Whatever happened to the apostrophe?

[George K]

So as not to pollute the "Dark Humor" thread.

Jon's post about "Officer Down" got me wondering.

When I was in school, it wasn't "Down Syndrome," it was "Down's Syndrome." Similarly, it was "Parkinson's Disease," and "Huntington's Chorea."

What happened to the apostrophe?

EDIT: Should have written "So as to not FURTHER pollute the 'Dark Humor' thread."

[89th]

You pwn3d yourself!

https://nodebb.the-new-coffee-room.club/topic/12348/the-loss-of-an-apostrophe

[George K]

@89th yeah, I know. And I didn't get an answer then either!

[Axtremus]

Driver’s license?
Driver license?

[Copper]

After CRT, there is no time left for English

[Nunatax]

@George-K said in Whatever happened to the apostrophe?:

What happened to the apostrophe?

Its a mystery…

[kluurs]

One problem is that people never were given adequate explanation of the importance of grammar. A second is that teachers often didn't know what the hell they were doing when teaching grammar. Lastly, people (me) often don't re-read what we scribbled while distracted. Reading what I've read later, I have been horrified at mistakes I would have thought I was incapable of making.

I gasp every time I read someone ask for "advise" on something. When I catch myself doing that, I know my time has come to seek help.

[Horace]

@kluurs said in Whatever happened to the apostrophe?:

I gasp every time I read someone ask for "advise" on something. When I catch myself doing that, I know my time has come to seek help.

Pretty sure that’s the British spelling. I agree that anybody using it is in desperate need of help.

[Catseye3]

Why stop at the apostrophe a much more prevalent problem is the disappearance of the comma I can barely read messages that don't have commas it is primitive and destructive and I hate it it sucks

[jon-nyc]

It’s still Parkinson’s on the websites of the two major Parkinson’s foundations.

[jon-nyc]

Tha main association for Huntington’s disease still uses the apostrophe.

[George K]

I was too lazy to look those up. Thanks.

But, then, why "Down Syndrome?"

Of course, in the 1960s they were called "Mongoloids."

[jon-nyc]

My mother called them mongoloids. And in her mind it was entirely descriptive not remotely derogatory.

[George K]

@jon-nyc said in Whatever happened to the apostrophe?:

My mother called them mongoloids. And in her mind it was entirely descriptive not remotely derogatory.

My mother was a pediatrician. She called them mongoloids as well.