Germans decry influence of English as ‘idiot’s apostrophe’ gets official approval

Linguistic body has relaxed rules on use of apostrophe to show possession, not traditionally correct in German

A relaxation of official rules around the correct use of apostrophes in German has not only irritated grammar sticklers but triggered existential fears around the pervasive influence of English.

Establishments that feature their owners' names, with signs like Rosi's Bar" or Kati's Kiosk" are a common sight around German towns and cities, but strictly speaking they are wrong: unlike English, German does not traditionally use apostrophes to indicate the genitive case or possession. The correct spelling, therefore, would be Rosis Bar", Katis Kiosk", or, as in the title of a recent viral hit, Barbaras Rhabarberbar.