"Cecil Moore" wrote ...
Dave wrote:
Methinks your leg was being pulled.

The SWR with the apostrophe s is a grammatical error. The apostrophe
s indicates that the SWR is possessive, that the SWR owns something;
or, that the SWR is doing something. The apostrophe s is not plural!!

On the contrary, the plural of the letter A is A's. The plural
of the number 3 is 3's. It's not too much of a stretch to assume
that the plural of SWR is SWR's.

From Webster's: "apostrophe - a make used to indicate ... the
plural of letters or figures."

To take the argument well into absurdity (as if it
needed any help), we can discuss whether your
Webster's is descriptive or prescriptive.

"Not Lloyd" wrote in message
...

Well, Webster shows more than one error, at least insofar as formal
English
goes. What Webster depicts is the "dumbing down" of what our kids are
being
taught today.
Do what you wish, but those who are better educated will continue to use
the
apostrophe to denote the possessive rather than the plural.



more importantly, you didn't post with proper bracketed attributions
(Cecil's comments in particular). so go somewhere else with your grammar
Nazi crap, or i'll start with my proper netiquette rantings.

Gravity

"Cecil Moore" wrote in message
. com...
Dave wrote:
Methinks your leg was being pulled.

The SWR with the apostrophe s is a grammatical error. The apostrophe s
indicates that the SWR is possessive, that the SWR owns something; or,
that the SWR is doing something. The apostrophe s is not plural!!

On the contrary, the plural of the letter A is A's. The plural
of the number 3 is 3's. It's not too much of a stretch to assume
that the plural of SWR is SWR's.

From Webster's: "apostrophe - a make used to indicate ... the
plural of letters or figures."
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Well, Webster shows more than one error, at least insofar as formal English
goes. What Webster depicts is the "dumbing down" of what our kids are being
taught today.
Do what you wish, but those who are better educated will continue to use the
apostrophe to denote the possessive rather than the plural.

Richard Crowley wrote:
"Cecil Moore" wrote ...
From Webster's: "apostrophe - a make used to indicate ... the
plural of letters or figures."

To take the argument well into absurdity (as if it
needed any help), we can discuss whether your
Webster's is descriptive or prescriptive.

That definition agrees with what I learned in English
class 50+ years ago. The plural of a number uses an
apostrophe. So 73's would indeed be the plural of 73
as in "many best regards". It's no stretch to assume
that the plural of SWR would be SWR's.

Incidentally, I have an obvious typo in the definition
that the spell-checker didn't catch. Should have been:

"apostrophe - a mark used to indicate ... the plural of
letters or figures."

I have a "Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary"
which contains a "Basic Manual of Style" in the back.
Here's what it says for "Apostrophe: ... 3. To form the
plurals of letters or figures add an apostrophe and an s."
That's seems to be prescriptive.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Not Lloyd wrote:
Do what you wish, but those who are better educated will continue to use the
apostrophe to denote the possessive rather than the plural.

Would a "Basic Manual of Style" change your mind?

I have a "Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary"
which contains a "Basic Manual of Style" in the back.
Here's what it says for "Apostrophe: 1. ... 2. ... 3. To
form the plurals of letters or figures add an apostrophe
and an s. ..."

It does say that a few people object to number 3. As in
many other areas of the English language, the context of
the use of the apostrophe determines its function:

1. to replace missing letters,
2. possessive,
3. plurals of letters or numbers.

P.S. The better educated posters avoid violating the
attribution rules for newsgroups.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Richard Crowley wrote:
"Cecil Moore" wrote ...

Dave wrote:

Methinks your leg was being pulled.

The SWR with the apostrophe s is a grammatical error. The apostrophe
s indicates that the SWR is possessive, that the SWR owns something;
or, that the SWR is doing something. The apostrophe s is not plural!!


On the contrary, the plural of the letter A is A's. The plural
of the number 3 is 3's. It's not too much of a stretch to assume
that the plural of SWR is SWR's.

From Webster's: "apostrophe - a make used to indicate ... the
plural of letters or figures."


To take the argument well into absurdity (as if it
needed any help), we can discuss whether your
Webster's is descriptive or prescriptive.
good one
If I can ever help in increasing the absurdity of these newsgroups, I am
glad to do so.

BTW, all dictionaries are descriptive.

jawod wrote:
BTW, all dictionaries are descriptive.

But all Basic Manuals of Style are prescriptive.
Please see my other posting.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Cecil Moore wrote:
jawod wrote:

BTW, all dictionaries are descriptive.


But all Basic Manuals of Style are prescriptive.
Please see my other posting.


Use of the apostrophe as a plural designation is rapidly becoming
passe'. IIRC it already is in the UK.

Possessive is the new standard.

I get my chops busted if I write with say last year's work instead of
last years work.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Possessive is the new standard.

I get my chops busted if I write with say last year's work instead
of last years work.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -



I don't understand. Possessive is the new standard? Your chops get
busted whey you write "last year's work"?
That IS possessive.

jawod writes:

I don't understand. Possessive is the new standard? Your chops get busted
whey you write "last year's work"?
That IS possessive.

Is it? I've always wondered. Does the work "belong" to last year?
Does last year "own" the work? It's *my* work that was done last year.

Curious,

// marc