Re: My first message.

Patrick Dunn wrote:

> Unfortunately (?) the genitive 's seems to be dying.  At least, among my
> freshmen students.  I usually have approximately 80% who don't know how to
> use the apostrophe, not only in forming genitives, but also in
> contractions.  And "it's, its" sends them into epileptic siezures.
Surely you mean the orthographic representation of the genetive, right?
(your context would lead me to think yes -- just making sure)

I think I remember reading somewhere that the clitic (yes, clitic; it's not
a traditional case ending anymore) has seen increasing use throughout the
century, with respect to competition with prepositional "of".

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Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
AIM: Deuterotom ICQ: 4315704
<http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."
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