My husband brought us (my friend’s daughter, our son and myself) to his favourite aquarium shop two weeks ago. My friend’s daughter, who is 10 years old, spotted a label (at a shelf that sells fertilisers for water plants, multi-vitamins supplement etc..) that reads “maintains producted” and immediately turned and asked me what it means.  I stared at the label for the longest time and was totally puzzled. I looked up the word “producted” in Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (so used to doing that now especially after doing our AAE101 assignment! haha..) and there is no match for this word at all. My friend (whom I have causally talked to about this label) told me, perhaps it should be maintains “productivity” instead because it is a noun and will sound more correct if put together with the word “maintains” which is a verb. However, dictionary defines “productivity” as “the rate at which a company or country makes goods, usually judged in connection with the number of people and the amount of materials necessary to produce the goods”. We felt that the word “productivity” is also not so suitable to be used in this context. (or are we wrong? heheh…) Maybe the label can reads “maintains healthy water plants” or something like that.. or anybody has any better suggestions? something short but catchy and appropriate in this context.
There are many such “funny” labels in the shop, but it does not seem to affect their business in any way…probably because it is a nice aquarium shop with friendly and helpful shop owner. Nevertheless, we will continue to patronize the shop.. it is my husband’s favouite anyway : )

Angeline

I was working on my assignments and wanted to use a particular phrase (or is it a conjunction?) and realised I have difficulty deciding which is the correct form. I am undecided if I should use ‘as follows’ or ‘as follow’. Assuming I have the following sentence:

The factors are _____________________…. 

Do I fill in the blank with ‘as follow’ or ‘as follows’? Althernatively, will it make a difference if the sentence is:

The factor is _______________________….

I tried to do an online search for the answers.. But am not quite convinced by the explanations.  Can anyone help me?   =)

Aren’t you glad that you’re an Asian?

I think the correct grammar would be in rather than on.

*Photos from http://risingsun.dannyarao.com

Audrey

Anyway, these days I have been commuting by train a lot and I felt inspired find MISTAKES to blog here. Below is what I have found!

Look at “DOOR UNLOCK HANDLE”. Hmmm let’s see, is it trying to say that the door unlocks the handle, or is it trying to say that the handle is for unlocking the door? Do you think in an emergency people will actually be able to find the handle that unlocks the door to lead the safety, or wait, do you have to unlock the door first before you can unlock the handle? Confusing isn’t it?

Another bugging mistake I found is the “Reserved Sitting” blue-white sign I saw glaring brightly at people on the North-east line. It has no right to glare at people like that, because it is wrong grammatically! With reference to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, sitting refers to either a place in parliament or “a period of time that a person spends sitting and doing an activity “. So what do they mean by “reserved sitting”? Shouldn’t it be “Reserved seat”?

SHENA

Stall B:

No. 2 Adam Road is the No.1 Nasi Lemak

Well, someone has to be number two! We can’t have two Number 1 stalls. How is anyone supposed to distinguish one from the other? To make sense of it all, I had to take a closer look at the differences between the signage.

I was a Graphics Design major in art school and I am very particular about typography. The clever use of typography is the major focus of advertising. Now as an English Language student, I am even more particular over the choice of words used in advertisements. There is an unofficial “Rule of the 3C’s” to capture an audience using words. A lecturer at my art school once shared with my class, “The first ‘C’ is to “Convince”, if you can’t convince then use the second ‘C’. The second ‘C’ would be to “Confuse”. If all fails, use the third ‘C’, and that is to ‘Con’”. It was supposed to be a joke, but it is so true. Looking at the signage, I’m rather confused. If I were to make a decision when I’m confused, I might just be conned from buying the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore. After waiting in queue, I wouldn’t want to settle for second best!

Now scroll up and look at the words in this signange, “No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak”. It is a lexical ambiguity. There are several different possible meanings that could be derived from these four simple words;
1) Adam’s nasi lemak is No.1. This means Adam has the best nasi lemak in Singapore because they are at the number 1 spot.
2) Nasi lemak sold at No.1 Adam Rd. This would mean that they happen to occupy the first stall at Adam road’s food court. In fact, they really are occupying the first stall and they sell Nasi Lemak.
3) Adam’s No. 1 Nasi Lemak. This would mean they are Adam’s favourite nasi lemak stall.
4) Adam is No.1 and this is a Nasi Lemak Stall. Does anyone know who Adam is? Neither do I.

“Adam’s Nasi Lemak” is maroon colour. However, “No.1″ is in a different colour. It is in bright yellow with a circle around it. So visually, it is safe to say that “No.1″ stands alone. Then I can say that “No.1″ is a head noun on its own and “Adam’s Nasi Lemak” is another noun phrase. However, as a grammar student, “Adam’s” would be a Determiner. So in conclusion, the stall signage actually reads, “Adam’s (Det) Nasi Lemak (HN)”. Then, “No.1″ is actually the stall number.

Now take a look at the second stall, “No. 2 Adam Road is the No.1 Nasi Lemak”. This does not make any sense. Using the word ‘is’ in between two noun phrases equates them: (NP) = (NP). So it would mean that “No. 2 Adam Road” = “No.1 Nasi Lemak”. However, Adam Road ≠ Nasi Lemak. If the road was edible I don’t have to buy food, I would be licking the asphalt.

The typeface for the first part, “No. 2 Adam Road…” is much smaller and “No.1 Nasi Lemak” is made much bigger for more emphasis. The message would be much clearer if it were paraphrased, “The No.1 Nasi Lemak is at No.2 Adam Road”.

So, which stall sells the one and only, the best tasting, number 1 Nasi Lemak in the whole of Singapore? The only way to find out for sure is to buy a plate of Nasi Lemak from each stall and compare. Haaaah!

-Farhana

“And the Lord said unto John; Come forth and receive eternal life.
But John came fifth and won a toaster..”

forth and fourth. haha well at least John won something..

Cheers,
musa

another picture found in Indonesia’s very own airport. “handicap toilets” was spelt as

ahaha hopefully it was comical! cheers to better english!

-glenn

UPloading and DOWNloading!

I chanced upon this poster on a lift in a This Fashion outlet opposite Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Instead of “This lift is for Loading and Unloading Purposes only”, it says “…for Uploading and Downloading Purpose only”.

Haha!

Sharon

I guess they wanted to describe customers who eat very fast as EXPRESS CUSTOMERS but it is a weird way to describe fellow human beings. We are not Express counters at the supermarket afterall.

Since “thanks” is uncountable, I guess you cannot really use “many” to express your utmost gratitude to customers who eat and vacate fast after they are done. Haha!

-Peggy

Be careful for deep water. (given by CE.com)
or should we write it as;
Be careful of deep water.

*Siti Hawa*