Weekly Writers: Apostrophes
The little squiggles come and they go, so I'll share a secret
Here’s the Weekly Writers Monday post. Thanks to my paid subscribers, today’s post is open to everyone.
Apostrophes
Let’s begin the week with something that will get you angry. No, not my political rants, but … apostrophes!
Another UK council has decided to drop apostrophes from street signs, leaving weirdly ungrammatical names that change the pronunciation:
Anyone who cares about good writing may be annoyed at the removal of basic punctuation which exists to enable unambiguous communication.
SEE END OF POST FOR AN UPDATE: WE HAVE VICTORY!!!!
Confused Cambridge Council
I remember writing an article on this topic ten years ago, in January 2014 when Cambridge City Council dropped apostrophes from their street signs because apostrophes were too difficult. I know, it sounds like some kind of absurdist joke, but it was true:
The thoughts that ran through my head when I first read that piece:
Maybe councils think apostrophes are too complicated for their residents? That would surely be an indictment of their education system, and suggest they need to run things better.
They mention the emergency services in that piece, but it is a red herring – any tools the emergency services use for finding addresses should be based on free text, so a search for “scholar road” would find every variant (Scholar’s Road, Scholar Road, Scholars’ Road). At least with apostrophes they could then be differentiated and prevent emergency services going to the wrong place.
The council’s other option would be to just avoid possessives in street names. Call it Scholar Street. Queen Row. Thickocouncil Lane. Then they could sidestep the whole issue, still match the guidelines, and nobody would mind. The irritation is that they use half the rules for possessives (a letter S) but ignore the other half of the rules (the apostrophe). All that achieves is making things more confusing and ambiguous.
They say they only had one objection, but if they are anything like the councils I know, they will have kept the whole thing very quiet, so probably only one person knew about it before they made the decision.
I know that this is only a minor issue when compared to massive problems such as human impacts on the environment, loss of wildlife, wars, the abuse of other species (and our own); still, it doesn't mean we should therefore ignore it.
Diving Deeper
Back in January 2014 I did a bit of investigative journalism.
I suspected the council staff found apostrophes to be too complicated, but had used the excuse of it being a recommendation:
“Cambridge City Council said they were only following national guidelines [...] Nick Milne, the city council officer responsible for street naming, said [...] the policy brought the council into line with the National Land and Property Gazetteer where all new street names are registered.” [Source]
Councillor Tim Ward, the Executive Councillor for planning, told the Cambridge News: “We are following national guidelines [...] If they change their view we might change our policy.” [Source]
I contacted the National Land and Property Gazetteer. It turned out it was worse than I feared – the guidance did not advise against apostrophes in street names or on signs at all. The council had either completely misunderstood the guidance, or wilfully misinterpreted it.
According to the email I received from the NLPG:
“GeoPlace does not advise that councils include or remove punctuation in official naming or on the street name plate. Street naming and numbering is a council policy decision.”
The council’s claims to be dumbing down language for some official reason were utter nonsense.
To clarify the situation, the NLPG told me:
“However, the Data Entry Conventions documentation does state that GeoPlace would prefer not receive data (including street names) with punctuation. Whilst GeoPlace advises that punctuation should not be included in the data provided by local authorities, GeoPlace will process data with punctuation where the council has officially named the street with punctuation.”
The reality is that the NLPG just ask councils to omit punctuation in the data they send to the NLPG, not to exclude it from road signs or road names. Cambridge City Council (and any others following suit) were misinterpreting the guidance for some strange end of their own.
Cambridge City Council ignored my emails to them on this topic.
Additional information 1: locals who objected to council ignorance corrected the punctuation on the street signs. [Source 1] [Source 2] I, too, have been known to correct road signs with a black marker pen.
Additional information 2: this is not a new thing. Silly councils have been attacking punctuation for some time, e.g. Birmingham Council decided it couldn’t deal with them back in 2009.
That Battle Was Won!
Cambridge reversed their position under pressure:
Tim Bick, then leader of Cambridge Council, said:
“It is now clear that the original decision made two years ago to ban the apostrophe from street names flew below everyone’s radar, amazingly even after public consultation at the time. It is a nonsense to deny the English language when applying it to everyday terms describing where people live. We rue the day we allowed ourselves to be influenced by a bureaucratic guideline, which nobody has been able to defend to us now that it has come under the spotlight.”
It is surprising to see such common sense. Just a shame it got that far before anyone stepped in.
Currently North Yorkshire Council are sticking to their misguided policy of unilaterally changing the language because they think their staff or their constituents are too stupid to punctuate properly.
Typically, North Yorkshire Council make it as difficult as possible to complain. They don’t publish a contact email address, and their comment form is buried under stacks of clicks and links. To save you time (because they don’t), here’s a link to their contact form if you want to complain.
You can also contact their councillors directly.
The Rules Of Apostrophes
I’ve often been asked questions about apostrophes, and when they should be used. I thought I would do a bit more public service and explain the rule I work by.
Traditionally we talk about apostrophes as being there to show omission and possession.
The issue of omission is quite straightforward, and I’ll link to some good guides on that later.
The idea of possession is not quite so simple though, since it does not fully explain the many cases where there is no possession or ownership in any traditional sense.
“That is Karl’s book.” This is straightforward. I own the book.
But then we come across cases like these:
Scholars’ Walk: do the scholars really own it? No.
The secretary’s boss: she doesn’t own her boss.
Karl’s friend: I don’t own my friend.
6 weeks’ hard labour: the prisoner doesn’t own the weeks.
The simplified description “possession” obscures as much as it reveals, and isn’t the best way to think of apostrophes. Apparently 40% of “possessive” apostrophe usage is nothing to do with possession.
I find it much easier to think of apostrophes as representing the “of” construction (which is technically the genitive case, which I am familiar with from when I used to translate ancient Greek).
Here’s my simple rule: if you can reword it as the “x of x” pattern then use an apostrophe.
Walk of scholars, therefore Scholars’ Walk
Boss of the secretary, therefore the secretary’s boss
Friend of Karl, therefore Karl’s friend
This also works with cases that normally cause problems:
Two weeks’ leave (leave of two weeks, so use an apostrophe)
And the rule shows where apostrophes are not needed:
two months pregnant (no apostrophe, since you can’t say “pregnant of two months”)
Citizens Advice (no need for an apostrophe in the organisation name, since it is advice for citizens, not the advice of them – further explanation here, if the link works – if not have a read of the Oxford Guide to Plain English by Martin Cutts).
Bear in mind the complication when words are missed out, but have to be assumed, and therefore an apostrophe is still required.
“I’m going to John’s” = “I’m going to John’s [house]” = house of John, so an apostrophe is needed.
Christie’s = Christie’s [auction house] = auction house of Christie, so an apostrophe is needed.
“Their strengths and weaknesses complemented and cancelled out each other’s” = “each other’s [weaknesses]” = the weaknesses of each other, so an apostrophe is needed.
None of this is rocket science, it is just the system I find simplest to adopt. If you want to know more about apostrophes then I recommend the fuller articles here:
An article in The Guardian “If you can’t use an apostrophe, you don’t know your shit” (and the apostrophes entry in their style guide).
Wikipedia: omission and “possession”.
I fully expect someone to point out examples where my simple system falls apart!
Happy writing!
Karl
Update 2024-05-15, 3pm
Quite a few Yorkshire Councillors replied when I contacted them about the new North Yorkshire Council policy. I’ve anonymised the quotes, but here are some of the supportive comments I received.
“I agree with you that this is an unnecessary and disappointing policy which appears to have been brought about by poor database regulation. I will see if there’s any support in trying to get the decision reversed.”
“It is most disappointing and worth addressing. It may be that we can point them in the direction of the Cambridge example you cite so as to uphold standards in this area.”
“I’m fully opposed to the council decision you refer to.”
“I agree with you Karl, and am exploring ways of reversing this policy.”
“I am also disappointed and will be encouraging a change of heart.”
“I do think it’s something the Administration is embarrassed about at the moment … apparently was featured on Have I Got News for You at the weekend.”
“I understand that it is not so much a policy, rather that the computer system the Council uses to create these signs, does not recognise apostrophes – so cock up, rather than deliberate plan, which seems to be par for the North Yorkshire course.”
“Bearing in mind NYC is predominately Tory controlled and this would be the decision of the Tory Executive I’m not at all confident. Like your good self I am not at all happy with this move.”
“I will be calling for it to be reversed. I see it as technology leading people rather than the other way around. Technology should be enhancing our lives and not be setting such limitations.”
“I am not sure as to whether the recent well publicised decision by certain employees of the Council to install street signs that have no apostrophes is a conscious “ban” or not. However, I share your disdain. I am looking into this situation and hope that the decision will be reversed.”
Update 2024-05-15, 8pm
VICTORY!
Here are some emails I received from Yorkshire Councillors:
“Hot off the presses, NYC will ensure that all future street signs use apostrophes where appropriate. Offending signs that have recently been installed, will be replaced.”
“Good news! The Exec member has announced a climb-down on the apostrophe removal plans. They are here to stay! Congrats on your lobbying!”
“My understanding from the session of the council today is that the policy has been reversed and apostrophes on street signs and elsewhere in council literature, will be retained.”
“It has been to full council today. The portfolio holder for Highways has given an undertaking at the council will adopt ‘proper punctuation’. All future signs will use an appropriate apostrophe, and the offending sign in Harrogate will be corrected!”
“We heard today at full Council that apostrophes were to be reinstated! Common sense has perhaps prevailed after some gentle pressure…”
“I can confirm the Apostrophes are staying in north Yorkshire council signs.”
“The Portfolio Holder told us at Full Council on Wednesday, that the apostrophe would be remaining on NYC street name signs. A victory for both grammar and common-sense.”
“The member for transport reiterated that all signs in North Yorkshire will have where appropriate ,apostrophes, ampersands etc. The omission of proper punctuation was never authorised by elected members. I am more concerned with the use in written English of their, there and they’re and in spoken English of the use of ‘so’ to start any sentence and of the liberal use of ‘like’ and ‘kinda’.”
Well, two days after I started my campaign, we saw a positive outcome. If only my powers could get wars to end so easily. That may require me having a larger presence.
Update 2024-05-24
Summary email from the council:
From 1 April 2023 the former District and Borough Councils of Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Selby and Scarborough formed to create a new authority, The North Yorkshire Council. Previously each council was responsible for Street naming in their former District/Borough areas and as a new authority, North Yorkshire Council has yet to adopt a Unified Street Naming Policy. This means that we are currently working to the polices adopted by the legacy councils but moving forward the creation of a unified Street Naming and Numbering policy is planned for this financial year.
North Yorkshire Council is responsible for the naming of new streets and for the repair and replacement of Street Name Plates within the county. The Street Naming function is carried out by the Community Development Directorate and Street Name Plates are maintained by the Environment Directorate.
Damaged or missing Street Name plates are replaced on a like for like basis and recently full Council agreed that all new signs and replacement signage will use punctuation where it forms part of the original name and we will only use abbreviations such as ‘AVE’, where space is an issue.
Since 2016 guidance and best practice laid out by GeoPlace has been followed by all the former District and Borough Councils when naming/addressing new streets: “All punctuation will be considered but avoided where possible because street names and addresses, when stored in databases, must meet the standards set out in BS7666.” Please note that the guidance goes on to say: “However, the use of these characters on street signs is acceptable if they currently form part of the existing official street name”.
This means that when the Council name a new street we will avoid names which require punctuation, such as the apostrophe.
Please note:
GeoPlace is a limited liability partnership (LLP) jointly owned by the Local Government Association (LGA) and Ordnance Survey (OS). Its mission is to manage and maintain the primary authoritative geospatial address and street data for the United Kingdom.
The British Standard 7666 (BS7666) specifies a standard format for holding details on every property and street
For further information please see:
GeoPlace – Data Creation - Data creation manuals | GeoPlace LLP
GeoPlace – Street Naming and Numbering - Street naming and numbering | Good Addressing | GeoPlace LLP
BS7666 -02121 GeoPlace - Re-Branding BS7666 Leaflet 2015 v3 AW.indd
Well, I was going to unsubscribe to try and get fewer emails' in my inbox. But your email's are so interesting, and this article in particular, had just the thing''s'' I needed. So, as president of the Writers' Guild of Acadiana (not to be confounded with the Writers Guild of America) I salute you and your's. (insert LOL here).
An excellent guide Karl!