An online journal in which members of The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar document their noble efforts.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Friday Sign of the Apocalypse: Now and Then
Than, people. Than. Everyone gets this wrong now and then, though. We like how they went all out with "unable to" instead of can't--is this why they ran out of steam when they came to abbreviating "management."
I don't have a problem with "unable to" vs "can't", so much as I insist that it's not "unable to", but "unwilling to" (or "won't"). I consider it a minor victory when I get someone to admit that it's not a question of ability, but of policy.
Changing "unable to" to a more honest phrase would require that they take responsibility for their unwillingness. This would be a most radical step in management policy!
My first thought upon seeing the notice was: why are they thanking management? This peculiar, punctuation-based identity confusion seems to be prevalent among managers — here is a local equivalent.
Well, I don't know, Martha: I once bought $80 worth of goods at a store, back in the pre-computer Dark Ages, and the cashier couldn't figure the tax because the (paper) tax table she had to hand only went up to $70.
And why do they include the word "currently"? Do they mean their unwillingness or inability to handle Jacksons is temporary?
I suspect that comes from the good ol' days when TV stations would broadcast the mysterious missive: "We are currently experience technical difficulties."
They wanted to imply it was a momentary glitch, so we viewers wouldn't switch off the tube and play Scrabble instead.
Than, people. Than. Everyone gets this wrong now and then, though. We like how they went all out with "unable to" instead of can't--is this why they ran out of steam when they came to abbreviating "management."
I don't have a problem with "unable to" vs "can't", so much as I insist that it's not "unable to", but "unwilling to" (or "won't"). I consider it a minor victory when I get someone to admit that it's not a question of ability, but of policy.
ReplyDeleteBarry, we don't know about their mathematical ability. It's entirely possible they can't add more than $20 a time. Oh, but I kid!
ReplyDeleteChanging "unable to" to a more honest phrase would require that they take responsibility for their unwillingness. This would be a most radical step in management policy!
ReplyDeleteMy first thought upon seeing the notice was: why are they thanking management? This peculiar, punctuation-based identity confusion seems to be prevalent among managers — here is a local equivalent.
Well, I don't know, Martha: I once bought $80 worth of goods at a store, back in the pre-computer Dark Ages, and the cashier couldn't figure the tax because the (paper) tax table she had to hand only went up to $70.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe it is a matter of ability, after all.
But I give kudos. At least they can accept bills smaller than a $20 and not except them.
ReplyDeleteAnd why do they include the word "currently"? Do they mean their unwillingness or inability to handle Jacksons is temporary?
ReplyDeleteI suspect that comes from the good ol' days when TV stations would broadcast the mysterious missive: "We are currently experience technical difficulties."
They wanted to imply it was a momentary glitch, so we viewers wouldn't switch off the tube and play Scrabble instead.
Stan, if the sign was addressing management, wouldn't it use a comma? "Thanks, Management." Though the other example you site looks strange indeed.
ReplyDelete