Just come over to !ich_iel@feddit.org

    • barsoap@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      They didn’t even come up with the word it’s a calque. First the Prussians came and said our language is an obstacle to education, now they’re plundering our dictionary. And to top it all off they’re not even bold enough to propose this one.

      Brb, going to brew myself some itch apple tea.

      • froh42@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        While I see some quality in an Ackersnaaker, I’d keep with the Zangendeutsch movement and call it a Laufisprechi.