Won't someone consider the apostrophes?
Jul. 5th, 2010 08:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgI have a goodly number of highly literate friends and associates. People who know where the apostrophes are buried. People who believe in their basic rights to correct signage. I suggest, my friends, that you avoid my otherwise friendly local butcher (the one who can get blood for me and dispose of inconvenient bodyparts).
Disclaimer: All typographical, spelling, gramatical, and punctuation errors in this post are ironic. Honest.
It started with the Chicken Keiv. Or was it Chicken Kev? No, it was supposed to be Chicken Kiev.
"A girl does the signs for us," said the butcher. "Did you know that she tried to spell 'Texas' 'Texus'? She even argued with us on the phone. 'How many people noticed the wrong spelling in Kiev?' she asked. 'About 80,' I replied. 'And how many people said something?' she went on. 'About 40,' I said. 'Do it right," I said. And then she said 'How many people would have noticed if it had been spelled correctly?'"^
Fantasy response: Your firred.
Then there was the look-there's-an-s-coming (never mind the latin issues) "Parmigana's" sign. I wonder if that was a deliberate marketing strategy? I think not. Not with the "B.B.Q Chicken" sign next to it as further evidence. At least commit to your punctuation: B.B.Q. or BBQ, not some half-arsed bet-hedging middle ground.
There's a well-established precedent in signage for the use of incorrect or "whacky" spelling to grab attention. I've never been a fan of the technique, and it's rare indeed to see an example where the mistake is clearly a deliberate ploy. Puns are fine, but do use an appropriate font. Chicken Kev would have been fine, given the recent demise of our former PM. But Chicken Keiv? No. Parmigana's? *sigh* B.B.Q? Really? Is there no pride?
But, to the signwriter's (alleged) defence, who would notice if it was correct? Does it matter? My thesis is that the vast majority of the population wouldn't notice either way. That's how we get so many cake wrecks and sign fails. There's a small sub-population who can recognise the errors; most of them have better things to do than care, or have given up all hope. The sub-set of the educated who care--and I include myself amongst them--always notice the signage and DO notice when it's done correctly. Errors may hurt only a few in the population, but those few also appreciate it (if only on a subliminal level of relief) when signs are done correctly. I say it's worth doing right.
I could be wrong. I may have expressed myself poorly. What do you think? Should we all just give up and roll over?
--Krazy alert below--
And dare I suggest that the people who notice and care about literacy are also more likely to frequent an organic/free range butcher than other citizenry? Perhaps the butcher's signage is offending a higher proportion of their customer base than is represented in the general population? Eh? Eh?
(^) Nested dialogue, just say no.
Disclaimer: All typographical, spelling, gramatical, and punctuation errors in this post are ironic. Honest.
It started with the Chicken Keiv. Or was it Chicken Kev? No, it was supposed to be Chicken Kiev.
"A girl does the signs for us," said the butcher. "Did you know that she tried to spell 'Texas' 'Texus'? She even argued with us on the phone. 'How many people noticed the wrong spelling in Kiev?' she asked. 'About 80,' I replied. 'And how many people said something?' she went on. 'About 40,' I said. 'Do it right," I said. And then she said 'How many people would have noticed if it had been spelled correctly?'"^
Fantasy response: Your firred.
Then there was the look-there's-an-s-coming (never mind the latin issues) "Parmigana's" sign. I wonder if that was a deliberate marketing strategy? I think not. Not with the "B.B.Q Chicken" sign next to it as further evidence. At least commit to your punctuation: B.B.Q. or BBQ, not some half-arsed bet-hedging middle ground.
There's a well-established precedent in signage for the use of incorrect or "whacky" spelling to grab attention. I've never been a fan of the technique, and it's rare indeed to see an example where the mistake is clearly a deliberate ploy. Puns are fine, but do use an appropriate font. Chicken Kev would have been fine, given the recent demise of our former PM. But Chicken Keiv? No. Parmigana's? *sigh* B.B.Q? Really? Is there no pride?
But, to the signwriter's (alleged) defence, who would notice if it was correct? Does it matter? My thesis is that the vast majority of the population wouldn't notice either way. That's how we get so many cake wrecks and sign fails. There's a small sub-population who can recognise the errors; most of them have better things to do than care, or have given up all hope. The sub-set of the educated who care--and I include myself amongst them--always notice the signage and DO notice when it's done correctly. Errors may hurt only a few in the population, but those few also appreciate it (if only on a subliminal level of relief) when signs are done correctly. I say it's worth doing right.
I could be wrong. I may have expressed myself poorly. What do you think? Should we all just give up and roll over?
--Krazy alert below--
And dare I suggest that the people who notice and care about literacy are also more likely to frequent an organic/free range butcher than other citizenry? Perhaps the butcher's signage is offending a higher proportion of their customer base than is represented in the general population? Eh? Eh?
(^) Nested dialogue, just say no.
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no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 12:42 pm (UTC)http://kol.coldfront.net/thekolwiki/index.php/The_Altar_of_Literacy
In the player chat you will also be banned if you use 1337 5p3ak or netspeak contractions.
I've often considered joining the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Apostrophes.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 12:43 pm (UTC)http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/
no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 12:46 pm (UTC)To find a complete inability to spell or make correct grammatical constructions in a sign-writer is depressing. Even more depressing is that they are getting away with it - even after being caught.
On the other hand, it is likely that your theory about the customer base is correct. But on the gripping hand, given the low number of such outlets, and the relatively flat demand curve for such products, it is unlikely to have much impact on the sales volume.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-05 01:11 pm (UTC)I proof read wherever I go, whether I want to or not. Signs, menus, guild chat on WOW, novels... (I often wonder if authors re-read their own novels and hit their heads on desks when they find said errors in permanent text).
My personal favourite? This one comes up alot!
Sandwiches
Pies
Pizza's
WHY GOD, WHY? WHAT DOES THE PIZZA HAVE? The curiosity will kill me one day.
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Date: 2010-07-05 01:21 pm (UTC)no subject
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