[lit-ideas] Re: "Jesus" is coming
- From: Judith Evans <judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:54:02 +0000 (GMT)
some of the bbc sub-editors are sloppy, but do you have examples?
Judy Evans, Cardiff
--- On Sat, 14/8/10, Julie Krueger <juliereneb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Julie Krueger <juliereneb@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: "Jesus" is coming
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Saturday, 14 August, 2010, 17:12
I am continually perplexed by BBC's use of quotation marks in their on-line
news headlines ... is this something peculiarly British that I don't understand?
Julie Krueger
On Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 9:57 AM, <Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx> wrote:
From online source:
"You've seen them on billboards, church marquees, and bathroom stalls: a
pair of renegade quotation marks that ultimately results in an unfortunate,
unintentional innuendo. You might think that a book comprised solely of photos
of publicly displayed punctuation gaffes, accompanied by witty commentary,
might
get old after awhile. Well, you would be wrong.
The Book of
"Unnecessary" Quotation Marks, based on the popular blog created by Bethany
Keeley, features reader-contributed photos of these superfluous punctuation
faux
pas. The book's organized into categories like "At Work," "Social Graces," and
"In the Bathroom," and Keeley provides funny commentary without being overly
snarky. Even though the book repeats a different shade of the same joke over
and
over, the variations manage to seem wholly original when applied to different
contexts. What self-respecting consumer of words could help from giggling after
seeing a billboard that reads:
"Jesus" is Coming
Or, what about a customer feedback box from a national restaurant
chain (I'm looking at you, Taco Bell) with a sign proclaiming:
"We Care." Please Let Us Know How You Feel
English is complex -- so what's the big deal if these avant-garde
painters of language take the laws of grammar into their own hands and use the
world's billboards, Post-it Notes, and sandwich boards as their canvases?
This is the big deal: Rules are rules, folks. Just like stop signs,
speed limits, and laws that prohibit you from marrying your cousins, the
regulations placed on the use of punctuation were created to benefit society as
a whole. They exist so you don't unwittingly make fun of your own products,
accidentally give the impression you're not being honest, or unintentionally
dispute the existence of "the Lord." (See what I did there?)
Some might
argue that only privileged people with soft hands have the time or energy to
poke fun at the misuse of punctuation. Perhaps these bold folks going hog-wild
with the quotation marks simply have more pressing things to worry about. Maybe
so. They're trying to get people to buy their "soup," attend their "church," or
simply just "flush" the toilet. They want emphasis and don't care how they go
about achieving it.
Sorry, you syntax rebels, I'm taking the hardliner
approach. We've got punctuation for a reason, and it's to fine-tune the
sentiment behind our communication. Anyone with the wherewithal to own a
business, buy billboard space, or design a product label should know better. Or
use a proofreader. Google it. Something! If you break the rules, prepare to pay
the price. (Which is being publicly shamed in this book.)
With that
said, Keeley is fairly gentle. She focuses more energy poking fun at the
absurdity of the unintended implications and less calling out the language
skills of the perpetrators. Read it and chuckle with a good conscience, and
think: Oh, that zany language of ours. Always up to "something. ""
Speranza -- Bordighera
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