Sainsbury's Should Know.

Question

Hi,Please forgive me if this is too simple for a.e.u.Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the row of tills, says `Todays checkout captain' with a slot for the name to be placed. I've always thought that should be `Today's checkout captain' as it's the checkout captain of today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.Assuming I'm right, what about their `Greetings cards' sign. I'm buying a card of greeting, am I not? So it's a `greeting's card'? Collins says not but I've confused myself into thinking that the possesive apostrophe in `foo's bar' is representative of `the bar of foo'.Please straighten me out.Cheers,Ralph Corderoy. http://inputplus.co.uk/ralph/ http://troff.org/

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Hi, Please forgive me if this is too simple for a.e.u. Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the ... be `Today's checkout captain' as it's the checkout captain of today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
You're completely right about "Today's checkout" (captain? ooh er.)
[nq:1]Assuming I'm right, what about their `Greetings cards' sign. I'm buying a card of greeting, am I not? So it's ... but I've confused myself into thinking that the possesive apostrophe in `foo's bar' is representative of `the bar of foo'.[/nq]
I think you're wrong about this one; and by your own, argument, of course, you should be rooting for "greetings' card", not "greeting's card". But the cards contain greetings, and, unlike your "foo's bar" example, no possessiveness is implied.
Matti

Usenet · Answer

Hi Matti,
[nq:2]Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the row ... today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
[nq:1]You're completely right about "Today's checkout" (captain? ooh er.)[/nq]
Good, I'll take a photo and send it to that UK apostophe site.
[nq:2]Assuming I'm right, what about their `Greetings cards' sign. I'm ... in `foo's bar' is representative of `the bar of foo'.[/nq]
[nq:1]I think you're wrong about this one; and by your own, argument, of course, you should be rooting for "greetings' card", not "greeting's card".[/nq]
No, I was switching to the singular for simplicity. My view is the card contains just one greeting; is it a card of greeting.
[nq:1]But the cards contain greetings, and, unlike your "foo's bar" example, no possessiveness is implied.[/nq]
If a card contains a greeting, then the cards contain greetings, so it's `a greeting's card' or `five greeting's cards' in the same way as it's `today's checkout captain' or `all today's checkout captains in all the Sainsbury's in the world'.
I believe I'm wrong since Collins says greetings card but I'm struggling to understand why given it's presumably a card of greeting.

Cheers,

Ralph Corderoy. http://inputplus.co.uk/ralph/ http://troff.org/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]You're completely right about "Today's checkout" (captain? ooh er.)[/nq]
[nq:1]Good, I'll take a photo and send it to that UK apostophe site.[/nq]
You should send one to the apostrophe site too!

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Hi, Please forgive me if this is too simple for a.e.u. Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the ... into thinking that the possesive apostrophe in `foo's bar' is representative of `the bar of foo'. Please straighten me out.[/nq]
You're right about "Today's", but "Greetings cards" is correct. The plural word "greetings" is here a noun used attributively, rather as if it were an adjective (as some experts will tell you that it is). So it isn't given its possessive ending. Compare "tea cup" - should it be "tea's cup"?

You have to be careful about "of": you can offer someone a "cup of tea" but not a "tea's cup". The "of" is not always possessive in sense: consider "The City of London".
Alan Jones

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the row of tills, says `Todays checkout captain' with a slot for ... be `Today's checkout captain' as it's the checkout captain of today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
I'm surprised you've only found one apostrophe error in all your supermarket shopping. Sainsbury's spelling is certainly no better than any other store's: one of the aisles in their Mere Green branch is signed "Air Freshners". And the product name tickets on the shelves are almost useless; a typical example might be: HNZ BB & 4 P/S'SS - beats me how anyone is supposed to be able to find the right price for a product.
[nq:1]Assuming I'm right, what about their `Greetings cards' sign. I'm buying a card of greeting, am I not? So it's ... but I've confused myself into thinking that the possesive apostrophe in `foo's bar' is representative of `the bar of foo'.[/nq]
Do you say "birthday's card"? No. Well, then. "Greetings card" is correct. "Greetings" is plural because people traditionally send greetings, plural.

Adrian

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the row ... today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm surprised you've only found one apostrophe error in all your supermarket shopping. Sainsbury's spelling is certainly no better than ... 4 P/S'SS - beats me how anyone is supposed to be able to find the right price for a product.[/nq]
Shirley, Sainsbury's is a Grocer.

David
==

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No, and that is root of the problem. You are buying a card that sends greetings. "'Greetings, my friends!' he called out as he strode into Fezziwig's warehouse." Or "I send you greetings and felicitations." &c &c

Cordially,
Eric Walker
My opinions on English are available at
http://owlcroft.com/english/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Hi, Please forgive me if this is too simple for a.e.u. Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the ... be `Today's checkout captain' as it's the checkout captain of today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
From what I recall, they spell it Sainsburys without the apostrophe, so they're at least consistent.
Or perhaps Capt. Stephen Peacock is in charge there, or even Jugears Rumbold.
-YJ

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Sainsbury's have lots of in-store signs. One, by the row ... today. You'd think, given a name like Sainsbury's, they'd know.[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm surprised you've only found one apostrophe error in all your supermarket shopping. Sainsbury's spelling is certainly no better than ... 4 P/S'SS - beats me how anyone is supposed to be able to find the right price for a product.[/nq]
Heinz Barbecue Sauce in the four pound/square foot salad sauce (counter).
-YJ

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm surprised you've only found one apostrophe error in all ... be able to find the right price for a product.[/nq]
[nq:1]Heinz Barbecue Sauce in the four pound/square foot salad sauce (counter).[/nq]
In fact, it's "Heinz Baked Beans with Four Pork Sausages", as the tins/cans on the shelf demonstrate. The code (with price) is readily matched to the goods, and therefore adequate for its purpose. Nevertheless, Sainsburys/Sainsbury's (or, as it once was in U English, Sainsbury) is an annoying sort of shop for other than linguistic reasons: a pity, really, that the food itself is decent, and generally better than at other big-chain supermarkets - otherwise I'd give up and cross the road to Somerfield. As it is, I force myself almost daily to cross the Sainsbury threshold.

Alan Jones

Sainsbury's Should Know.

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