Do you think words like "don't" and "can't" will one day lose their apostrophe?

Well maybe in the long run. In the olden days, words like shop were spelled shoppe and things like that. Eventually that all died out.

If the apostrophe is dropped, it will only be because the current and future generations just don't use it anymore when typing. But then, there might be classes on how to type l33t or text language. However, as the rules of the english language have held for a very, very long time, and fantasy writers are rather fond of using them unnecessarily, I don't think they'll lose the apostrophe anytime soon! Perhaps it will be used even more, as our words our so often slurred together.

Since bad English is the norm in all books, newspapers, TV, etc., I would not be surprised if don't and can't will lose their apostrophe. I believe most who read this know that the words mean do not and can not. The same question concerning an apostrophe could be applied to isn't or aren't.

That is a great fear of mine, that punctuation and spelling will continue to be mangled into an unrecognizable mishmash of miscommunication.

When printing came about, there was no punctuation at all, according to the book, _Eats, Shoots, and Leaves_, and the sense of text had to be puzzled out, and when and where sentences started and stopped.

The apostrophe indicates missing letters in contractions, like in don't (do not) and can't (cannot), and possession of nouns (not pronouns) such as fish's, woman's, people's, animals', etc. It is *not* used in possessive pronouns such as: his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs.

I'm all for standard communication techniques to avoid ambiguities and miscommunication. I hope to see it stick around for a while.

I agree! Put a stop to bad grammar!

I never just forget apostrophes; well, at least I don't think I do.

Ask and I shall answer guy above me,

I think you are ignorant to the fact that many teenagers to care about grammar. Including me. Okay, I'm probably the only one, but I hate when people put me in that group, "the teenagers" or "the lazy generation."

Is it '."' or '".'?

I would love to see the English Language Police step in and arrest people for typing "textese" anywhere EXCEPT a cell phone. I seriously believe that this flippant attitude towards proper speech is turning our youth into a bunch of lazy illiterates.

I'm not being cruel, but kids today have NO idea how much their lack of language skills will limit or ruin future opportunities.

Long live the apostrophe!! '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

No! And then younger people continue to wonder why people who run businesses won't hire those who speak in "text" language!

If you lose the apostrophe on those words... I'm sure you'll live.... or will you? O.o

Hopefully they will lose their apostrophe, it is a nuisance on YA.

Nope. You have to write formally for some things and cant use those types of words. I doubt it.