Topic: The Battle over Punctuation in Birmingham

[BarryCrocker]

Bump. One for the pedants' 

Yorkshire apostrophe fans demand road signs with nowt taken out
Council says punctuation mark must go to suit computer databases, but grammar purists see signs of falling standards

A council has provoked the wrath of residents and linguists alike after announcing it would ban apostrophes on street signs to avoid problems with computer systems.

North Yorkshire council is ditching the punctuation point after careful consideration, saying it can affect geographical databases.

The council said all new street signs would be produced without one, regardless of whether they were used in the past.

Some residents expressed reservations about removing the apostrophes, and said it risked “everything going downhill”. They urged the authority to retain them.

Sam, a postal worker in Harrogate, a spa town in North Yorkshire, told the BBC that signs missing an apostrophe – such as the nearby St Mary’s Walk sign that had been erected in the town without it – infuriated her.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/05/north-yorkshires-dropped-apostrophe-for-street-signs-upsets-residents

[Robinred]

So ‘arrogate vies with Tunbridge Wells in the infuriated/disgusted stakes. Figures.

[redbyrdz]

Maybe they could rename it to "Walk of St Mary".

[Party Phil]

Maybe the street name should simply be understood as referring to multiple saints, all named Mary, who are walking.

[redbyrdz]

The justification about computer programs gerting confused sounds like bollocks. Maybe they used to, about 30 years ago, but they seem to have been able to cope until now. Reckon someone on the council who deals with street signs just can't spell and doesn't want anybody to find out.

[BarryCrocker]

The justification about computer programs gerting confused sounds like bollocks. Maybe they used to, about 30 years ago, but they seem to have been able to cope until now. Reckon someone on the council who deals with street signs just can't spell and doesn't want anybody to find out.

It is Yorkshire.

[thejbs]

Surely removing the apostrophe makes some names look daft? Like, for example St.James’s would have a weird double s.

[[new username under construction]]

It is Yorkshire.

Waht? Tahts rcaist!!   %