ok, as a mini-linguist, I don't put too much stock in grammar rules. there's not really any "correct" way to speak. things are being added to our language all the time, vocabulary, grammar structure, etc. what was not considered grammatical 100 years ago may be common practice today.
however....
there are punctuation misuses that really piss me off.
first of all, quotes. quotes are used to show what someone said or to indicate that something is not quite as it appears. think of it as sarcasm of a sort in written form. it is not for emphasis people! therefore, when your sign says:
"fresh" fish!
I am unlikely to buy your fish. are you really telling me that the fish appears to be fresh, but really isn't? because that's not a good marketing strategy.
I saw another today:
BINGO
"$8,000" Jackpot!
so, it's not really $8,000? you're just leading us to believe it is to draw us into a game of bingo? that's lame.
the other one that really gets me is the apostrophe. apostrophes generally mean contraction or possession. therefore, if your sign says:
Red Pepper's!
I want to know what of the red pepper you are selling.
there are plenty of ways to emphasize things. using bold, italics, different fonts, different sizes, etc. there is a whole field of artistry in this regard.
and who is printing these signs?? why aren't these people going, "you know, that's wrong. maybe I should tell them!"
Thursday, March 01, 2007
grammar maven
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3 comments:
Oh my god, I really really "hate" when people misuse "quote's" and "apostraphe's"!!!!!
Seriously, though...it is one of my biggest grammar issues too.
"there's not really any "correct" way to speak."
I know how you meant this, but I'm take it out of your context for the funny.
Sincerly Freya,
the freya-your a day to be a how? by the tim sent a about freya email to be recieved. by the tim a double plus enjoy email to be was. The some a monkey box run run run up and down? had you a finger to eat a wimple dove? Ugh, pgnk durgle shrub. Tylbped mugbe dance session.
Dear,
TN
Wouldn't you agree there is a salient difference between correctness and coherence? (My god, I hope so.)
Ahem. Back to topic, I find it rather hilarious (and sad) that the average sign-having business owner would not appreciate the irony in putting scare-quotes all over their ads. In my mind's eye, I always see my internal narrator reading the sign aloud in a snotty, sarcastic tone while making those annoying "quote fingers".
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