February 21, 2008

• Speaking of Language

  
  

  A Language Snob I am not.  I must admit, however, that people do judge one another on language use and the way you speak will often be the second, after appearance,  building block of someone's opinion of you.
  
  Coming from California, and from a very homogenous environment, having little contact with foreign language speakers other than those portrayed in the media,  I believed that written and spoken English was very standard and shared by all.   Then I moved East,  to New Jersey, and then to New York,  and found otherwise.  There is an abundance of incorrect English in print and also spoken here. 

  I no longer consciously judge people based on their language use,  I actually never really did,  because I understand the grammatical structures of languages differ, and I have always been of the belief that if information is accurately passed,  then communication has been successful and language is secondary to communication/exchange of information.
  
  I saw an example yesterday across from the workplace yesterday which made me have to stop and think.  The lunch place across the way was having a sale on sandwiches and had a large banner stretched above their store which read:
  
  "SPEICAL!  $2.99 ANY SANDWICH OF THE DAY"
  
   At first glance I didn't get it on the literal level, but in the gut, "something's wrong  with that statement"...
  
  In the diner down the Avenue,  where we often eat,  they have taped signs around the booths which read;
  
  "It Is Imperative To Always Pay The Cashier"
  
  Anyhow, in light of the odd and often unclear use of the linguistic method for exchange of information,  I present the contents of an email which surfaced in the office email system.   Here is presented a humorous look at last year's top confusing headlines.   I removed the sarcastic remark from beneath each headline, leaving room for your own level of understanding, mis, or lack thereof, and your own recognizition of humor.

  THE YEAR'S BEST [actual] HEADLINES OF 2007

  Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

  Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

  Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

  Miners Refuse to Work after Death

  Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

  War Dims Hope for Peace

  If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

  Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

  Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

  Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

  Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge

  New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

  Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas In Spacecraft

  Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

  Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

  Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

  And the winner is....

  Typhoon Rips Through
  Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
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  • 8:34 am
  • 7 Comments