h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And for that very reason, I'm going to love being there

I want to join..Nay, I need to join. It's been a personal crusade of mine for the last five years (ever since I first accessed the internet, really) to try and clear up apostrophe abuse wherever I see it, be it on the 'net, in advertising or anywhere of the like....

...but on that note - Something I saw in one of the conversations below, that actually *really* gets on my goat (no names, to protect the innocent) - The misuse of Your and You're...

Your is the possessive form of "you", it is used as a modifier before a noun (eg, Your boots) or to specify that something is a person's (eg, The light switch is on Your right).

You're is a contraction of "You Are". Thus, You're doesn't get used in a possessive sense (eg, You're boots).

But it's loosely tied in to SPAM, isn't it? I mean using "You're" in the wrong spot is a form of apostrophe abuse, isn't it?

Terrible abuse, I'd say.

The same as who's and whose.

Yes, they both really bug me as well. I am unlucky in that editing mistakes just jump out at me in print. I should be an editor of something, but unfortunately I am not, so I content myself with raving to anyone who will listen about how wrong everything is! I just can't understand how professional signs for legitimate buildings can be so wrong! The handwritten ones I can almost let slip, but the ones made out of plastic and metal and such really bug me. Also I get annoyed at people who perpetuate misspellings of words to make it cute, like "Quik Stop." Children end up not knowing what is correct. ARRGGH!