In which Birmingham is KILLING me

Not Alabama--y'all are good. It's the British I'm after. Now I hope I do not have to remind people how devoted my Anglophilia is. I could not love a country more, I vow to thee. And it isn't the rest of the UK with whom I am taking umbrage--just Birmingham. Because they killed the apostrophe. The Birmingham city officials have done away with the apostrophe on all street signs. No more Queen's Way or King's Road, just the bland and antiseptic Queens Way or Kings Road. Sigh. As one defender remarked, the apostrophe is sweet-looking, and it's a shame the city fathers (and mothers?) have decided to abolish it. They've argued that it's necessary on the grounds that arguing over apostrophe placement takes up valuable council time and that apostrophes confuse GPS systems. GPS system are entirely capable of being confused on their own, and as this article points out, GPS systems usually spit out street names long before the apostrophe comes into the matter. (And honestly, a style guide would sort out the city council, toot sweet, as they say in Texas.) But the most disturbing defense of this atrocity is the councilman who claims that he wants to be able to find a restaurant without needing a high-school education. I beg the gentleman's pardon, but in my education, apostrophes were dealt with LONG before high school. I remember being distinctly annoyed by them in third grade. (Little did I imagine I would grow up to mourn their passing...) I feel quite certain that any British school does as well if not better than my elementary alma mater. And the larger point here is that we needn't dumb down the world to compensate for an impoverished education. The answer is to better educate our children so they can  tell us where the apostrophes go. If we do away with everything that is complicated or troublesome or that requires effort just BECAUSE it requires effort, then we might as well just give up now and go live with the bonobos. Some things are worthwhile just because THEY ARE. Loose leaf tea. Ink pens. Ironed handkerchiefs. APOSTROPHES. Honestly.

For some unaccountable reason, Typepad would not let me comment on my OWN blog yesterday, so to clear up any confusion, SOTM is NOT the last Julia Grey book. It is the last on my first contract, but I'm gearing up to write another one this year, so we've got more Julia coming, I promise!

And on a much less prissy, ranty note, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA!

Comments

[Elizabeth K]

NOW I know what I should have done with my "useless" English major! I should have gone into politics!

PS: Happy birthday to mom! Happy day!

[Maggie Robinson]

I'm a member of the grammar police, too, although I'm sure my landscape is littered with extra commas and the dreaded semi-colon, which has fallen far out of fashion.I found a print I used on one of my blogs dating from the eighteenth century. The caption clearly states "The Pleasure's of Life," so apostrophes have been pesky for centuries.What I found in teaching is that kids throw them in everywhere a tempting "s" appears, whether a plural word or a word that is definitely not a contraction. Maybe these Birmingham people are trying to spare teachers from flashbacks.

[Roshni]

When I heard of this I was extremely annoyed. They also used the excuse that people get confused by them. I beg your pardon-stop trying to make me sound more stupid. Confused by the apostrophe?

What rubbish. And they want all other majoy cities in the UK to follow thier example.

What does this say about children in this country? Are they going to stop teaching them EVERYTHING??

[Ali]

I have been called The Grammar Police, before. I actually get a little amused when I find spelling errors (and grammatical errors) out in public. I've ever been known to take a picture or two. *grin* I'm forever trying to explain the difference (to other people) between its and it's. The arguments that people give against good grammar are funny, though. "I can't be bothered" or "it's just a blog." However, at any time, no one would take that excuse if someone wasn't adding correctly. Double-standard! Anyway, I haven't had any coffee yet, so I'm rambling.

Happy birthday to Deanna's Mom!!!! I do hope that you have a fantastic day. :-)

[Charisse]

NOOOO!! The apostrophes!! Maybe if I drive by that place, my eyes would start to twitch. "Yeah, we're going through Queens Way *twitch*." I'm also quite strict with grammar (and spelling as well. I find it quite hilarious when people tell me 'I have very bad grammer').

Hooray for more Julia!! Honestly, I was a little happy when I thought there would only be 3. It meant less waiting for books (insert embarrassed face), but I do know that if there were only 3 books, I would find myself wishing and hoping for more (and maybe trying to find ways to occupy myself. Maybe start a knitting club....). If I have to wait, so be it! They're so wonderful and so worth it :)

[Dan F.]

The best thing about your blog is that it is educational and informative. First I learned what an Oxford comma was, now I know that a bonobo is a rather ugly chimpanzee, because I had to look it up. Thanks, teacher.

[Britt]

I think the apostrophe may need a moment of silence.
That's just dreadful.
Did they learn nothing from Eats, Shoots and Leaves? Precise punctuation is NECESSARY, blast it all.

[Kelly J.]

More Julia is always a good thing!! *yay*

[Laura]

I would have thought that the elimination of the apostrophe would give rise to more confusion, not less. And as a Midlander, Birmingham city centre is irritating enough to navigate (especially in a car) without this to add to the melting pot of bemusement...but maybe that's just me.

My final thought on this: Birmingham City Council, shame on you, although this story doesn't surprise me in the least (unfortunately).

[Jayhawk]

Long live the Comma to da top! (That would be an apostrophe in the real world.)