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Apostrophegate

16.01.12 | Sam Missingham

Either people of the book trade collectively lost their senses last week or Apostrophegate reflects something more significant.



To say there has been a lot of reaction to Waterstones' apostrophe, or dropping of, is an understatement. The debate has gone way beyond trade news and has appeared in broadsheets, on BBC Radio 4 and even in the Daily Mail.

So, does the general public care about an apostrophe change at Waterstones? I'd guess not a jot. The book industry and literary folk, on the other hand, care a great deal, as you will see from The Bookseller's comments: 100 or so and counting.

In the midst of this furore one rather charming moment was the emergence of the Apostrophe Protection Society whose mission statement reads: "The little apostrophe deserves our protection. It is indeed a threatened species!" (let's hope the Exclamation Mark Protection Society* don't get their hands on them)
.

I can only assume that I'm not the only one who finds it amusing that such a society exists, and the day of Waterstones' announcement must have been an exciting day for them.



On a more serious note, I think Apostrophegate has confirmed that, not only is the book trade passionate about grammar, it is also passionate about Waterstones. To generate so much debate, shows that we collectively feel an ownership of our only chain bookseller. Save a few naysayers, we want Waterstones to thrive.

The minority still rubbing their hands waiting for Waterstones' downfall should not underestimate the importance of them to the UK publishing industry. Lest you need reminding, Waterstones' loss will be Amazon's gain. Those high street buyers will not all trot along to their nearest indie (the demise of Borders illustrated this very well).

So if all publicity is good publicity, Waterstones has had a great week.

 Yet the trade is desperate to hear about more than a change of font and the removal of the apostrophe from the new management. We all wait with bated breath and fingers crossed for more significant news.



Although I have found some of the pedantry insanely irritating, I think we should view Apostophegate as somewhat of a galvanising moment in the industry. That we care about Waterstones' apostrophe shows that we care about Waterstones.





*The Exclamation Mark Protection Society doesn't actually exist. Yet.
 

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By Adele Ward

What we need is a Society for the Removal of Unnecessary Exclamation Marks! They have become too common due to text-speak! Care needs to be taken!

It's something about the British that makes us get so lively when apostrophes are mentioned. I've seen the same thing happen in local newspapers when apostrophes are taken from street signs.

But I do like your very perceptive comment that it shows we care about Waterstones, and high street bookshops in general. I had a very speedy and enthusiastic response from my MP when I wrote to him following the Bookseller suggestion to contact MPs about the debate regarding our high streets.

An MP doesn't usually respond so quickly and with passionate interest. We do care about these things which is encouraging and makes it look as if we can make a difference.

Mon, 16/01/2012 - 17:40
By RKNL

Adele, how great to see somebody taking the bull by the horns and putting their money where their mouth is (oh god, somebody report me to The Society for the Removal of Excessive Cliches). We all talk about how much we care about the high street but great that you're actually putting that sentiment into action. And you're right, it's not just about an apostrophe. It shows that institutions like Waterstones really are a valuable part of the fabric of our lives.

Wed, 18/01/2012 - 10:26
By William Baginsky

The apostrophe is a tricky little creature - despite the company's decision, it has obliged you to use it three times in your blog in connection with Waterstones.

Wed, 18/01/2012 - 12:18

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