Category: Punctuation

Suit's - Made to Order with a Rogue Apostrophe

23/3/2016

I hadn’t spotted a flying apostrophe for a while.

A walk up Shandon Street recently confirmed that they are still around – they have not gone away are not likely to do so for some time.

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Closed v. Closing

15/3/2016

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We spotted this sign in the restaurant window in the week before Christmas.

I interpreted ‘closing’ as a permanent state – as in closing down. I would have thought that ‘We will be closed on 25th December’ as the appropriate to identify the days upon which they would not open.

We did eat in the restaurant after Christmas so we do know that it did not close down.

Maybe it is by signs and usage such as this, that ‘closing’ and ‘closed’ may come, in time, to mean the same.

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Smiling on Capel Street

20/3/2015

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Capel Street would probably make the top ten of many people’s Favourite Dublin Streets. I went to college just around the corner and have always had a bit of a grá for the eclectic mix.

A while back we were in Dublin and I decided to give the shopping a miss and so walked down and around Capel Street and it did not disappoint.

What is so special about ‘Sofa’?

‘Cupboard’, ‘Bed’, and ‘Suite’ had an ‘s’ added without need for any additional decoration – but ‘Sofa’ just had to be different.

Capel Street – still making me smile.

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Lax Security

17/3/2015

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I am not sure they have the security solution to ensure that the apostrophe does not go missing so that TODAY’S busy blogger does not need to rant again.

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Fire Specialsist

10/12/2014

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No Such Thing As Bad Publicity – Chapter 19

My recollections from the English classes in school was that there ought to be only one ‘and’ in a sentence, or a clause. Be that right or wrong, it is the rule that has been complied with hereabouts – other than that riddle.

This Firecrest van did cause me to assess whether the rule in my head had any solid basis.

I suspect that Firecrest intended to convey a message that they were experts in Fire & Gas Detection; and, Process C.C.T.V. – but to my reading they are advertising as specialists in Fire, not Fire Detection.

As for the number of ‘ands’, the internet suggests that my rule does not appear to be founded on the strongest foundations.

It is also not a rule to which Ernest Hemmingway adhered.

"I said, 'Who killed him?' and he said 'I don't know who killed him, but he's dead all right,' and it was dark and there was water standing in the street and no lights or windows broke and boats all up in the town and trees blown down and everything all blown and I got a skiff and went out and found my boat where I had her inside Mango Key and she was right only she was full of water." Ernest Hemingway, After the Storm

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Not a Strange And

5/10/2014

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I always understood the sign that looked a bit like the number 7 to be just Irish shorthand for &. It would regularly have been used in school.

Its most common use now would be in ‘P ˥ T’ on post boxes. It would also be on Civil War/War of Independence Memorials.

Thanks to Sentence First, I now know it is a Tironian et.

Still learning every day.

Bandon

Kinvara

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It's Polish

18/9/2014

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Of late, I have noted a number of vans with the operator’s/driver’s name on the side – regularly it is stated as a self-employed franchisee.

Today in Patrick St., I spotted another with an interesting addition or qualification.

Maybe the brackets were added to distinguish from the West Cork branch of the Okroj family.

Or maybe to explain the missing apostrophe.

Or maybe not…..

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Irish Army

3/7/2014

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Another blog driven by connections.

A while back, there was a comment from a radio listener to the effect that Ivan Yates, as a former Government Minister, ought to know that there is no such thing as an Irish Army – Ireland having a Defence Force.

This was news to me.

When I spotted this sticker on a car, it did prompt me to do some checking. The Defence Forces website does refer to the Army and not Irish Army.

There does exist an ‘Irish Air Corps’ and an ‘Irish Naval Service’. The Irish Army does appear not to exist, except for Naval Service history page – which has enough typos to wonder whether the name is actually an oversight.

“Tracing its roots back to 1913 and the very founding of the state the Irish Army has played a massive part in the creation and development of the Republic of Ireland. However the states water’s were controlled by the British Admiralty from 1922 till 1938 when Great Britain handed back the Treaty Ports and control of Irish waters, to the Irish Free State. The government, in May 1939, ordered 2 Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB’s) from Great Britain. “

Naval Service history page.

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Hallmark - An Echo

13/3/2014

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Winthrop Street - March 2014

If Hallmark think it is appropriate to re-use a banner, then I suppose it is just as appropriate, and lazy, for me to re-use a blog.

One would think that a company such as Hallmark would have a good proofreading department. I suspect they would not sell too many cards saying – hapPY BITRHDAY. There is an expectation that what is printed is correct.

Imagine my surprise today when spotting an apostrophe instead of a dot, as well as capital S and DAY. Not fatal to anyone. Most people will probably read as a dot as intended but that does not alter that it is incorrect. Everyone can make an error but what is surprising is that within Hallmark or its subcontractors, the sign must have been read on a screen or as printed by the graphic designer who came up with the proof; the sign maker; the people who erected the sign; and, all staff entering the building.

That suggests that these people did not spot the missing dot, the misplaced apostrophe or the capital letters. Alternatively, it suggests that they did not care as to what potential customers might think. I think that the latter would be worse but need to consider it further.

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There may be exceptions

27/2/2014

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Buttercup café is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm Saturday 10am to 4pm - there maybe exceptions

maybe or may be exceptions

It is not often that a sign advising of the opening times will add or detract from the attractiveness of the place. But the Buttercup Café on Dominick St is definitely one.

The inclusion of those final few works really hit home with this reader as the correct attitude for a café – definitely my type of attitude.

The fact that it was open later on the Sunday that I took the photograph just proves that exceptions do exist.

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Hallmark's Fear of the Apostrophe

3/2/2014

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Winthrop Street, Cork

Last year, I pondered Hallmark’s efforts for St. Patrick’s Day.

It would appear that they have not yet perfected punctuation – Let Us = Let’s

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St. Patrick's Schools - Promoting Education of Grammar

8/10/2013

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Gardiner's Hill Entrance

Ballyhooley Road Entrance

Ballyhooley Road

‘Even if you are wrong, be consistently wrong’. I remember this mantra from my father. In hindsight, I can understand some logic behind it – if one is consistent, then only the reasoning needs to be corrected.

St. Patrick’s Schools obviously do not follow the consistency theory.

When I went to one of the St Patrick’s schools, I was told that when there were four things, then the object would be in the plural – so it would be ‘four schools’ and not ‘four school’.

They also explained the apostrophe as being used to replace the word ‘of’. To understand whether an apostrophe should be used, we were encouraged to rewrite the sentence using ‘of’ - just like ‘Campus of Schools of St Patrick’ or even ‘School of Boys of St. Patrick’.

It appears that the means of education has changed in the intervening years.

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An Post - Losing Things

2/10/2013

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On this occasion, it is not parcels or letters that were mislaid.

When the Post Office moved across the road recently in St. Luke’s Cross, An Post did leave the apostrophe behind.

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The Crop Shop 'Don't Like Mondays'

21/9/2013

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I spotted the above sign on South Main Street earlier this week and was contemplating a blog about placing an apostrophe where it is not needed similar to Tadhg Óg’s bar.

But later this week, I was travelling down Lower John St and spotted signs on the top floor windows of what was Jerry Vaughan’s Lawnmower Shop.

The Crop Shop only added one apostrophe so pales into insignificance compared to the signs below.

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Tadhg Óg's Apostrophe

18/8/2013

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Tadhg Óg's, Castlegregory

Sometimes, I see notices where the apostrophe is placed incorrectly.

Very often, I see signs and notices where the apostrophe is missing.

This is one of the few signs where I cannot fathom why the apostrophe is there at all.

I am open to any suggestions.

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<<Previous

MIXED MESSAGES.

Suit's - Made to Order with a Rogue Apostrophe

Closed v. Closing

Smiling on Capel Street

Lax Security

Fire Specialsist

No Such Thing As Bad Publicity – Chapter 19

Not a Strange And

It's Polish

Irish Army

Hallmark - An Echo

There may be exceptions

Hallmark's Fear of the Apostrophe

St. Patrick's Schools - Promoting Education of Grammar

An Post - Losing Things

The Crop Shop 'Don't Like Mondays'

Tadhg Óg's Apostrophe

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