This one is from a response received in our office. Not only is the heading misspelled (because they likely have Word’s “ignore words in uppercase” option checked) but there is no apostrophe showing that the objections actually belong to the Defendants. Check your Word settings to make sure yours are set so that Word doesn’t think (incorrectly!) for you. It’s really difficult not to circle the errors with red pen and send them back.
This was in a Notice of Appointment of Arbitrator received in our office from our local Superior Court. Plural = NO apostrophe. Possessive = apostrophe.
When someone says “I could care less” we should understand that that means that they do care. If they could care less than they do right now, that means they actually care—at least a little bit. This led a blog reader to ask about other ironic phrases that are out there. Here are just a few:
The biggest lesson here is to learn constantly, read constantly, and be willing to revise what you believe if you learn that it is incorrect.
A friend sent this to me from an out of office email received from a Florida attorney. There’s something to be said for template language. Consistent messages within a firm and for every absence make things easier, but you still need to read the language to make sure it is correct. As a side note–always make sure to check the date to make sure it is current and correct so that it isn’t confusing.
I will be out of the office until Monday 8/7 and will not have access to my emails. If you need assistance, please contact X or Y. Thanks!
A friend sent this to me. Unfortunately, it is part of the City Clerk’s webpage for the City of Apache Junction here in Arizona. Apache Junction already has a not-so-great reputation in the Valley of the Sun, but it is my current home. I’m not sure how this actually got published as it is a hot mess.
“No 1”? Really? I assume they mean “No one is allowed.” Six words later, they are breaking the Gregg Reference Manual rule on spelling out numbers from one to ten unless the number needs to stand out to be comprehended or is in statistical information. I don’t consider that sentence statistical information nor do I think that the numbers need to be used instead of the words to be comprehended. Then, the comma after “jurisdictions” should be a semicolon since the sentence is two independent clauses and the comma could be replaced by “and.” It could also be two separate sentences, but the way it is written is confusing. Come on, AJ, you’re not doing your reputation any favors!
A reader sent this one to me. Résumés are a potential employer’s first impression of you so be extra careful to spell check it, read it, and then have someone else read it. Simple spell check would not catch this error. Yes, it’s that important.
I saw this in a Las Vegas shopping area last week while there for the NALS Educational Conference and I was a little confused. Does this store sell Women’s Accessories? Or are they selling accessories to one specific woman making them the Woman’s Accessories (and not selling them to anyone else)? Or are they a new accessory line designed by a person named “Woman”? It was a big sign on the outside of a store to lure you in . . . unless you are as highly disturbed as I am by mistakes that should not be on display in public places in signs that obviously cost a lot of money.
I was wandering through Target the other day and spotted this sign. Because I’m particularly sensitive to issues involving the apostrophe, those errors seem to jump out at me. This sign made me wonder if all adults share one birthday, because that is what the sign–as written–actually says. It should be “Adult’s Birthday” indicating the birthday belonging to an adult or, even easier, leave the apostrophe out and call it “Adult Birthday.” Really, Target?
A blog reader sent this one to me. Apparently, when you can’t decide whether the word “gray” has an “a” or an “e,” you do a mashup and use them both.
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