[plug] Microsoft is asking us for our opinion!!! 8-)

[John Summerfield]

I don't usually criticise spelling and grammar, especially on maling lists 
and USENET, BUT it's time for a lesson in English.

"Its" is a possessive pronoun. There is no apostrophe. It's correectly 
used in lieu of a noun as in "The dog's tail" can (subject to context) be 
replaced with "its tail."


"It's" is a shortening of "it is" and I've properly illustrated its use 
here.

The difficulties with misuse of English include
1	Amgiguity. Sometimes the wrong use gives rise to meanings the author 
didn't intent.
2	Spelling and grammar errors turn many readers off. I know I'm not the 
only person who becomes annoyed with it: judging from flame ars I've seen 
on the subject, we're legion.
3	Even in those cases where the readers are not actually annoyed, they may 
be persuaded that the author lacks education, is careless...

Of cause, all these reactions detract from the reception of the author's 
intention and contribute to a failure to communicate.

Please, take note of my comments. I do not wish to induce a flame war: I 
simply want people to use their language better, to be able to communicate 
their meanings more clearly. To misquote Margaret Whitlam; "My mother's a 
teacher, I married a teacher, my sister's a teacher. I know it's so."


-- 
Cheers
John Summerfield
http://os2.ami.com.au/os2/ for OS/2 support.
Configuration, networking, combined IBM ftpsites index.