Warning! Outbreak of acute Grocer-itis

I love Pseu’s posts.

Her stories are always interesting and often funny.   Her pictures are great.   Her puns are clever.   If she had a fan club I would be an enthusiastic member.

It is therefore with regret that I observe that she has succumbed to the plague of Grocer-itis that has been sweeping the UK, gathering so many in its wake.

I earnestly hope and pray that she soon recovers. 😀

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Author: Bearsy

A Queensland Bear with attitude

34 thoughts on “Warning! Outbreak of acute Grocer-itis”

  1. My God, Nooooo! There I was thinking it had been contained in the colonies and Yurp as they call it here, if it has crossed the channel, run for your lives, there’s no cure.

  2. No, not an isolated occurrence, Araminta, nor a typo. Even sensible posts frequently have this ghastly error, though you may say it’s difficult to find a sensible post in some places, naming no names.

  3. Definitely not a typo.
    The introduction of an extra character – rather than the substitution of one for another – can never be a typo. Intensive remedial therapy is called for. 😦

  4. Ha ha 🙂

    As perhaps the member given the most leeway when it comes to grammar, syntax, punctuation and even spelling far be it for me to comment. I recall back in the early days the resident pedant taking me to task over some minor error and being shot down in flames, (he’s never done it since) it appeared that fellow members were more interested in my content and contributions than writing ability (or lack thereof.)

    Apostrophes, what a pain in the neck, I do try, it’s almost built into me now, as my finger hovers over the key next to the ‘Enter <–' button, I hesitate, think and then decide!

    Now I'm not defending Pseu here and like the author I'm also a fan of her writing and pictures. No, I simply wanted to mention that apostrophes are so darn tricky that even the author of this post omitted one on his most recent contribution 😉

  5. Howzit Bearsy, thought that would grab your attention 🙂

    I was very tempted to let you sweat it out but in the interests and continuation of our excellent Southern Hemisphere relationship (a very small ‘club’ if ever there was one) here goes.

    You omitted the apostrophe from Peter O’Neill in your title to the picture 😕

  6. Thanks, you are right, Soutie, the ‘tooltip’ on the image contains no apostrophe.
    In mitigation please allow me to explain that the ‘tooltip’ is taken by WordPress by default from the uploaded file name. I am so old that I never use apostrophes or other ‘forbidden characters’ in a Windows file name, even though the latest versions allow one to do so.

    Just going back to your original comment (#9), I will give you that some find apostrophes difficult in some circumstances, but when, ever, did a regular plural of a regular noun (or any other plural, come to that) take an apostrophe? Never! Plurals never have apostrophes – unless you’re a greengrocer. 😆

  7. Morning, Sheona.

    Ah, yes your comment No.7. I take your point about “some places”! I was talking rather more specifically about Nym’s contributions here. She rarely makes such mistakes.

  8. JW, simple plurals abhor the (grocer’s) apostrophe. A singular noun’s usage needs one and multiple nouns’ usages needs one too, but it’s well known that an apostrrophe is needed there to make its usage correct.

    Is that my taxi?. Thank you.

    OZ

  9. Thanks, uh, OZ.

    I do worry about these things as I get slaughtered by the pedants’. No leeway is given to me. You have no idea the stresses I suffer even when writing a simple comment as fears gnaw at me all the time like at breaks at work when my colleagues and I are discussing the possible downgrading of Frances’ credit rating or Baudelaire’s philosophies I am paralysed by the apprehensive thought I may have forgotten to insert a comma break at an appropriate point in a longish sentence.

  10. theroyalist :

    Thanks, uh, OZ.

    I do worry about these things as I get slaughtered by the pedants’. No leeway is given to me. You have no idea the stresses I suffer even when writing a simple comment as fears gnaw at me all the time like at breaks at work when my colleagues and I are discussing the possible downgrading of Frances’ credit rating or Baudelaire’s philosophies I am paralysed by the apprehensive thought I may have forgotten to insert a comma break at an appropriate point in a longish sentence.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l8LXC7CCnI

    Pedants is a simple plural and needs no apostrophe. The credit rating belongs to a singular France, hence the need for France‘s rather than your Frances’. You yourself used it correctly in Baudelaire’s philosophies in the above quote as in the philosophies belonging to Baudelaire.

    Sorry, my taxi seems a little late.

    OZ

  11. Obrigado Senhor Urso

    Pseu – Exactly! And whilst we’re on the subject, do you know how many pub/club fights have started with the comment, “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?”

    OZ

  12. O Zangado :

    JW, simple plurals abhor the (grocer’s) apostrophe. A singular noun’s usage needs one and multiple nouns’ usages needs one too, but it’s well known that an apostrrophe is needed there to make its usage correct.

    Is that my taxi?. Thank you.

    OZ

    Haw OZ, pal. Your #18.

    Lay off my close and personal Weegie friend, JW, by the way. Clear to anybody the right side of the wall of Hadrian that he was doing a bit of gentle joshing by trailing inappropriate apostrophes all over his post in the hope of attracting a pedant or two. It’s what he does.

    Moving on, not convinced that your apostrophes are necessary. it would surely be perfectly acceptable to write ‘A singular noun usage’ and ‘multiple noun usages’ sans apostrophes of any sort? A matter of choice, I suppose.

    What is, of course, completely beyond the pale is using the singular form of a verb after a plural as in ‘needs’ after ‘multiple nouns’ usages’.

  13. Commas are not the same as apostrophes, nor is this post about punctuation.

    JM – OZ was trying to help. If JW wishes to write as though he were ignorant, he can expect well-meaning, kindly souls to attempt to provide assistance with illustrative examples. It is inappropriate to admonish him for being nice. … gives OZ gentle avuncular pat on the head …

    Pseu – Glad to see you have recovered; I love the new version of the title. 😀

  14. “Commas are not the same as apostrophes, nor is this post about punctuation.”

    Some posts develop from their original theme, Bearsy, and you never know where the meander will take you. Most people accept this as long as no rudeness is involved. And of course, I would never be rude to my wolf cousin (have you seen the size of his claws?)

    In future on your posts I will endeavour to keep to the subject matter taking care to note if there is a humour tag attached.

  15. Oh, for goodness sake!

    If you touchy Jocks can post your own particular brand of “joshing”, please allow OZ and me the same freedom to post in our Southron/Portuguese/Australian form of deadpan humour, without taking offence.

    I’ll bet you a pound to a pile of pooh (as Ferret might say) that OZ knew that you weren’t being serious, any more than I was in my #26. 😦

  16. Only one more smiley face to go. And he should be smiling. His team actually won a football match yesterday.

    Come out, come out, wherever you are
    Or OZ will huff and puff
    and blow your castle down.

    Not forgetting the 🙂

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