Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/04/07

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: WAS: 21-35R First Slides NOW: FOCUSING WIDES!
From: John Brownlow <john@johnbrownlow.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 20:18:04 -0400
References: <20020407232905.29174.qmail@balhpl01.ncable.net.au>

On 4/8/02 firkin@balhpl01.ncable.net.au wrote:

>> Uh, Ted, may I politely remind you that it's is a shortening of "it is" and
>> you should have typed "its"? Thus, you've typed "just twist the ring to it
>> is closest focus point". 

>I suspect you are wrong as well -- should it be its'? In any case, with all 
>the e-mail shortenings why pick on a silly compromise rule for a language 
>which doesn't have enough words  ;-) 

no, he's right

"its'" would be the possesive plural of "it", which makes no sense at all

from:   <http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/0185.html>

The American HeritageŽ Book of English Usage.
A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English.  1996.

"3. Word Choice: New Uses, Common Confusion, and Constraints
§ 185. its / it's
Its is the possessive form of the pronoun it and is never written with an
apostrophe: The cat licked its paws. The contraction it's (for it is or
it has) always has an apostrophe: It's the funniest show I've seen in years."

- -- 
John Brownlow

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com

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Replies: Reply from Alastair Firkin <firkin@ncable.net.au> (Re: [Leica] Re: WAS: 21-35R First Slides NOW: FOCUSING WIDES!)
In reply to: Message from "firkin" <firkin@balhpl01.ncable.net.au> ([Leica] Re: WAS: 21-35R First Slides NOW: FOCUSING WIDES!)