apostrophes

[NormanS]

Although I much prefer "GPSs", I was struck by how odd "photos" appears. Although undoubtably an abbreviation, "photo's" looks too much like a possessive to work properly. Perhaps we need to invent a new plural mark. I think I will try using a comma instead, as in: GPS,s or photo,s for examples.

Surely the ' in photo's merely shows that letters have been elided. The same occurs in words like can't, won't etc.

 

[Lakesailor]

Perhaps we need to start saying e-photo.

Would that be e-photos, for more than one?

I've always considered poor punctuation, grammar and spelling on "teh Internets" to be a sort of cure for nobber syndrome. It drives me mad to read but I can understand it just fine and have learned not to tell people off for it, making my OCD just a little bit better. OK it's not actually a cure because the rage is still there, but at least the crazy doesn't leak out into the public domain quite so much...

You must be really angry now.

 

[johnalison]

Surely the ' in photo's merely shows that letters have been elided. The same occurs in words like can't, won't etc.

I don't think so, or we would be writing photo' in the singular.

 

[NormanS]

I don't think so, or we would be writing photo' in the singular.

Then you'd be correct

 

[lustyd]

You must be really angry now.

We need to cover quotes as well?

 

[nigelmercier]

Surely the ' in photo's merely shows that letters have been elided. The same occurs in words like can't, won't etc.

Indeed, that was my point. But nobody uses it in the singular, but sometimes do for 'flu' which is elided both ends.