Jesus wept.

Do they really belive that the ‘proud to be stupid’ demographic buy fewer books because they’re scared of punctuation?

Even McDonald’s haven’t dumbed down to this extent.

Seriously, those responsible will be first against the wall when I lead the forthcoming Pedant’s Revolt to glorious, nitpicking victory.

Representing a return to an old brand as well as the loss of an apostrophe, the design press is alive with this news today.

As a designer myself, I can say that I couldn’t give a shit either way.

Pedant’s Revolt

I think you mean Pedants’ Revolt, comrade!

James Daunt, the managing director, who took over the chain last year following a change of ownership said: “Waterstones without an apostrophe is, in a digital world of URLs and email addresses, a more versatile and practical spelling.”

Oh, okay then

John Richards, the chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society said: “It’s just plain wrong. It’s grammatically incorrect. If Sainsbury’s and McDonald’s can get it right, then why can’t Waterstones. You would really hope that a bookshop is the last place to be so slapdash with English.”

I can’t help but agree.

the forthcoming Pedant’s Revolt

Just you then? Or did you mean Pedants’ Revolt?

😉

edit: d’oh, beaten by headfirst

I think we should just quietly let it die. It doesn’t really add anything, apart from as you say, adding another line to the Charter of Pedantry.

Have a look at the URL for this thread:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/waterstones-abandon-their-apostrophe

The internet doesn’t care about punctuation so not sure of the value of us caring too much either. You can fight it, but I wish you good luck. Start typing Waterstone’s into Google and you’ll notice Waterstones comes up as a suggestion, not Waterstone’s. Frankly I don’t blame the board of Waterstones for making this decision.

[EDIT – James Daunt beat me to it]

The chairman of the Apostrophe Society has called Waterstones’ dropping of its apostrophe “just plain wrong” …

😆

doh, just seen IHN is also aware of The Society.

I think we should just quietly let it die. It doesn’t really add anything, ..

Waterstones?

I can’t help but agree.

I do too, but;

chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society

😆

My neighbour has an baby apostrophe that he keeps locked up in a small cage in the garage, should I report him to the APS?

I can’t understand the problem – surely a shop owned by Waterstone could be the possessive “Waterstone’s shop” or just the plural “we’re going to the Waterstones” as in “we’re going for tea with the Smiths”?

“we’re going for tea with the Smiths”?

oooh, can I come please? Are daffodils optional?

They’ve always had the apostraphe, as far as I’m aware.

As soon as I seize power this sort of thing will be outlawed immediately.
I look forward to beating those responsible for naming ‘Kwik Fit’ to death with a very large, very heavy dictionary. 😀

Nbt & headfirst, congratulations!
You’ve passed the test. Join me, together we will annoy the world!

It’s nothing to do with being plural though is it? It’s possessive. So it should have an apostrophe.

“we’re going to the Waterstones” as in “we’re going for tea with the Smiths”?

Tricky little buggers those prepositions, aren’t they?

What is an apostrophe again ?

I think we should just quietly let it die. It doesn’t really add anything, apart from as you say, adding another line to the Charter of Pedantry.

It’s not a case of letting it die. It’s basic punctuation. It has no reason to die out.

Personally I’d execute anyone that can’t grasp basic punctuation.

What is an apostrophe again ?

It’s an upside down comma.

It’s all irrelevant since Waterstones will cease to exist in 10 years anyway, having been beaten into submission by Amazon.

I think we should just quietly let it die.

The apostrophe? Still needed IMHO – the meaning of sentences can be completely changed by a missing or misplaced apostrophes, which can be important for contracts etc. Just because people struggle with correct usage doesn’t mean we should give up!

As a designer myself, I can say that I couldn’t give a shit either way.

This I do find worrying.

Personally I’d execute anyone that can’t grasp basic punctuation.

See, I’d have written “Personally, I’d execute …” – I’m guessing I’d have my back against the wall?
Who’s correct, or is it ambiguous?

It’s not a case of letting it die. It’s basic punctuation. It has no reason to die out.

…but as the MD – and me – pointed out, that wasn’t the point. I think he has a very valid argument. Let’s just say they have changed their name rather than dropping a necessary apostrophe.

Can’t see them staying in business long anyhow, so it will soon all be academic…

See, I’d have written “Personally, I’d execute …” – I’m guessing I’d have my back against the wall?
Who’s correct, or is it ambiguous?

Could be. I originally had a comma after “Personally”, but I was seething with rage so thought it better to blurt the whole sentence out without a pause.

I do too, but;

I reckon that should be:

I do too; but:

The apostrophe? Still needed IMHO – the meaning of sentences can be completely changed by a missing or misplaced apostrophes,

Whilst that’s true, it’s not the case with Waterstone’s Waterstones, is it?

Businesses change their names all the time.

There are many forms of English usage that have died out, thee and thou, for example.

Nobody knows how to use the possessive apostrophe (well, apart from us obviously EDIT some, of us), and the meaning is usually clear from context. We don’t all make a hand signal to denote it when we speak do we ?

Legal documents, yes I can see your point there, but surely ambiguity in contracts is the bread and butter of legal fees ?

We don’t all make a hand signal to denote it when we speak, do we?

Fixed. 😉

Whilst that’s true, it’s not the case with Waterstone’s Waterstones, is it?

Businesses change their names all the time.

Agreed. I have no preference on the Waterstones thing – do what they like if they think it creates and stronger and simpler brand identity.

Legal documents, yes I can see your point there, but surely ambiguity in contracts is the bread and butter of legal fees ?

Ha ha, so cycnical for one so young Hels. As a drafter of property related legal documents, I consantly live in hope that none of my drafting will ever be tested in a court action!

Edit:- I wonder if this whole Edinburgh trams fiasco was caused by a misplaced apostrophe in the contract. 😕

I do too, but;

I reckon that should be:

I do too; but:

But the sentence following that began with a lower case letter, so it’s should surely be ‘;’ rather than ‘:’ at the end. I think it sould be a comma before the “but” as well.

Sainsbury’s never used to have an apostrophe though did it? And I am not sure Morrisons ever have.

Round ‘ere here, if you wish to tell someone you are going to do your Food Shop at Asda, you say: “I’s goin’ Asda’s.” -I am sure the apostrophes are still out there, just being used by different people in different retail sectors. 😉

I’m making a hand signal right now…

The apostrophe is a new fangled foreign invention that has no place in English. It comes from France of all places!!!

We should be returning English to its proper ways and getting rid of such things.

We should be campaigning for the reintroduction of the long s and not for keeping foreign inventions.

We don’t all make a hand signal to denote it when we speak, do we?

Is it just me that would pronounce it: Waterstones – Waterstone(s), Waterstone’s – Waterstone(z)?

Sainsbury’s never used to have an apostrophe though did it? And I am not sure Morrisons ever have.

Used to have J Sainsbury written on it, people called it Sainsbury’s. Well, Saynsbrees or Saynbo’s mostly round my way.

This is nowhere near as annoying as people who say, “Wayrose” or “Wayroses” when they mean “Waitrose”, or “wha evvvuh” when they mean “whatever”. That t there, it’s there for a reason.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!

thisisnotaspoon – yes, probably just you.

I would say all those words exactly the same, but then I am a Kiwi and have to get by on only two vowel sounds.

Wartistinns Wartistinns Wartistinns & Wartistinns

Hels, it might help if you tried writing these words down. Do you have a pin handy? 😉

But the sentence following that began with a lower case letter, so it’s should surely be ‘;’ rather than ‘:’ at the end. I think it sould be a comma before the “but” as well.

You’ve used a semicolon to introduce something (the other user’s quote). It’s arguable whether there should be a comma or a semicolon between ‘too’ and ‘but’; but there should definitely be a colon after ‘but’ to present the quote in the manner you have. Check this link for an educated explanation.