Funny, yes. But the poor man inadvertently blew his cover as an expert when he said this: "modern feminism has really taken it’s toll on our language." Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but such blatant misuse of the apostrophe is sooooooo much worse than some of the things he complains about.
I have to mention it here, because his site discriminates against non-Google/Blogger commentators.
I would add to his list of solutions one that I've come across frequently, especially in semi-scholarly writing, of simply switching back and forth alternately between "he" and "she" in any non-specific instances. "The teacher would then help the student to his seat. She would then resume teaching." This has a tendency to throw me for a loop, though--"Wait--she who? Is this a real person the writer was talking about a minute ago? Ohhh, no, it's a hypothetical but suddenly gender-specific example."
What I much prefer is another solution I've heard of: the author simply gives a note at the beginning saying that in instances that call for no particular gender, there being no reason to choose one over the other, I will simply use the pronoun for my own gender. *So* much more facile to write and read, and gets charges of chauvinism out of the way up front.
I'm with Sursumcorda on the apostrophe misuse. I made that mistake in middle school and learned from the embarrassment.
He/She: I've seen authors switching back and forth where it worked. The key is being clear. My favorite candidate is a contraction of "he or she or it" to [an equivalent of spheric equine waste], but Andy's suggestion is better.
Just for clarification: I think you meant "Tapioca or Non-Fiction" or "Truth or Tapioca"
I vote for "Truth or Tapioca." It has a great ring to it.
I've fixed it. Thanks for pointing it out!
I have to say that I know when to use its and it's but it is a very easy typo to make and not all of us have full-time proofreaders. :)
I know how easy it is to make typos and other mistakes even when one has the time to work carefully, and how easily some slip by even through proofreading. I've been known to make the apostrophe mistake myself, even though I find it so annoying. The reason I brought up in this case was that the author had been so condescending about the questioner's use of the elongated o's in "soooooooo."
Another problem is that the rules keep changing. I was definitively taught that when making acronyms plural one added apostrophe-s, but that omitting the apostrophe was also correct, e.g. either CD's or CDs. Now, it seems, "CDs" is preferable, although the apostrophe-s is used when the acronym contains periods or would otherwise be confusing, e.g. PhDs but Ph.D.'s, and SOS's instead of SOSs. Also, A's instead of As if you're talking about grades in a grammar course. :) What's more, I didn't know it was acceptable to write PhD instead of Ph.D. -- but now it's actually preferred....
funny stuff...Just wanted to say HI JANET! :) There's one of those idiotic punctuation-inspired facial expressions for ya. See you tomorrow night, and don't let me forget to tell you what the options on my blog poll were--regarding staying in CH or doing a semester abroad. Off to study/sleep now. Laters!
Welcome, Stephanie! You'll be in the "Friends" sidebar soon, but for now those who want to know more about this lovely lady who is quickly becoming a good friend visit http://ttugly.blogspot.com/ It is well written and entertaining, so I recommend it! And don't worry, Stephanie, as you know I have no trouble with emoticons. ;) :) The trouble is there aren't enough to match all the faces I like to make. I suppose Josh was right when he said he's building a whole lexicon of my facial expressions . . .
I feel strongly that plurals of acronyms should be constructed without apostrophes. For some reason "CD's" always looks to me like a possessive.
