From owner-freebsd-doc Tue Dec 31 08:20:09 1996 Return-Path: Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.8.4/8.8.4) id IAA05195 for doc-outgoing; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 08:20:09 -0800 (PST) Received: from gatekeeper.fsl.noaa.gov (gatekeeper.fsl.noaa.gov [137.75.131.181]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.8.4/8.8.4) with ESMTP id IAA05187 for ; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 08:20:07 -0800 (PST) Received: from cardinal.fsl.noaa.gov (daemon@cardinal.fsl.noaa.gov [137.75.60.101]) by gatekeeper.fsl.noaa.gov (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id QAA06135; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 16:20:04 GMT Received: from auk.fsl.noaa.gov by cardinal.fsl.noaa.gov with SMTP (1.40.112.3/16.2) id AA075489203; Tue, 31 Dec 1996 16:20:03 GMT Message-Id: <32C93D80.1C4F@fsl.noaa.gov> Date: Tue, 31 Dec 1996 09:21:20 -0700 From: Sean Kelly Organization: CIRA/NOAA X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0Gold (X11; I; HP-UX B.10.10 9000/725) Mime-Version: 1.0 To: "Rick Robinson (Rick Robinson)" Cc: doc@freebsd.org Subject: Re: spelling References: <199612311603.LAA01144@casbah.gatech.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-doc@freebsd.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk Rick Robinson (Rick Robinson) wrote: > The possessive form of the third-person singular neuter pronoun -- > a.k.a. "it" -- is spelled "its," not "it's." > "It's" is a contraction of "it is." Absolutely right. I dare you to find "it's" used improperly in the sections I've written. What's even more disheartening is how often I see "it's" used as possessive "it" in hand-written store signs, local organization newsletters---and much worse---mass media. It probably won't be long until "it's" is accepted American English for either the possessive or the contraction, and "its" is incorrect altogether. The end of the world should happen soon thereafter. ;-) -- Sean Kelly NOAA Forecast Systems Laboratory kelly@fsl.noaa.gov Boulder Colorado USA http://www-sdd.fsl.noaa.gov/~kelly/