Pedants' Paradise

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  • oddoneout
    Full Member
    • Nov 2015
    • 9518

    showcase the magnificence of the organ that has played a central role in worship at York Minster for over 1,000 years”.
    And I thought our parish church organ with some bits dating back to 1690 was old...

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    • oddoneout
      Full Member
      • Nov 2015
      • 9518

      From the FT
      Grocer's what - name, shopfront, address?

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      • Roger Webb
        Full Member
        • Feb 2024
        • 1060

        Originally posted by oddoneout View Post
        From the FT

        Grocer's what - name, shopfront, address?
        Well it is called the 'grocer's apostrophe'.....Banana's.....Apple's.....Tomatoe's etc!..... Why not apply it to the salesmen of those item's!!!

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        • Serial_Apologist
          Full Member
          • Dec 2010
          • 38172

          Originally posted by Roger Webb View Post

          Well it is called the 'grocer's apostrophe'.....Banana's.....Apple's.....Tomatoe's etc!..... Why not apply it to the salesmen of those item's!!!
          Indeed - we're all commodities.

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          • vinteuil
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 13192

            Originally posted by oddoneout View Post
            From the FT

            Grocer's what - name, shopfront, address?
            ... I think I'm happy with "Panzer’s, the poshest grocer’s in London".

            Grocer's [shop understood].

            I would say "I'm just going to the grocer's" rather than *"I'm just going to the grocer".
            Similarly "going to the chemist's / florist's "&c [shop understood]

            Wouldn't you?

            .

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            • Roger Webb
              Full Member
              • Feb 2024
              • 1060

              Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

              Indeed - we're all commodities.
              Yes, either vegetables or fruits!!! 😁

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              • french frank
                Administrator/Moderator
                • Feb 2007
                • 30791

                Originally posted by vinteuil View Post

                ... I think I'm happy with "Panzer’s, the poshest grocer’s in London".

                Grocer's [shop understood].

                I would say "I'm just going to the grocer's" rather than *"I'm just going to the grocer".
                Similarly "going to the chemist's / florist's "&c [shop understood]
                So: 'Panzer's and Partridges, the two poshest grocer's' in London'?
                It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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                • Roger Webb
                  Full Member
                  • Feb 2024
                  • 1060

                  Originally posted by vinteuil View Post

                  ... I think I'm happy with "Panzer’s, the poshest grocer’s in London".

                  Grocer's [shop understood].

                  I would say "I'm just going to the grocer's" rather than *"I'm just going to the grocer".
                  Similarly "going to the chemist's / florist's "&c [shop understood]

                  Wouldn't you?

                  .
                  I agree with your analysis, but an apostrophe use that is harder to explain is that in 'A friend of Keir Starmer's'......Keir Starmer's what?

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                  • vinteuil
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 13192

                    Originally posted by Roger Webb View Post

                    I agree with your analysis, but an apostrophe use that is harder to explain is that in 'A friend of Keir Starmer's'......Keir Starmer's what?
                    ... I think the explanation is "A friend [from among the set] of Keir Starmer's [friends]"

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                    • oddoneout
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2015
                      • 9518

                      Originally posted by vinteuil View Post

                      ... I think I'm happy with "Panzer’s, the poshest grocer’s in London".

                      Grocer's [shop understood].

                      I would say "I'm just going to the grocer's" rather than *"I'm just going to the grocer".
                      Similarly "going to the chemist's / florist's "&c [shop understood]

                      Wouldn't you?

                      .
                      Yes I would say, and shop would be understood from the apostrophe. However, if I was writing an article for the FT I wouldn't write it and I think that is why it seems wrong. In the local rag or a popular magazine at the supermarket check-out it would be part of the chatty approachable style deemed necessary.

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                      • vinteuil
                        Full Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 13192

                        Originally posted by french frank View Post

                        So: 'Panzer's and Partridges, the two poshest grocer's' in London'?
                        I wd prefer "Panzer's and Partridges, the two poshest grocers' in London"

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                        • Roger Webb
                          Full Member
                          • Feb 2024
                          • 1060

                          Originally posted by vinteuil View Post

                          ... I think the explanation is "A friend [from among the set] of Keir Starmer's [friends]"
                          Perhaps a group diminishing in size!!.....we may well soon see 'A friend of Keir Starmer' (and he American!)

                          Reminds me that our village drama group was so small, all we could stage was 'Robin Hood and his Merry Man'!

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                          • Serial_Apologist
                            Full Member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 38172

                            Originally posted by Roger Webb View Post

                            Yes, either vegetables or fruits!!! 😁
                            Nuts.

                            Comment

                            • french frank
                              Administrator/Moderator
                              • Feb 2007
                              • 30791

                              Originally posted by french frank View Post
                              So: 'Panzer's and Partridges, the two poshest grocer's' in London'?
                              We have a local mag called Bishopston Matters, and coincidentally Facebook produces Bishopston Matters's post which looks odd but is perfectly correct - indeed how else could it be written? Bishopston Matters, its post?

                              It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

                              Comment

                              • oddoneout
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2015
                                • 9518

                                "Scenes of graphic surgery"
                                I'm not convinced that cut and paste in a design studio needs a trigger warning. The cut and stitch in the operating theatre on the other hand might warrant it...

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