Comments on: Apostrophe crimes

By: sherrilynne

sherrilynne — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:35:57 +0000

I’ve done the not/now thing myself. Like I say, it pays to get fresh eyes to proof your copy.

By: Nathan Pledger

Nathan Pledger — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:22:18 +0000

It does happen to anyone and your “public” misspelling may become a habit. For instance, I see myself as able to string a sentence and check it, but I will repeatedly replace “not” with “now” and vice-versa. Not so bad, but when you consider it copletely changes the sentence from “The web sites will now be available to mobile phone users”, to “The web sites will not be available to mobile users”, it is very annoying – especially when I DO proofread these things. I hate doing emails to “all” at the office for this reason!

By: sherrilynne

sherrilynne — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:33:52 +0000

It happens to all of us. I once published a story in an IABC membership newsletter about ‘pubic relations’. Never underestimate the importance of having your copy proofead by someone else.

By: REG CROWDER

REG CROWDER — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:41:42 +0000

For proof of the principle you just stated (now I’m getting edgy about where the comma goes), one need look no further than that wonderful book by Lynne Truss, “Eats, Shoots and Leaves.” The gun totin’ panda on the cover tells the tale.

And yet, I think spelling errors still offer the greatest opportunity for entertainment.

Years ago I was working for my tiny, home-town newspaper, The Winter Haven Daily News-Chief. Somebody noted an obvious typographical error in an advert. It was an announcement for the grand opening of a “BEAUTY SALOON.” The extra “O” profoundly changed the meaning.

Thereupon followed a lively discussion of just what a “beauty saloon” would be.

The newsroom was pretty much paralyzed until a consensus was reached.

A “beauty saloon” would be a place where you go to drink until you feel beautiful.