POUND AS KING

On Jun 9, 4:19 pm, RonSonic wrote:
Of course finding myself in agreement with a Dick Pound quote has left me a bit
shaken.

"Wait for the other shoe", then you'll feel better. Or, at least,
normal.

Admitting, the sun peeking through the clouds *was* great. --D-y

in message . com,
') wrote:

"Demo's". Instantly understood.

By greengrocers. If you want a plural of 'demo', that's 'demos'. Yes, it
happens to have the same spelling as the completely different Greek
word 'demos', but so what. Apostrophe 'S' is a possessive. What is it that
you are saying that demo owns?

But, of course, everybody is entitled to their opinion. --D-y

Education helps.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Hobbit ringleader gives Sauron One in the Eye.

On Jun 10, 9:37 am, Simon Brooke wrote:
in message . com,

') wrote:
"Demo's". Instantly understood.

By greengrocers. If you want a plural of 'demo', that's 'demos'. Yes, it
happens to have the same spelling as the completely different Greek
word 'demos', but so what. Apostrophe 'S' is a possessive. What is it that
you are saying that demo owns?

I'm not saying demo owns anything. I'm saying demo's is a contraction
made plural-- at least for one audience g who wants to stickle.
(That's two, two, two asterisks for one!)

For others, who just want to read and understand, the apostrophe plays
a wonderful role in differentiating between demos and demo's, two
entirely different real word meanings.

There are places where the apostrophe works well for this; others
(Apple's for Sale) where it doesn't.

(I noted, somewhat pointedly):

But, of course, everybody is entitled to their opinion. --D-y

(SB replied):
Education helps.

Indeed. I found my old Grammar 360 course very liberating.
"Hypercorrection" was one notable topic. Martha Kolln's text among
those referenced, some fine contributions from her.

Anyhow: One "usage rules" question is: descriptive or prescriptive?
Another usage question is: what context are we in here? Publishing, or
conversing?

IRT your "greengrocers" comment, above, my grammar teacher's retort to
such assertions was: "Don't pretend you didn't understand!" Because
you did, you know? Um, besides seeming a little short on basic regard
for your fellow travellers, Mr Brooke... (What worth hath a man?
Another area of investigation.)

How many centuries *did* it take to get a gender-neutral third-person
possessive into the language, anyhow? Phew, glad to see that "their"
usage (nyuck nyuck! I liked that one!) taking a rightful, functional
place; it was a hell of a struggle! So many ready volunteers swarming
at the ramparts, don't you know!

Again, same thing for the poor apostrophe-- if the basic argument for
standardization of usage is clarity, clarity trumps standardization.
All IMHO, of course. --D-y

In article
. com,
" wrote:

But, of course, everybody is entitled to their opinion.

No they aren't. Some people are too unpracticed at
thinking to be entitled to an opinion.

Of course this can be trumped. "This is what I think
and I'll thump you if you try any of your intellectual
tricks."

--
Michael Press