Proposal: Kill the apostrophe! by James Harbeck

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Title: Kill the apostrophe!
Subtitle: We would all be better off without it
Author: James Harbeck
Date: September 18, 2013
http://theweek.com/article/index/249725/kill-the-apostrophe

[Begin excerpt]
The English language would be better off without apostrophes.

Yes, I know thats an extreme statement, and yes, I know its not likely
ever to happen. But its true. Heres why.

1. Most of them dont add anything useful
Why are so many people so confused by apostrophes? Because they cant
hear them in speech, and they dont serve a valuable grammatical
function. They simply mark contraction or possession, and you can tell
the meaning without them. If you couldnt, the indignant
red-pen-wielding self-appointed correction brigades wouldnt know for
sure which ones were wrong because the meaning wouldnt be clear. But
they always do know, because the meaning is clear even when the
apostrophe is used wrongly or omitted.
[End excerpt]

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