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BBC - 6 Minute English (YouTube), The decline of the apostrophe: 6 Minute English - YouTube

The decline of the apostrophe: 6 Minute English - YouTube

Georgina: Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Georgina.

Rob: And I'm Rob.

Georgina: Are you a punctuation pedant?

Do you get upset,

annoyed or angry if you see punctuation

being used incorrectly – particularly

apostrophes?

Rob: Well, it depends. Usually I'm pretty

chilled out about it, but sometimes, just

sometimes it really winds me up – for

example – if I see a sign for taxis at a

train station and it says taxi – apostrophe - s – aargh!

Why – why? The apostrophe is not used

to show there is more than one – it's used

to show there is a missing letter or that

the word is a possessive – it's just wrong!

So that does kind of make my blood boil.

Georgina: So when you say you're pretty

chilled about it you mean …

Rob: …OK, I'm not chilled at all. But maybe

I wish I was.

Georgina: Well, we're going to be taking a

look at reactions to the use and abuse of

apostrophes in this programme, but first,

a question.

The word ‘apostrophe' itself – which

language does it come from? Is it:

A: Latin, B: Greek, or C: Arabic

What do you think, Rob?

Rob: I don't think it's Arabic, so it's a

toss-up between Latin and Greek. I'm

going to say Greek.

Georgina: OK. We'll see if you're correct at

the end of the programme. The

apostrophe, it is true to say, is often

misused. It's put where it shouldn't be and

not used where it should be. Is it

important, though? Does it matter? After

all, in spoken English there is no

difference between ‘it's' with

an apostrophe and ‘its' without. ‘Your'

and ‘you're' – short for ‘you are'

sound the same. So what's the problem in

written English?

Rob: In many cases there isn't a problem

at all. There would be very little confusion.

But, I don't think that means we should

just ignore the correct way to use them.

Sometimes it can be very important to

make clear if it's a singular or plural or

possessive. Another important thing to

remember is that in CVs and job

applications a good standard

of spelling and punctuation is expected.

Get it wrong and you could miss out on a

good opportunity.

Georgina: There is one group that has

tried for nearly 20 years to keep others to

these high standards - The Apostrophe

Protection Society. They have publicly

pointed out incorrect use in public signs

and communications – a tactic

that has not always been welcome or

successful. But like the apostrophe itself

the group is in danger. Here's a BBC news

report on the subject.

Duncan Kennedy: They linger above our letters,

they wander around the endings of our

words, but apostrophes it seems are an

endangered species. The Apostrophe

Protection Society – yes there really is

one – says their future is, well, up in the air.

Georgina: How does he describe

apostrophes?

Rob: Using metaphorical, poetic language.

He says they linger above our letters. To

linger is a verb usually used to describe

someone or something staying somewhere

before finally leaving.

Georgina: So we have apostrophes

lingering above our letters and also he

said they wander around the end of the words.

Rob: Yes, also a metaphorical use. To

wander means to walk slowly around

without any real purpose or urgency.

Georgina: And he went on to say that the future of the

apostrophe is up in the air. When

something is up in the air, it

means its future is not certain, it's not

guaranteed. So if, for example, your

holiday plans are up in the air, it means that

there is some kind of problem and you might not

be going on holiday after all. The person

who founded The Apostrophe Protection

Society is John Edwards. Now 96 years

old, he has decided to give it up. Partly

because of his age, but also because he

thinks that due to the impact of texting

and social media he has lost the battle

against bad punctuation. So why has it

come to this? Here he is explaining

why he thinks people aren't bothered

about using correct punctuation.

John Edwards: I think it's a mixture of

ignorance and laziness. They're too

ignorant to know where it goes, they're

too lazy to learn so they just don't bother.

The barbarians have won.

Georgina: So what's his reason?

Rob: He blames ignorance and laziness.

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or

understanding of something. So people

don't know the rules and are too lazy to

learn them, according to Edwards.

Georgina: Quite strong views there!

Rob: Yes, and you thought I was a pedant!

He actually goes further to say that the

barbarians have won. Barbarian is a

historical word for people

who weren't part of so-called civilized

society. They were seen as violent and

aggressive, primitive and uncivilized. Georgina: So it's not a compliment then?

Rob: Oh no!

Georgina: Right, before we review today's

vocabulary, let's have the answer to

today's quiz. Which language does the

word 'apostrophe' come from? What did you say?

Rob: I went for Greek

Georgina: Congratulations to you and

anyone else who got that right. Greek is

the right answer. Now let's remind

ourselves of today's vocabulary. First,

what's a 'pedant', Rob?

Rob: A 'pedant' is someone who corrects

other people's small mistakes –

particularly in grammar and punctuation

– but it's not the same

as an English teacher! A pedant will

correct native speakers' mistakes too and

not in the classroom.

Georgina: 'To linger' means to stay

somewhere for longer

Rob: 'To wander' is to walk around without

a real purpose or intention to get

somewhere quickly.

Georgina: If your plans are 'up in the air', it

means they are at risk and might not

happen

Rob: 'Ignorance' is the state of not

knowing something that should be known

Georgina: And finally a 'barbarian' is a

word for a primitive and uncivilized

person. Right, we can't linger in this studio

as our six minutes are up. You can find

more from us about punctuation

and many other aspects of English online,

on social media and on the BBC Learning

English app. Bye for now.

Rob: Bye!

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The decline of the apostrophe: 6 Minute English - YouTube ||||撇号||| |decline|||punctuation mark used to indicate possession or the omission of letters||| تراجع الفاصلة العليا: 6 Minute English - YouTube Úpadek apostrofu: 6 minut angličtiny - YouTube Der Niedergang des Apostrophs: 6 Minuten Englisch - YouTube El declive del apóstrofe: 6 Minute English - YouTube アポストロフィーの衰退:6分間英語 - YouTube Upadek apostrofu: 6 minut po angielsku - YouTube O declínio do apóstrofo: 6 Minute English - YouTube Упадок апострофа: 6 Minute English - YouTube Kesme işaretinin düşüşü: 6 Minute English - YouTube Відмінювання апострофа: 6 хвилин англійської мови - YouTube 撇号的衰落:6 分钟英语 - YouTube 撇號的衰落:6 分鐘英語 - YouTube

Georgina: Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Georgina. جورجينا: مرحبًا. هذه 6 دقائق للغة الإنجليزية ، أنا جورجينا.

Rob: And I'm Rob. Rob: وأنا روب.

Georgina: Are you a punctuation pedant? |||||标点符号专家 ||||Interpunktion|pedant |||||pedant جورجينا: هل أنت متحذلق علامات الترقيم؟ Georgina: Jste interpunkční pedant?

Do you get upset,

annoyed or angry if you see punctuation منزعج أو غاضب إذا رأيت علامات الترقيم naštvaný nebo rozzlobený, když vidíte interpunkci.

being used incorrectly – particularly ||不正确地| يتم استخدامها بشكل غير صحيح - على وجه الخصوص

apostrophes? 撇号 الفاصلات؟

Rob: Well, it depends. Usually I'm pretty روب: حسنًا ، هذا يعتمد. عادة أنا جميلة

chilled out about it, but sometimes, just 放松|||||| يشعر بالبرد حيال ذلك ، ولكن في بعض الأحيان ، فقط

sometimes it really winds me up – for ||真的|让我生气||| في بعض الأحيان يزعجني حقًا - ل

example – if I see a sign for taxis at a |||||||出租车|| مثال - إذا رأيت علامة سيارات الأجرة عند أ

train station and it says taxi – apostrophe - s – aargh! ||||||||啊 محطة القطار مكتوب عليها سيارة أجرة - فاصلة عليا - s - aargh!

Why – why? The apostrophe is not used لماذا - لماذا؟ لا يتم استخدام الفاصلة العليا

to show there is more than one – it's used لتوضيح أن هناك أكثر من واحد - يتم استخدامه

to show there is a missing letter or that لتظهر أن هناك حرفًا مفقودًا أو ذاك

the word is a possessive – it's just wrong! ||||所有格||| ||||possessive adjective|||

So that does kind of make my blood boil. ||||||||沸腾 ||||||||boil

Georgina: So when you say you're pretty

chilled about it you mean …

Rob: …OK, I'm not chilled at all. But maybe

I wish I was.

Georgina: Well, we're going to be taking a

look at reactions to the use and abuse of |||||||滥用|

apostrophes in this programme, but first,

a question.

The word ‘apostrophe' itself – which ||apostrophe||

language does it come from? Is it:

A: Latin, B: Greek, or C: Arabic

What do you think, Rob?

Rob: I don't think it's Arabic, so it's a

toss-up between Latin and Greek. I'm 抛硬币||||||

going to say Greek.

Georgina: OK. We'll see if you're correct at

the end of the programme. The

apostrophe, it is true to say, is often

misused. It's put where it shouldn't be and 误用|||||||

not used where it should be. Is it

important, though? Does it matter? After

all, in spoken English there is no

difference between ‘it's' with

an apostrophe and ‘its' without. ‘Your'

and ‘you're' – short for ‘you are'

sound the same. So what's the problem in

written English?

Rob: In many cases there isn't a problem

at all. There would be very little confusion. |||||||混淆 vůbec. Bylo by to jen velmi málo matoucí.

But, I don't think that means we should

just ignore the correct way to use them.

Sometimes it can be very important to

make clear if it's a singular or plural or |||||单数(1)||| |||||singular||plural|

possessive. Another important thing to possessive||||

remember is that in CVs and job ||||简历(1)||

applications a good standard

of spelling and punctuation is expected.

Get it wrong and you could miss out on a Pokud to uděláte špatně, můžete přijít o

good opportunity.

Georgina: There is one group that has

tried for nearly 20 years to keep others to se téměř 20 let snažil udržet ostatní

these high standards - The Apostrophe

Protection Society. They have publicly Ochranná společnost. Veřejně

pointed out incorrect use in public signs upozornil na nesprávné používání veřejných nápisů

and communications – a tactic |||策略

that has not always been welcome or

successful. But like the apostrophe itself

the group is in danger. Here's a BBC news

report on the subject.

Duncan Kennedy: They linger above our letters, |||徘徊||| |||linger = to stay in a place longer than necessary||| Duncan Kennedy: Zdržují se nad našimi dopisy,

they wander around the endings of our ||||结局|| |wander = to wander||||| putují kolem konců našich

words, but apostrophes it seems are an ||撇号||||

endangered species. The Apostrophe 濒危||| endangered||| ohrožené druhy. Apostrofa

Protection Society – yes there really is

one – says their future is, well, up in the air.

Georgina: How does he describe

apostrophes? 撇号

Rob: Using metaphorical, poetic language. |||诗意的|

He says they linger above our letters. To Říká, že se zdržují nad našimi písmeny. Na

linger is a verb usually used to describe linger||||||| pozostać|||||||

someone or something staying somewhere

before finally leaving.

Georgina: So we have apostrophes

lingering above our letters and also he nad našimi dopisy a také on

said they wander around the end of the words. řekl, že se potulují kolem konce slov.

Rob: Yes, also a metaphorical use. To

wander means to walk slowly around

without any real purpose or urgency. |||||紧迫感 bez jakéhokoli skutečného cíle nebo naléhavosti.

Georgina: And he went on to say that the future of the dále uvedl, že budoucnost

apostrophe is up in the air. When

something is up in the air, it |jest|||to||

means its future is not certain, it's not

guaranteed. So if, for example, your

holiday plans are up in the air, it means that

there is some kind of problem and you might not

be going on holiday after all. The person

who founded The Apostrophe Protection |创立|||

Society is John Edwards. Now 96 years

old, he has decided to give it up. Partly

because of his age, but also because he

thinks that due to the impact of texting se domnívá, že v důsledku vlivu textových zpráv

and social media he has lost the battle

against bad punctuation. So why has it

come to this? Here he is explaining

why he thinks people aren't bothered

about using correct punctuation.

John Edwards: I think it's a mixture of

ignorance and laziness. They're too 无知和懒惰。他们太

ignorant to know where it goes, they're 无知,不知道它去哪里,他们

too lazy to learn so they just don't bother. 太懒了,不想学习,所以他们根本不在乎。

The barbarians have won. |野蛮人|| |barbarians|| |barbarzyńcy|| Barbaři zvítězili.

Georgina: So what's his reason?

Rob: He blames ignorance and laziness. ||归咎于||| ||incolpa = he blames||| Rob: Viní z toho neznalost a lenost.

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or Neznalost je nedostatek znalostí nebo

understanding of something. So people

don't know the rules and are too lazy to

learn them, according to Edwards.

Georgina: Quite strong views there! Georgina: Docela silné názory!

Rob: Yes, and you thought I was a pedant!

He actually goes further to say that the

barbarians have won. Barbarian is a |||野蛮人|| |||barbarian||

historical word for people

who weren't part of so-called civilized ||||||文明的

society. They were seen as violent and společnost. Byli vnímáni jako násilníci a

aggressive, primitive and uncivilized. |||未开化 agresivní, primitivní a necivilizované. Georgina: So it's not a compliment then? |||||赞美|

Rob: Oh no!

Georgina: Right, before we review today's Georgina: Dobře, než si projdeme dnešní

vocabulary, let's have the answer to

today's quiz. Which language does the

word 'apostrophe' come from? What did you say?

Rob: I went for Greek

Georgina: Congratulations to you and

anyone else who got that right. Greek is

the right answer. Now let's remind

ourselves of today's vocabulary. First,

what's a 'pedant', Rob?

Rob: A 'pedant' is someone who corrects ||||||纠正他人

other people's small mistakes –

particularly in grammar and punctuation

– but it's not the same

as an English teacher! A pedant will

correct native speakers' mistakes too and

not in the classroom.

Georgina: 'To linger' means to stay ||linger|||

somewhere for longer

Rob: 'To wander' is to walk around without 罗伯:'徘徊'是指没有目的地四处走动。

a real purpose or intention to get ||purpose|||| skutečný cíl nebo záměr získat

somewhere quickly.

Georgina: If your plans are 'up in the air', it

means they are at risk and might not

happen

Rob: 'Ignorance' is the state of not

knowing something that should be known

Georgina: And finally a 'barbarian' is a

word for a primitive and uncivilized

person. Right, we can't linger in this studio ||||to linger|||

as our six minutes are up. You can find

more from us about punctuation

and many other aspects of English online,

on social media and on the BBC Learning

English app. Bye for now. English||||

Rob: Bye!