Grrrrrr ammar

I fear I have turned a little ranty of late, perhaps it’s the weather. This week it’s grammar, or rather the lack of it

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no language luddite. I have nothing against the evolution of language, txt speak is gr8. However, what drives me up the wall is the seemingly never ending inability of the majority of the inhabitants of the English speaking world to use correct grammar. Facebook is a veritable hall of grammar shame. I yell in an unseemly manner each time I see a ‘there’ for a ‘their’ or a ‘your’ for a ‘you’re’ from people who frankly should know better.

But somehow much worse and far more irritating is the sloppy use of grammar from businesses. My very own road, St James Road, is a prime example. Our road sign reads like a bad GCSE English paper. It’s like they’ve hedged their bets with a veritable smorgasbord of grammatical errors. At one end it says “St James’ Road”, the other end “St James Road”. In the middle and with the ‘s painted (tip ex’d?) out is “St James’s Road”. Oh Council…really?

And while we are on the subject of the possessive apostrophe. Honestly how hard is it to remember that you only use one if the thing you are talking about belongs to someone you are referring to? Bar in London Bridge - it’s not “Mojito’s 2 for 1 on a Thursday”. Or how’s this for a winner, bad grammar mixed with unintended irony “Professional sign’s and lettering” anyone? Er, no thanks.