When is a rogue apostrophe not a rogue apostrophe?
Frequent readers will know that rogue apostrophes (for example, in it’s as a possessive, or else used in a plural) make my teeth hurt.
But lately, I’ve been driving regularly past a sign that on first glance appears to have a rogue apostrophe… but on second glance just might be right, if for the wrong reason.
It’s one of those solar-powered screen signs at the side of the road, with information about roadworks. Its first screen displays:
TRAFFIC CONTROL AHEAD
Its second screen shows:
QUEUE’S LIKELY
And it’s been bothering me a bit, since the more usual phrasing is queues likely. But then why? Why more than one queue? There’s only one line of traffic in each direction trying to get past the traffic lights, so that’s only one queue. Well, alright, there’s another in the opposite direction, but I’m not interested in that one since it’s not the direction I’m travelling in.
So having a sign that reads QUEUE’S LIKELY – in other words, queue is likely – seems to be almost right…
Or maybe it’s just me.
PS – When I titled my last post ‘Back Briefly’, I didn’t mean that I was only back for one post and then gone again for another long while (at least, I hope not)… It was just meant to be a reference to it being Microfiction Monday.
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on January 29th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
That sign would drive me nuts.
I’ve moved a lot, and my honest observation is that bad grammar and punctuation are a lot more prevalent on this island than anywhere else I’ve been, especially where it shouldn’t happen, like newspapers and — there you go — road signs.
It’s not just you!
on January 31st, 2010 at 6:17 pm
My reading is that they mean queues on different days and at different times since there may be occasions when there are no queues at all.
on February 13th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Belatedly, I wish to announce that the apostrophe has now been removed from the sign!
Do you think they heard me?
And Susan…. oh yes, oh yes, it is bloody awful. People don’t even seem to understand there is a need for proof-reading, let alone how to do it.