... this isn't the best sign for any business.
Are you open or not? Or WERE you open and are now closed? Or were you open 24 hours and now aren't?
I can see why Kristy G. in Georgia drives around with a camera in her car ...
(click photo to enlarge)
Illiterate Links
- The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks
- Of Idiot's and Idiom's
Mike also likes to share photos of bad grammar on his blog. - Wordless Wednesday — In Our Write Minds
Every Wednesday, Kim Kautzer publishes a bad sign to her blog. - Wordsplosion [sic]
If you like IlliterateBusinesses.ca, you'll like this blog, too.
FIVE WORDS FREE
I'm so devoted to this cause that I'll give you five words free! Here's how it works: Email me the copy for your business sign and I'll respond with a FREE copy edit.* Act today to ensure that your business never has to suffer the humiliation of being profiled on this website. If you're wondering why I'm doing this, it's simple: I'd rather spend 30 seconds making sure that a sign is error-free than 2 seconds looking at one that's wrong.*First 5 words free, English only. For longer signs, we can talk...
SUBMIT
Email me your "Illiterate Business" photo. If it meets my criteria*, I'll post it to this site. If you tell me your name and describe the sign's error, I'll include that, too.*Criteria: Business signs of my choosing that have grammar, spelling and/or punctuation errors. I know there are other kinds of annoying signs out there, but they make me laugh. This site is devoted to signs that cause me to experience nervous twitches.
PLAY GAME
- EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES Punctuation Game
Perhaps you have a sign about to go to print and you are wondering to yourself, "Do I need Maria's help?" The Online Punctuation Game might help you decide. If you get even ONE question wrong, then please take me up on my FIVE WORDS FREE offer (above).
« January 2007 | Main | March 2007 »
February 21, 2007
February 19, 2007
I L*VE YOU
(click photo to enlarge)
Oops! Here's proof it can happen to the best of us ... and that even sticklers don't always notice. I looked at this logo many times on Feb. 14th and never once noticed the spelling error in Google's logo .... someone else had to point it out to me!
It reminds me of studies I've seen where people are given trick sentences to read. The results always show how often our brains automatically "fill in" gaps or "overlook" things like two two repetitions of the same word in a sentence.
I think Seth Godin was the first blogger to post about the Google error.
YESTERDAY ....
ALL MY TROUBLES SEEMED SO FAR AWAY ...
(click photo to enlarge)
Today they're back and worse than ever. OK, at first glance, this may appear to be simply a bad name for a company. Encouraging people to buy yesterday's flowers lacks a certain amount of inspiration, while promoting tomorrow's gifts doesn't indicate the most savvy business mind at work - does this company make any money TODAY?
But look closer, dear reader, it gets worse. Squint a little and read the upper left corner of the sign. That's right ... it is supposed to say "For all Your Yesterdays and Tomorrows"! The apostrophes shouldn't even be there.
February 16, 2007
INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGES
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Where does one begin with this gem, also contributed by Kristy G. in Georgia?
Does it mean that, if I study hard, I'll get to live the life of a ski bunny? If I study hard, will I one day be promoted to the position of making bad signs? Or maybe that's why they want help - they're looking for a grad student to correct grammar. But if the sky's the limit, why would I work at Fillers?
February 13, 2007
I HOPE THEY'LL RECONSIDER...
(click photo to enlarge)
Perhaps a good set of encyclopedias would prevent such embarrassments in the future ....
(Contributed by Kristy G., Georgia)
February 12, 2007
THEY'RE CLEAN THERE
(click photo to enlarge)
Kristy G., a fan of this website, has sent me a treasure trove of signs displaying ignorance of all kinds - all from her home town of Georgia, Alabama!
Here's the worst offender: a two-for-one deal!
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