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'Laziness has won': apostrophe protection society admits its defeat | |
(2 days later) | |
Organisation formed in 2001 to preserve punctuation mark comes to a full stop | Organisation formed in 2001 to preserve punctuation mark comes to a full stop |
A society dedicated to preserving the “much-abused” apostrophe is to be shut down as its chairman said “ignorance and laziness” had won. | A society dedicated to preserving the “much-abused” apostrophe is to be shut down as its chairman said “ignorance and laziness” had won. |
John Richards, who worked in journalism for much of his career, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001 after he retired. | John Richards, who worked in journalism for much of his career, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001 after he retired. |
Now 96, Richards is calling time on the society, which lists the three simple rules for correct use of the punctuation mark. | Now 96, Richards is calling time on the society, which lists the three simple rules for correct use of the punctuation mark. |
Writing on the society’s website, he said: “Fewer organisations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in the English language. | Writing on the society’s website, he said: “Fewer organisations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in the English language. |
“We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!” | “We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!” |
Richards started the society after seeing the “same mistakes over and over again” and hoped he would find half a dozen people who felt the same way. | Richards started the society after seeing the “same mistakes over and over again” and hoped he would find half a dozen people who felt the same way. |
He said: “I didn’t find half a dozen people. | He said: “I didn’t find half a dozen people. |
“Instead, within a month of my plaint appearing in a national newspaper, I received over 500 letters of support, not only from all corners of the United Kingdom, but also from America, Australia, France, Sweden, Hong Kong and Canada.” | “Instead, within a month of my plaint appearing in a national newspaper, I received over 500 letters of support, not only from all corners of the United Kingdom, but also from America, Australia, France, Sweden, Hong Kong and Canada.” |
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