Dragaera

Off topic - grammar question

Howard Brazee howard at brazee.net
Tue Jun 22 19:29:36 PDT 2004

Gomi no Sensei wrote:
> On Tue, 22 Jun 2004, Howard Brazee wrote:
>
>> OK, pretend I said "case" instead of capitalization.  It was pretty
>> obvious what I meant.
>
> Yes, you mean that capitalising the letters in CD v. cd somehow make
> it plural, which is literally incomprehensible to me.

I guess nothing is obvious to all.  The difference between CDS and CDs is
case.

>>> Using an apostrophe-s to
>>> indicate a plural is neither old nor well established,
>
>> Is too.    (your turn)
>
> As the claimant, I should think providing some scintilla of evidence
> rather relies on you.

Hmmm.   Googling I find a slight majority of "experts" recommending no
apostrophe.   I suppose it depends on what your professor or editor's
opinion is.



>
>>> and mere
>>> commonality of usage is not some sort of lapis philosophorum that
>>> renders the incorrect correct.
>>
>> But dictionaries do list such.
>
> Um, so? I hope you don't mean to say that because a usage is in a
> dictionary, it is therefore correct.

No, I am showing that even dictionaries recognize that languages change.
For a long time people in love with Latin believed we shouldn't end an
English sentence with a preposition.  Finally "experts" are saying this was
silly.   But what makes someone an expert anyway?