Thanks to Samantha Moran for resisting the temptation to do ironic “air quotes” with her fingers and instead choosing to take these photos.

And what on earth are those arrows meant to mean? Baffling.

In case you can’t make it out, the sign says, “Dry Cleaning at it is best”.

Astonishing. Of course it’s the logical next step from the usual mistake of confusing the possesive its with the contraction it’s but still…

Many thanks to Claire who spotted this “somewhere in south London” although here at GrammarBlog we can’t condone photography while driving.

Hang on, we’re not the BBC. Drive and take photos as much as you want. In fact, why not have a couple of beers first?

Either the owner of this restaurant is a wizard with the ability to transmogrify vehicles into amphibians… or he’s a little on the simple side.

A quick Google reveals this unfortunate proprietor isn’t alone in his idiocy.

According to this blog, the Learning Academy day care centre in Murfreesboro placed this note on the windscreen of an unwelcome visitor. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of errors featuring randomised caps and a you’re/your as well as the toad/towed slip-up.

The Learning Academy? Sigh.

A great spot here, sent in by Caroline. I imagine there are a few lorries in the Dreams Plc fleet with this error. Perhaps UK based readers might like to see if they can spot more.

Peter Ball sent in this picture from the George Inn near London Bridge station:

Peter has also helpfully provided a summary of the likely thought process of the chalk-holder in this instance:

‘We appear to have forgotten to pluralise the fifth word in the sentence.’

‘Don’t worry I’ll just stick a “s” on the end.’

‘Actually, I don’t think that quite works.’

‘No problem, I’ll add an apostrophe.’

‘Ah, the perfect crime.’

Eurgh:

…but this is still several kinds of wrong.

This was sent in by Clive Young who spotted the sign at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville, NY.

Having returned to my native Teesside for the festive season, it was with customary zeal that I threw open the pages of ‘Now&Then’, a micro-regional local interest magazine delivered free to 78,000 ’selected homes’ in towns and villages across the area. It’s always a delight to skim through this particular A5-sized pleasure pamphlet in search of oddball contributions from lay members of the community. The latest issue contains a wonderful example of what happens when local people get indignant but channel their frustrations into something entirely worthwhile.

It all started with an article in the previous edition of Now&Then (No. 61, for the enthusiasts out there) attacking ‘psuedo-safety signage’ in public areas. This example of BONKERS BRITAIN was included in the piece:

It seems the author was so enraged by the purpose of the sign that they failed to notice the obvious ‘past’/'passed’ confusion.

In addition to providing a handy reversal of my recent Curb Your Enthusiasm-themed post, this extract also prompted a wonderful letter to the editor in issue no. 62. I love the opening four words the most. I may be wrong, but I’d say this has to be one of the most unapologetic and least remorseful cases of nit-picking I’ve ever come across. Hats off.

You just don’t get this kind of stuff in The Times letters page, more’s the pity.

Well… I am in a hurry., originally uploaded by GrammarBlog.

Can you hear me at the the back? It’s Espresso. No X, capishe?

Italian speakers will either spot the irony or call me a hypocrite.

This has been brought to my attention by the opening scene of a new episode (’Black Swan’) from the fine seventh series of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David visits his mother’s grave with his Dad and his cousin, only to find his Dad has had the headstone engraved with “PAST AWAY” in order to save money.

Unfortunately I can’t find a clip online, so this transcript will have to suffice:

Larry: This is mum’s grave? “Past away”? P-a-s-t? Dad, you spelled “passed” wrong. It’s not spelled p-a-s-t. “Passed away”: p-a-s-s-e-d!
Dad: I know how to spell it. It’s $50 a letter.
Larry: You spelled it wrong on purpose to save $100?
Dad: Yes. Why not? It’s the same meaning. Everyone knows what it means.
Cousin: It’s not the same meaning!
Larry: You saved $100? Well, I would have paid for it. Are you kidding?
Dad: Well, I didn’t ask you because I didn’t want to bother you. That was the whole idea.
Cousin: Honestly, this is not really the nicest way to honour your wife.
Larry: It’s insane! I’m sorry. I have to change this. You got the name of the stonemason?
Dad: Yes, I have the name of the stonemason.
Larry: I’m gonna change this. I’m gonna spell it the right way. And what about some blandishments on here? You know, how about “devoted wife” - some adjectives.
Cousin: “Beloved mother of Larry” would’ve been nice.
Dad: Yeah, you wanted maybe $6,000 more on the stone…?
Larry: Well, why not just: “Adele David. Born. Past away”?

Incredible scenes. As Larry’s friend Marty Funkhouser asks in the next scene of the episode, why didn’t he also try to say ”beloved mother”‘ and put “beloved moth”? ROFL. If restricted financial means really can dictate one’s willingness to spell correctly, then perhaps everything is finally explained. Presumably many present-day spelling errors can be attributed to the ongoing global financial crisis. Some people will use any excuse.

]]> http://www.grammarblog.co.uk/2009/12/grave-errors/feed/ http://www.grammarblog.co.uk/2009/12/death-and-tayes/ http://www.grammarblog.co.uk/2009/12/death-and-tayes/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:06:42 +0000 Gez http://www.grammarblog.co.uk/2009/12/death-and-tayes/ As Mel and Kim so profoundly put it, “Tay-tay, tay-tay t-t-t-t-t tay-tay.”

Quite what they meant is anyone’s guess but it must have struck a chord with the Sky news vidi printer operator who made this typo.

Thanks to @gill_Edwards for spotting this and letting us know via Twitter.