# Kind of dumb question about apostrophes **URL:** \ **Category:** Style\ **Tags:** unicode, punctuation\ **Created:** [March 28, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274 "2019-03-28T15:51:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/bflaminio/32/83_2.png) [@bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/bflaminio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/1 "2019-03-28T15:51:13Z")
So, this is something that has confused me for literally years. If you type an apostrophe on the keyboard you get this: ’ The preferred typographically correct apostrophe is this: ’ So where does this apostrophe character come from? ´ Example: [https://musicbrainz.org/release/ced0aeea-79ff-436c-8d1d-065b2143c651](https://musicbrainz.org/release/ced0aeea-79ff-436c-8d1d-065b2143c651) I don’t see it often, but often enough that I wonder “how are people typing this?” The editor who created this entry appears to be German – is it a key on the German keyboard? ---
**Author:** ![mfmeulenbelt](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/mfmeulenbelt/32/449_2.png) [@mfmeulenbelt](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/mfmeulenbelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/2 "2019-03-28T16:01:33Z")
The “apostrophe” on the release looks like a an accent character without its base (like é without the e). It is a key on some German keyboard layouts, but it obviously shouldn’t be used instead of an apostrophe. ---
**Author:** ![Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Cheezmo](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Cheezmo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/3 "2019-03-28T16:09:23Z")
On a Mac it is option-shift-] ---
**Author:** ![anon18945670](https://community.metabrainz.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/5daacb/32.png) [@anon18945670](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/anon18945670)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/4 "2019-03-28T16:22:42Z")
> [@bflaminio](#): > > If you type an apostrophe on the keyboard you get this: ’ > > The preferred typographically correct apostrophe is this: ’ Just FYI: Discourse, the forum software automatically fixes most punctuation. That’s why both of your examples above look the same. Depending on how to type the correct apostrophe on your device/system/keyboard it might be easier to copy it from the forum or elsewhere. I use @jesus2099’ replace script to quickly replace all “wrong” apostrophes on a release. Otherwise I’d have to press Alt Gr + Shift + b every time. That’s like yoga for my fingers. ---
**Author:** ![bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/bflaminio/32/83_2.png) [@bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/bflaminio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/5 "2019-03-28T16:42:20Z")
> [@Cheezmo](#): > > On a Mac it is option-shift-] On my Mac that makes a proper apostrophe; not the weird one I referenced above. Also, re paulakreuzer’s comment – how would one type a regular keyboard apostrophe that doesn’t get autocorrected? ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/6 "2019-03-28T16:58:33Z")
> [@bflaminio](#): > > how would one type a regular keyboard apostrophe that doesn’t get autocorrected? Put it between back quotes (for code): `'` (reply to this post to see my code). ---
**Author:** ![bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/bflaminio/32/83_2.png) [@bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/bflaminio)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/7 "2019-03-28T17:02:25Z")
> [@jesus2099](#): > > Put it between back quotes (for code): `'` (reply to this post to see my code). Nice. I’ve seen people use backquotes for apostrophes as well. That’s right out. ---
**Author:** ![mfmeulenbelt](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/mfmeulenbelt/32/449_2.png) [@mfmeulenbelt](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/mfmeulenbelt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/8 "2019-03-28T17:09:33Z")
> [@jesus2099](#): > > Put it between back quotes (for code): `'` (reply to this post to see my code). That’s not a quote, that’s a grave accent (the counterpart of the ´ this thread started about) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 10:53am UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/9 "2019-03-29T10:53:08Z")
I can tell you where that comes from. It is right there on the screen on the webpage where you are typing in the tracklist. ![image](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/5/e/5e99d06db474129a23e64aa2b8cef67f889f630d.png) Look at “I don’t know” - there it is. When I first learnt about the “different” apostrophe I had no way of typing it on a standard UK Windows keyboard. Before getting hold of @jesus2099’s script, in some of my earliest attempts at using the correct apostrophe I would copy and paste that one from the don’t that was on screen. Based on the assumption that it would have been using the correct one. ~~Which I’ve since learnt is incorrect.~~ ---
**Author:** ![reosarevok](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/reosarevok/32/69228_2.png) [@reosarevok](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/reosarevok)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/10 "2019-03-29T13:21:36Z")
I went and checked, and the one on that screen seems to be the correct one: [RIGHT SINGLE QUOTATION MARK’ (U+2019)](https://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2019/index.htm) ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/11 "2019-03-29T15:20:03Z")
@reosarevok are you sure? I have been told it is wrong before. ~~I think it was @Zas who said it was on the TODO list to correct that part of the page.~~ Clearly confused memory of mine… lolz Have a look at this screenshot with the three side by side. ![image](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/4/4/44daa519e5578edb5b4e96402664728f1ede2ad9.png) ---
**Author:** ![jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/jesus2099/32/36_2.png) [@jesus2099](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/jesus2099)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/12 "2019-03-29T16:20:24Z")
jesus2099 menu? I think you mean this: > [@Unicode characters userscript](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/unicode-characters-userscript/381780): > > Hi everyone, For everyone who wants some easy way to type the unicodes characters for apostrpohe (U+2019) or suspension points (U+2026) in musicbrainz, I just wrote a userscript to display a custom context menu on every input text and textarea of the website. Just select the input you want to type in, and press “Ctrl+M” to pop up the menu. Then select the caracter you want to insert using either the mouse or the up/down arrows. The userscript is avaliable freely for installation and use at [ht…](https://github.com/Smeulf/userscripts/raw/master/mb.unicodechars.user.js) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/13 "2019-03-29T16:59:39Z")
Thanks be to @jesus2099 - that’s the menu that makes this all soo much easier. 😉 Though I am still confused by what it looks like on screen. I use the Menu to set the apostrophe on the track list page, but that apostrophe then looks different when I click on to the recordings page. This is beyond confusing. Are the fonts being messed with on screen? Or some other changes? This is what happens to me… ![image](https://community.metabrainz.org/uploads/default/original/3X/7/0/70a28553404dec90d5342411eabe5ff738c045df.png) Can you see the subtle differences in the apostrophe’s? I am really confused why we type one thing from the menu, but by the next page that is then displayed in as a different looking apostrophe. Is the track list entry using a different font on that page? ---
**Author:** ![Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/freso/32/25_2.png) [@Freso](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Freso)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/14 "2019-03-29T16:59:59Z")
> [@IvanDobsky](#): > > this screenshot If you compare the I’s (that’s uppercase i’s), you’ll see that two different fonts are being used (“I don’t know” is using a font with serifs, the track names are not), which is likely why the ’s also look different, even if they’re the same glyph. ---
**Author:** ![IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/ivandobsky/32/11785_2.png) [@IvanDobsky](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/IvanDobsky)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/15 "2019-03-29T17:02:34Z")
Thanks. I had a feeling that was going on. I can now finally see the difference in the lower case “t”. Please poke the GUI redesigners and help us out with making it more obvious. The only way I can be sure I have the right thing is to return to the little menu. Or carefully copy\paste from the recordings. ---
**Author:** ![Zas](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/zas/32/28_2.png) [@Zas](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Zas)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/16 "2019-03-29T17:18:54Z")
> [@IvanDobsky](#): > > I think it was @Zas who said it was on the TODO list to correct that part of the page. Not me for sure. But correct typographic apostrophe is Unicode character 2019: [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2000.pdf](https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2000.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![CallerNo6](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/callerno6/32/39_2.png) [@CallerNo6](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/CallerNo6)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/17 "2019-03-29T17:21:14Z")
For me (and not just with respect to MB), these are indispensable: - the [compose key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compose_key) - Firefox’s [Character Identifier](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/character-identifier/) plugin - a [coffee cup](https://ologiesmerch.com/products/ask-smart-people-dumb-questions-mug) that reminds me of how I want to live my life ---
**Author:** ![bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/bflaminio/32/83_2.png) [@bflaminio](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/bflaminio)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/18 "2019-03-29T17:44:10Z")
Looks like jesus2099 fixed the weird apostrophe with this edit: [https://musicbrainz.org/edit/60361562](https://musicbrainz.org/edit/60361562) So my original example doesn’t quite work anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_lover](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/llama_lover/32/12639_2.png) [@Llama\_lover](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/Llama_lover)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/19 "2019-03-29T19:02:39Z")
For those just joining, here is a link to keyboard shortcuts for mac, win, linux. [https://typefacts.com/en/articles/keyboard-shortcuts](https://typefacts.com/en/articles/keyboard-shortcuts) ---
**Author:** ![highstrung](https://community.metabrainz.org/user_avatar/community.metabrainz.org/highstrung/32/15259_2.png) [@highstrung](https://community.metabrainz.org/u/highstrung)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274/20 "2019-03-29T21:05:55Z")
On Windows, I use [WinCompose](https://github.com/samhocevar/wincompose) for compose key functionality. [Next page](https://community.metabrainz.org/t/kind-of-dumb-question-about-apostrophes/422274.md?page=2)