OK, OK, via Emily McEwan-Fujita on FB.
Alan Edgey Jings! Fae the apologetic apostrophe tae A kenna whit! First prize tae the body that thinks on a catchy name for that kin o apostrophe. Bonus pynts for a sociolinguistic explanation o whit’s gaun on thare.
John M. Tait Ye mean the apostrophe that disna staund for naething ava? Like efter gis’ that staunds for ‘gie us’ whaur the’r nae missin letter efter the s? (I dinna understaund ‘get te” sae I canna tell whit’s missin or no efter that…unless it’s ‘get tae’…?) Like a hyperapologetic apostrophe – this is slang an it maun hae apostrophes tae shaw hou doun-toun an uneducate it is, sae we’ll jist fling in a puckle here an there! Parliamoglescatrophe?
Emily McEwan-Fujita ^ Hyperapologetic, sin e dìreach! In sociolinguistics it’s called “hypercorrection” but the way you’ve described it is perfect.
Me As A’v said afore, the apostrophe is a wee-kent veesual mairker for Scots. It can staun fur a missin letter, but no ayeweys.