For some reason, my students have suddenly decided to sow their papers with apostrophes. (If you sow dragon's teeth in order to reap soldiers, what do you reap after sowing apostrophes? Editors, maybe?) On occasion, the apostrophes are in the right place, but it's a rare occasion. I've mentioned before that errors come in waves (like Picts and Pitts), but why this error at this particular moment in time?
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Perhaps the universe it trying to tell you something. The students are just pawns in a greater plan. I bet it will blow your mind when it all connects.
Posted by: L.A.S. | October 10, 2007 at 06:50 PM
Some have described those errant apostrophes as "feral apostrophes". They drift into text from the wild and make dens in unexpected places.
Posted by: Zora | October 10, 2007 at 09:06 PM
Oh lord, why do they do that? (Just apostrophizing).
Posted by: Kaleberg | October 10, 2007 at 10:31 PM
I came across this in a recent student essay. When he got said paper back with the incorrect apostrophes circled, he told me that MSWord 2007's grammar check suggested that just about every word ending in "s" needed an apostrophe. I haven't verified this, but it would only confirm my sense that MSWord's grammar check should be largely ignored.
Posted by: Jeremy | October 13, 2007 at 08:48 PM