List of companies with spelling mistakes in their names
The following is a list of companies that have spelling mistakes in their names[according to whom?]. Charles Duncombe, an entrepreneur, says that revenue for his website 'tightsplease.co.uk' doubled after a spelling mistake was corrected[1] and has estimated that "millions of pounds worth of business is probably being lost each week due to simple spelling mistakes".[1] This is most likely owing to spelling mistakes being a hallmark of phishing letters.[2] PureNet's director of digital services, Daniel Warren, says: "When consumers already have concerns about online fraud and safety, getting the basics right is essential. Online businesses get about six seconds to capture the attention of the visitor. If the lingering impression they get within those six seconds is one of poor spelling, they’re more likely to bounce straight off to a competitor’s site."[3]
Apostrophes[edit]
Grammatically, an apostrophe is required[according to whom?] when marking the omission of one or more letters (do not = don't), marking possessive case (cat's whiskers) or, less frequently, the delineation of plural of written items which are not established in English orthography.[4] Usually, it is the second requirement of it that is neglected; many logo designers often eschew the apostrophe because it leads to a cleaner look.[5] Take the International Aviation Womens Association,[6] for example. Grammatically, it should be the "International Aviation Women's Association" because it belongs to the Women.[4]
- Harrods requires an apostrophe because it was founded by Charles Henry Harrod[7] In 2006, John Richards, chairman and founder of the Apostrophe Protection Society, asked Harrods to replace the apostrophe, saying "It amounts to a deliberate corporate abuse of the English language and sets a very bad example to schoolchildren".[8]
- Waterstones was founded by Tim Waterstone[9] and thus should be spelt as "Waterstone's". It was, up until 2012, written with an apostrophe, when they announced that they were ditching the apostrophe because, according to managing director James Daunt, "Waterstones is, in a digital world of URLs and email addresses, a more versatile and practical spelling.".[10] John Richards, the chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society, was furious, declaring it "just plain wrong. It's grammatically incorrect. If Sainsbury's and McDonald's can get it right, then why can't Waterstones. You would really hope that a bookshop is the last place to be so slapdash with English."[10]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Spelling mistakes 'cost millions' in lost online sales". BBC. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ↑ "Spelling mistakes 'halve online sales'". Xbridge Limited. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ↑ "Are spelling mistakes costing your business online sales?". PureNet. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Quirk, Geenbaum, Leech & Svartvik (1985) A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language, p. 1636, Longman, London & New York, ISBN 0-582-51734-6.
- ↑ "company names with apostrophes". Public.wsu.edu. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ↑ International Aviation Womens Association. Iawa.org. Retrieved on 7 April 2013.
- ↑ "Charles Harrod : Biography". Spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ↑ Harrods told to put its apostrophe back. Times Online (21 August 2006).
- ↑ John Stevens. "No more problems for grocers: Waterstones gives up on its apostrophe because it's not practical anymore | Mail Online". dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Waterstones drops its apostrophe". The Telegraph. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
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