The decline of the apostrophe

 

 

 

 

 

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English

The decline of the apostrophe

(Episode 200109 / 09 Jan 2020)

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-200109#navIndex-9

BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The decline of the apostrophe

 

 

 

punctuation
미국식 [ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃn] 영국식
[명사] 구두점(들); 구두법

Are you a punctuation pedant? Do you get upset, annoyed or angry if you see punctuation being used incorrectly –particularly apostrophes?

pedant
미국식 [ˈpednt] 영국식
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.
[명사] (특히 무엇을 배우거나 가르칠 때) 지나치게 규칙을 찾는 사람
Are you a punctuation pedant? Do you get upset, annoyed or angry if you see punctuation being used incorrectly –particularly apostrophes?

 

 

wind somebody up
~를 약올리다 

Sometimes it really winds me up.

possessive
미국·영국 [pəˈzesɪv] 영국식 
[형용사] 1. 소유욕이 강한   2. 독점욕이 강한   3. 소유의, 소유를 나타내는

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.


linger
미국·영국 [ˈlɪŋɡə(r)] 영국식
To linger is a verb usually used to describe someone or something staying somewhere before finally leaving.
[동사] 1.예상보다 오래) 남다   2.(자리를 떠나고 싶지 않아서) 더 오래 머물다; (…을 하면서) 오랜 시간을 보내다   3.(시선·생각이) (~에) 오래 머물다
They linger above our letters, they wander around the endings of our words, but apostrophes, it seems, are an endangered species. 

endangered
미국식 [ɪnˈdeɪndʒərd]
[형용사] 멸종 위기에 처한
But apostrophes, it seems, are an endangered species.

 

wander
미국식 [ˈwɑːn-] 영국식 [ˈwɒndə(r)]
To wander means to walk slowly around without any real purpose or urgency.

[동사] 1.(이리저리 천천히) 거닐다, 돌아다니다, 헤매다   2.(있어야 할 곳에서) 다른 데로 가다, (일행들로부터) 떨어져 나가다   3.(잠깐 동안 이리저리) 거닐기

They wander around the endings of our words, but apostrophes, it seems, are an endangered species.


go on to something
(다음 항목으로) 넘어가다

And he went on to say that the future of the apostrophe is up in the air.

up in the air
When something is up in the air, it means its future is not certain, it’s not guaranteed.

아직 미정인

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.

ignorance
미국식 [ˈɪɡnərəns] 영국식
Ignorance is a lack of knowledge or understanding of something. 
[명사] 무지, 무식

I think it’s a mixture of ignorance and laziness.


primitive
미국·영국 [ˈprɪmətɪv] 영국식
[형용사] 1. (산업화되기 이전의) 원시 사회의   2. (인간동물 발달) 초기의, 원시적인 단계의
A barbarian is a word for a primitive and uncivilized person.

barbarian
미국식 [bɑːr|beriən] 영국식 [bɑː|beəriən] 
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.
[명사] 1. (과거 유럽에서) 이방인   2. 야만인, 교양 없는 사람


compliment
미국식 명사 [ˈkɒmplɪmənt;美ˈkɑːm-] 영국식
[명사, 동사] 1. 칭찬(의 말), 찬사   2. <특히 칭찬이나 존경을 나타내는 인사말 등에 쓰임>   3. 칭찬하다

So it’s not a compliment then?