CONGRADULATION, says the marquee outside of a hotel at a nearby college campus. One has to wonder, was it an attempt at a play on the word ‘congratulations’ combined with ‘graduation?’ Or was it the handiwork of someone who fell asleep in English class a time or two and didn’t make it to their own graduation?
I can’t help but notice that misspelled signage is on the rise. I recently passed by a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, with a sign that invited me to “TAKE HOME A 10-PEACE BUCKET TONIGHT.” This KFC was run by a family of hippies, perhaps?
And a couple of months ago, a tax preparation service in my town reminded people via roadside signage that “TAXES ARE DO APRIL 15. COME IN TODAY FOR TEN PERCENTS OFF OF PREPARATION FEES.” What’s a person to do when taxes are DO? How kind of them to offer such a nice discount. Not just one percent, but TEN whole whopping plural percents off! If you can’t trust these folks to prepare an accurate tax return for you, then who CAN you trust?
Although I don’t think it beats the handwritten sign that I just saw on a bulletin board at the library. “LEARN TO MANAGE STRESS NATURALLY WITH MESSAGE. JANE DOE, LICENSED MESSAGE THERAPIST, 555-1234.” I can only assume that this is someone who can help me get my e-mail under control. (Name and phone number changed to protect the guilty). My inbox is over limit again, overflowing with too many messages. It really IS stressing me out. I’d better call Jane soon.
Not to be outdone, though, is the personal ad that a friend of mine recently placed online. “Serious inquiries only,” was how she ended her meticulously prepared profile. “I am looking for intelligent conversation and correspondence. If your idea of communication is “U R FINE” and “OMG, LOL,” then you and I will not click. Proper spelling and grammer is a must.” She wrote with such conviction that I was scared to ask her how she felt about grammar.
I’m not one to get sanctimonious over spelling and grammar. Lord knows I have made my fair share of written and spoken errors, but thankfully, I can find the humor in my goofs when they are pointed out to me. I think the people in the deli-bakery section at my local grocery store can, too. There is a small, hidden section in the back corner of the store where you can buy discounted sheet cakes with frosting typos. They never seem to be short in supply. Just last week I found a buttercream frosted devil’s food cake that proclaimed in neon-blue cursive lettering “CONGRATS HOWARD ON YOUR PERMOTION.” Originally $15.99, it was marked down to $4.99. And I have to say, it was delicious.
So keep the misspellings coming. As long as they bring good-natured laughs and discounted deli goods, I don’t see the harm in them.
Oh, and Howard, whoever you are, wherever you are…
CONGRADULATION!
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I once enjoyed a cake that said “Happy Birthday Fraces” . It should have been Frances, but the girl was so proud of her masterpiece I didn’t have the heart to tell her she made a spelling error. It kept us laughing for many years.
When you see such errors, it makes you wonder!
One of my most memorable spelling blunder encounters was an inviation: “We will meat at the chruch at 6 to go Christmas corralling”. The funniest part of all was the person it came from! It was your typical Miss Know It All. The type that oftentimes will turn out to be misinformation (Miss Information) instead. To this day I still get a chuckle from that simple inviation to meet at the church and go caroling.
I agree it is a sad state of affairs when we have to wonder if our students are getting wittier, or have just been passed through grade after grade without truly being evaluated for their ability to read or write!
I see spelling and grammar errors every day – most of them are my own, as I'm editing my own writing! What a lovely little reminder of how human we are – imperfect creatures, works in progress. It's a gentle reminder to lighten up on others.