Ever since I posted about Nigella and her latest pseudo-literary effort, I discussed the title of her book with a handful of people all equally appalled at the missing 's. Still, you should not take everything I say literally, you know? As I was talking to one of these friends, we both pondered on the feeble pun that was at stake here; Nigella seeing herself as a Santa-like figure to the extent that she becomes Nigella Christmas, the wife of Father Christmas, just as I suggested in my last post on this matter.
And you know something? I don't like it. Maybe I am lacking a sense of humour (among many of my other downfalls) but, really, I do not think that we can take any chances when it comes to the state of the nation's literacy. My impression is that most people will not grasp Nigella Christmas as a version of Mrs Christmas, as, I would hope, it was probably intended, but will think that we can dispense with the 's. And this is a worrying prospect because when younger people are encouraged to be computer literate, I think it's time they start becoming English literate too. I am often fearful that not many youngsters know the difference between two weeks' notice and two weeks notice.
