Apostrophe Is Out of Control in Minnesota!!

**gblowfish** · 05-05-2005, 10:21 AM

Don't think I saw this posted, if so, apologies. Apparently, the apostrophe is bedeviling the poor University of Minnesota! Story attached:

Apostrophe riles Minnesotans

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Apostrophe boosters were in mourning at the
University of Minnesota after it was decided to name a fancy new
walkway the Scholars Walk, not the Scholar's Walk.
"I'm terribly disappointed," said Larry Laukka, who leads the group
developing the $4.5 million walkway. "I'll have to lick my wounds. But
I'll get over it."

For weeks, the issue has bedeviled those at the university and beyond
who care a great deal about such things. English professors, e-mailers
from across the United States and even the Apostrophe Protection
Society of England offered advice.

Laukka argued to board members of the nonprofit University Gateway
Corp. that an apostrophe would add distinction by suggesting it is
owned by those it honors.

That argument didn't work. The board voted 4-1 against the punctuation
mark.

The board worried that the apostrophe would make the four-block
walkway appear exclusive at a time the university wants to be
inclusive. It might even mean adding apostrophes to Regents Professors
Square and a Professors Lane.

"Apostrophes would be out of control!" said board member Margaret Carlson.

**Bearcat** · 05-05-2005, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Apostrophe Protection
Society of England

JimNasium · 05-05-2005, 10:26 AM

WTF is going on here?

**Rain Man** · 05-05-2005, 10:27 AM

This is an abomination.

JimNasium · 05-05-2005, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

This is an abomination.

What does the abomination snow man have to do with this?

**Skip Towne** · 05-05-2005, 10:31 AM

We must arm ourselves and march on Minnesota.

**Rain Man** · 05-05-2005, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Apostrophe Protection Society of England

I demand an explanation of why this organization isn't called England's Apostrophe Protection Society.

That's an abomination.

cookster50 · 05-05-2005, 10:52 AM

I bet if Rich Scanlon argued for the apostrophe, the board would have voted for it!

Braincase · 05-05-2005, 11:15 AM

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say
Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh Yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny and he'll tell you the story
Hand me down my walkin' shoes
Here comes Johnny with the power and the glory
Backbeat the talkin' blues
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh Yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman
He do the song about the knife
He do the walk, he do the walk of life

Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies
Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say
Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman
Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay
He got the action, he got the motion
Oh Yeah the boy can play
Dedication devotion
Turning all the night time into the day

And after all the violence and double talk
There's just a song in all the trouble and the strife
You do the walk, you do the walk of life

ChiefsCountry · 05-05-2005, 11:39 AM

I have found out at college, some people are just stupid and they like to gripe about the dumbest shit possible.

PastorMikH · 05-05-2005, 11:44 AM

"Scholars Walk"

I see a bit of humerous irony there.

kcfanintitanhell · 05-05-2005, 01:14 PM

Anyone from the Apostrophe Protection Society of England would have a fatal meltdown if they ever visited Tennessee....I think the apostrophe is the state bird down here.

**Rain Man** · 05-05-2005, 01:24 PM

If they named it the Scholar's Walk, would that mean that only one scholar at a time could use it? I think that both of their options are wrong, and it should be the Scholars' Walk.

Dinny Bossa Nova · 05-05-2005, 01:31 PM

The answer is easy to see.

The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe.

I told him no no no.......

Dinny

jarjar · 05-05-2005, 01:53 PM

Dear Mister Language Person: What is the purpose of the apostrophe?

Answer: The apostrophe is used mainly in hand-lettered small business signs
to alert the reader than an "S" is coming up at the end of a word, as in:
WE DO NOT EXCEPT PERSONAL CHECK'S, or: NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ITEM'S.
Another important grammar concept to bear in mind when creating hand- lettered
small-business signs is that you should put quotation marks around random
words for decoration, as in "TRY" OUR HOT DOG'S, or even TRY "OUR" HOT DOG'S.
-- Dave Barry, "Tips for Writer's"

05-05-2005, 10:21 AM
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $17676178 VARSITY	Apostrophe Is Out of Control in Minnesota!! Don't think I saw this posted, if so, apologies. Apparently, the apostrophe is bedeviling the poor University of Minnesota! Story attached: Apostrophe riles Minnesotans MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Apostrophe boosters were in mourning at the University of Minnesota after it was decided to name a fancy new walkway the Scholars Walk, not the Scholar's Walk. "I'm terribly disappointed," said Larry Laukka, who leads the group developing the $4.5 million walkway. "I'll have to lick my wounds. But I'll get over it." For weeks, the issue has bedeviled those at the university and beyond who care a great deal about such things. English professors, e-mailers from across the United States and even the Apostrophe Protection Society of England offered advice. Laukka argued to board members of the nonprofit University Gateway Corp. that an apostrophe would add distinction by suggesting it is owned by those it honors. That argument didn't work. The board voted 4-1 against the punctuation mark. The board worried that the apostrophe would make the four-block walkway appear exclusive at a time the university wants to be inclusive. It might even mean adding apostrophes to Regents Professors Square and a Professors Lane. "Apostrophes would be out of control!" said board member Margaret Carlson.
Posts: 40,832

05-05-2005, 10:26 AM	#3
JimNasium Voodoo Chile Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: At the crossroad Casino cash: $2903902	WTF is going on here? __________________ World class speed!
Posts: 6,876

05-05-2005, 10:27 AM	#4
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3318491 VARSITY	This is an abomination. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,427

05-05-2005, 10:31 AM	#6
Skip Towne Supporter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: T-Town Casino cash: $10004900	We must arm ourselves and march on Minnesota.
Posts: 69,689

05-05-2005, 10:52 AM	#8
cookster50 Supreme Commander of My House Join Date: Apr 2004 Casino cash: $3163622	I bet if Rich Scanlon argued for the apostrophe, the board would have voted for it!
Posts: 3,431

05-05-2005, 11:15 AM	#9
Braincase Banned Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pond> Me <Barn Casino cash: $11298284	Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay He got the action, he got the motion Oh Yeah the boy can play Dedication devotion Turning all the night time into the day He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman He do the song about the knife He do the walk, he do the walk of life Here comes Johnny and he'll tell you the story Hand me down my walkin' shoes Here comes Johnny with the power and the glory Backbeat the talkin' blues He got the action, he got the motion Oh Yeah the boy can play Dedication devotion Turning all the night time into the day He do the song about the sweet lovin' woman He do the song about the knife He do the walk, he do the walk of life Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies Be-Bop-A-Lula, Baby What I Say Here comes Johnny singing I Gotta Woman Down in the tunnels, trying to make it pay He got the action, he got the motion Oh Yeah the boy can play Dedication devotion Turning all the night time into the day And after all the violence and double talk There's just a song in all the trouble and the strife You do the walk, you do the walk of life __________________ BrainCase
Posts: 15,429

05-05-2005, 11:39 AM	#10
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2318752	I have found out at college, some people are just stupid and they like to gripe about the dumbest shit possible.
Posts: 49,605

05-05-2005, 11:44 AM	#11
PastorMikH Will KC ever be better? Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Land of Red Dirt & Necks Casino cash: $9945087	"Scholars Walk" I see a bit of humerous irony there. __________________
Posts: 20,454

05-05-2005, 01:14 PM	#12
kcfanintitanhell turd polisher Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Location, Location!!! Casino cash: $9136780	Anyone from the Apostrophe Protection Society of England would have a fatal meltdown if they ever visited Tennessee....I think the apostrophe is the state bird down here. __________________ I do not think country was intended to be sung consistently in tune.
Posts: 1,180

05-05-2005, 01:24 PM	#13
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3318491 VARSITY	If they named it the Scholar's Walk, would that mean that only one scholar at a time could use it? I think that both of their options are wrong, and it should be the Scholars' Walk. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,427

05-05-2005, 01:31 PM	#14
Dinny Bossa Nova MVP Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $9990442	The answer is easy to see. The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. I told him no no no....... Dinny
Posts: 5,050

05-05-2005, 01:53 PM	#15
jarjar Starter Join Date: Dec 2004 Casino cash: $10004900	Dear Mister Language Person: What is the purpose of the apostrophe? Answer: The apostrophe is used mainly in hand-lettered small business signs to alert the reader than an "S" is coming up at the end of a word, as in: WE DO NOT EXCEPT PERSONAL CHECK'S, or: NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ITEM'S. Another important grammar concept to bear in mind when creating hand- lettered small-business signs is that you should put quotation marks around random words for decoration, as in "TRY" OUR HOT DOG'S, or even TRY "OUR" HOT DOG'S. -- Dave Barry, "Tips for Writer's" __________________ FAN FOR LIFE
Posts: 240