Save the apostrophe before it’s too late

A number of local authorities are proposing to discontinue using the apostrophe in new place names because they say it can be confusing.

This means Queen’s Walk would become Queens Walk, St Andrew’s Road would be St Andrews Road, and so on. Those behind the proposal argue that the apostrophe doesn’t really matter in this instance.

It follows the decision by High Street bookseller Waterstone’s to trade as Waterstones, removing the apostrophe in its trading name and logo, sparking outrage among some of its customers.

In the business of marketing communications, where content is increasingly the most important commodity whether through the internet, the press, newsletters or social media as examples, the language is everything.

At Freshfield, we pride ourselves on using clearly constructed, simple language to communicate our clients’ messages. The language, and the grammar used give us the building blocks, and the various forms of content are our products fighting for their place in a crowded noise of information and misinformation.

We have the richest and most diverse language in the world, the international language written and spoken worldwide, so why should we start to dilute it?

You could also say let’s also drop singular and plural, the comma and the use of full stops and colons altogether.

However, without grammar, the written word would start to become meaningless, confused and misunderstood, not only in this country but across the world. The result would be English language anarchy.

Clarity is of critical importance in many instances such as legal affairs, economic matters and agreements of any kind.

In an age where information and the written word is all around us in all its forms, from signage, to the internet, to hard copy, surely we should be even more rigorous rather than accepting defeat because we believe the apostrophe may be confusing in some instances?

Every day, thousands of e-mails are transferred, notices written and, indeed, place names adopted across the UK and worldwide.

It is just as easy to use the apostrophe – and use it correctly – as it is to abandon it.

Some things are worth fighting for. Save the Apostrophe.