October 5, 2009


apostrophically speaking

Originally the peak was called “Pike’s Peak”, but in 1891, the newly-formed US Board on Geographic Names recommended against the use of apostrophes in names, so officially the name of the peak does not include an apostrophe. In addition, in 1978 the Colorado state legislature passed a law mandating the use of “Pikes Peak” only. Even so, the old name is often seen.

posted by Deron Bauman in government, grammar, history, nineteenth century (sorry cindy)™ 

comments

7 Responses to “apostrophically speaking”

  1. Cindy Scroggins on October 5th, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    Of course, the ruling came in the 19th century. Motherfuckers.

  2. Kelsey Parker on October 5th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    Damnit. I stand corrected.

  3. Cindy Scroggins on October 5th, 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Nooooo! You are not wrong, Kelsey. It’s the fucking 19th century fuckers who were so petrified of apostrophes that they decided to make everything into a goddamn plural–they’re the ones who were wrong! Motherfucking motherfuckers.

    I’m going back to France.

  4. Coop on October 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    But remember that the 19th century board only recommended. It was the 20th legislature which mandated.

  5. Cindy Scroggins on October 5th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    Fuck Colorado.

  6. Kelsey Parker on October 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm

    I wouldn’t be too quick to rule out all of Colorado. The peak is situated just behind the Air Force Academy, otherwise known as the breeding grounds for assertive republicans.

  7. Cindy Scroggins on October 5th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    One of the things I admired about my first husband was the fact that he quit the Air Force Academy. He made good grades, he was physically fit*, he had no trouble with the rigor–it was the underlying wrongness of the place that he just couldn’t take. They make it very difficult for someone to leave–it takes far less courage to stay.

    *He was fit when he got there. He broke his back playing football for them. Go, team.

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