Today I committed an act of vandalism for the first time. Well, maybe not vandalism, but I did alter somebody else’s property without their permission. And it felt great.
I was walking past a local restaurant and bar when I saw a grease board outside that said “Taco’s 50 Cents”. Without much thinking, I slyly licked my finger and wiped away the apostrophe in order to correct the incorrect punctuation. At least I assume it was incorrect punctuation. After all, they could have meant that a particular taco is in possession of 50 cents. But I naturally assume the establishment meant to advertise that they were selling tacos at a cost of 50 cents each, in which case their sign was wrong.
Valarie and I have long daydreamed only half jokingly about establishing some kind of nonprofit organization called the Grammar Police, or something to that effect. Any time one of us saw a sign or other public notice with incorrect grammar, punctuation or spelling, we’d send a notice to the proprietor notifying them of the error and asking them to fix it. I don’t claim to be perfect when it comes to using the English language in verbal or written form, but I am continually astonished at how many errors there are on various signs. It might seem rather innocuous, but I think these error-laden texts are contributing to a culture of lazy ignorance. Today it feels all too permissible to punctuate or spell incorrectly on public signage.
I haven’t taken my vigilante English language fundamentalism to the next level yet, which would be going around in the middle of the night with a ladder to climb and correct the bigger signs out there. But don’t think I haven’t thought of it. And while I had no right to change that grease board today, I must say that I have not one iota of remorse for my crime.
My sister, a technical writer, swears she's going to start walking around with a Sharpie and change incorrect grammar and punctuation she sees on signs. She has taken time to say something to the proprietor when she has been able.
Posted by: The Mad Penciler | June 22, 2005 at 06:37 AM
Have any of you checked into that book, "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves", by Lynne Truss?
You'll laugh, you'll cry (sometimes at once), you'll learn about Britain's Apostropher Royal. You'll love it.
Posted by: Samuel John Klein | June 22, 2005 at 11:46 AM
Crazy, man, I was just thinking about the same thing. I HATE the incorrect use of possessive.
Some more examples:
http://www.studio2f.com/misc/2005/06/01for_the_hole_family.php
http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000263.html
Posted by: glenn | June 27, 2005 at 11:58 AM
Tell me you all have heard the story of the American Apostrophe Association....
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2002/08/18/build/local/55-citylights.inc
Posted by: LeLo | July 05, 2005 at 07:42 PM