Retailer: Offer a retired English teacher a few gift cards to look over your signs and ads! Worth every penny.
Strap on your cummerbunds. We’re going to a party!
Scott Simmons
What do you wear when you are picking out glassware?
The last thing you want to see in your chocolate mousse is a…
Our complimentary ice cream complements your meal. (And what the heck is Iceam?
Good spelling is more than a convenience. Dealing with typos is no convinience at all.
It would be locked for your guests’ safety.
Scott Simmons
If you want to buy some stationery, you’ll have to remain stationary.
St. Pete has beautiful beaches and a major league baseball team. But no “H” at the end.
Who came up with “rideshare”? It’s wrong! Yes, when you rent a car, Hertz is “sharing” its car with you, but you are paying for that privilege. Outfits such as Uber and Lyft should be described as, for example, “app-based car services.” Or, the “Horribly Wrong” team just could go to its bible, the Associated Press Stylebook, which calls for “ride-hailing” or “ride-booking.”
And we go to the video archives for Segment 56: Back to school. https://youtu.be/KbPNFffGfvY
Items before the Assizes:
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! On the docket:
A headline recently used the spelling judgemental. The dictionary says both it and judgmental are acceptable, but the first mostly is used in the UK, and the latter in the U.S.
Lou Ann, our Rules Committee, consulted the Associated Press stylebook, our bible in such matters. Her report: “AP’s dictionary of choice says judgmental. (Webster’s New World College Dictionary, fifth edition).”
SO ORDERED.
Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong" features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police.” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, menus, TV news graphics, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we can credit you properly. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com
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NOTE: Eliot and Lou Ann are available for speaking engagements, and can travel. Reach us through the comments section. Just think of all of your employees getting back to work on a Monday, their heads filled with all the ways we’ve shown them to be better communicators!