And now a word about plurals.

[oldredracer]

For billions of years it has been a rule that in order to indicate more than one of anything, you take the singular version of the word and add the letter 'S'to it. Sometimes, and I think this was simple exuberance on the part of the originators, you can add 'ES' to the word.
So 'car' becomes 'cars'. A 'ranch' becomes 'ranches'. Sheep, on the other hand, stay that way. That's ok, because I can't tell one from the other.
I do not know what the singular form of 'rabies' is, either. I believe it is very small.
You cannot add an apostrophe and have the word indicate more than one. It can, of course, indicate ignorance. Usually, an apostrophe indicates that the word it follows belongs to someone or something else. For example:'The car's were in a line.' The car's WHAT were in a line??? If I wanted to tell you there were lots of cars in line I would say: "The cars were in a line." I could say: "The cars' bumpers were in a line." but that would be something different altogether. And the apostrophe looks funny just hanging out there.
I believe the Apostrophe Brotherhood is attempting to usurp the English language to its own ends. I know Leon Panetta has said there's no harm in this, but what does he know? First apostrophes. Then what? Semi-colons? Paretheses? Where will it all end? Go to school.Learn something. Stop the madness.

[cdh]

Thank's ORR, thats really useful. 'So many time's we s'ee apostrophe catastrophes'

Next week - the apparently baffling:

THERE
THEY'RE
THEIR

[dalyduo]

In the end it will all come out of the semi-colon.

[cheekychica]

Thank you, Paul! What I've seen of grammar -- in graduate school-level writing -- is horrifying. One of my majors was in English, but grammar isn't covered in university -- it shouldn't have to be. Doug, if you knew Uncle Roy, I was his "Grammar Goddess" my Lower Mid year... There's a facebook group with the name "I judge you when you use poor grammar"; I'm a member.

[gt250]

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons. 'Why?' asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.
'Well, I'm a panda,' he says, at the door. 'Look it up.'
The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. 'Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by gt250

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons. 'Why?' asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.
'Well, I'm a panda,' he says, at the door. 'Look it up.'
The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. 'Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.'

I know Washington has gone mad, but now SYNTAX???

[OLDMAN]

And I thought it was just me with the apostrophe thing. It drives me nuts. " Car's for Sale", since when did an apostrophe indicate a plural? Apostrophes indicate possession or are used to build contractions. It's (it is) time to go, I can't (cannot) hear you, let's (let us) go, etc..

Next week we'll cover the word "Data" which is the plural of "datum". Here are some examples of the correct usage of the (plural) word "data".

The data are clear.
These data are interesting.
The data suck.

Bob

[Tireman]

Originally Posted by OLDMAN

Here are some examples of the correct usage of the (plural) word "data".

The data are clear.
These data are interesting.
The data suck.

Bob

These pretzel’s pretzels are making me thirsty

Viz

[cdh]

If you're a TNG fan you'll like this. Yes Ali, Uncle Roy was a favorite at Hotchkiss, he taught me well, challenged me all the time, great prof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npfu1sKTAyQ

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by Tireman

These pretzel’s pretzels are making me thirsty

Viz

Aha!! Now that you've got that right, what's the plural of Prius?????

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by cdh

If you're a TNG fan you'll like this. Yes Ali, Uncle Roy was a favorite at Hotchkiss, he taught me well, challenged me all the time, great prof.

One of you is way older/younger than you claim to be.

And how the hell does TNG fit into a thread about plurals??? Besides, at first I thought you meant Uncle Roy was the one on the left.

[WatertownNewbie]

Here, I do not need these any more (almost wrote "don't" and "anymore" -- whew!). Someone out there surely can use them.

' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '
' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '

[Tireman]

Originally Posted by oldredracer

Aha!! Now that you've got that right, what's the plural of Prius?????

Prii. But Grand Prii they are not

[cdh]

Originally Posted by oldredracer

what's the plural of Prius?????

Pussies

Originally Posted by oldredracer

One of you is way older/younger than you claim to be.

are you are unable to grasp the concept a prof a Hotchkiss could be there for 25 years?

Originally Posted by oldredracer

And how the hell does TNG fit into a thread about plurals???

See video title and OLDMAN's post

Originally Posted by OLDMAN

The data are clear.
These data are interesting.
The data suck.

You really don't know Data? Nice video too imo. Name change needed - reallyoldredracer

[cheekychica]

Originally Posted by cdh

are you are unable to grasp the concept a prof a Hotchkiss could be there for 25 years?

Uncle was a LEGEND at Hotchkiss. I've been trying to find a pic of him online, but I'm coming up empty. Which, of course, just seems wrong since, as previously stated, the man was a legend.

I had him for English my Lower Mid year, but he specialized in Shakespeare. Specifically, his Senior course, Shakespeare and the Bible, which one had to apply for a year ahead of time. I took British Literature, instead, though I like to think Uncle would have enjoyed my Senior Seminar (for my English BA -- Brit Lit concentration): Satan in Literature.

[oldredracer]

Originally Posted by cheekychica

Uncle was a LEGEND at Hotchkiss. I've been trying to find a pic of him online, but I'm coming up empty. Which, of course, just seems wrong since, as previously stated, the man was a legend.

I had him for English my Lower Mid year, but he specialized in Shakespeare. Specifically, his Senior course, Shakespeare and the Bible, which one had to apply for a year ahead of time. I took British Literature, instead, though I like to think Uncle would have enjoyed my Senior Seminar (for my English BA -- Brit Lit concentration): Satan in Literature.

Never would I question the knowledge and talent of a good teacher. I've known four of them m'self. The overall average stinks, but those four were good people and great teachers and motivators. Besides, one of them was my Mom.

I was gently pointing out that he would have had to be teaching for more like 250 years to account for the gap between the aforementioned students. More or less. Or could it be just my perspective that makes me think Allie is recently out of pre-school and Doug and I are from the Paleoliithic era?

[cdh]

Originally Posted by oldredracer

Never would I question the knowledge and talent of a good teacher. I've known four of them m'self. The overall average stinks, but those four were good people and great teachers and motivators. Besides, one of them was my Mom.

I was gently pointing out that he would have had to be teaching for more like 250 years to account for the gap between the aforementioned students. More or less. Or could it be just my perspective that makes me think Allie is recently out of pre-school and Doug and I are from the Paleoliithic era?

now that's funny - ding

Jurassicredracer

[cdh]

Originally Posted by cheekychica

Uncle was a LEGEND at Hotchkiss. I've been trying to find a pic of him online, but I'm coming up empty. Which, of course, just seems wrong since, as previously stated, the man was a legend.

now that's funny too I also looked for a pic and came up empty, amazed...have to run now but this is a search challenge I will resume later

[cheekychica]

Originally Posted by cdh

now that's funny too I also looked for a pic and came up empty, amazed...have to run now but this is a search challenge I will resume later

I remember their having great pics of Uncle teaching, coaching, etc. That was at the school, though. I'm definitely shocked neither of us found anything online. It's definitely a challenge.