In recognition of National Punctuation Day, we give you, IT readers, the latest news in travel and grammar: While good grammar is admirable, the Associated Press reports, it is possible to take your punctuation enthusiasm too far: under the name the Typo Eradication Advancement League, Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson traveled across the country this spring as self-appointed typo vigilantes – “a pair of Kerouacs armed with Sharpies,” said The Chicago Tribune - when they came across a rather offensive sign at the Grand Canyon’s Desert View Watchtower.
Upon “fixing” the sign (which involved moving an apostrophe and adding a comma, although they left the word “emense” alone) the two were arrested and charged with defacing historic property. As it turns out, the sign was a grammatically incorrect National Historic Landmark, hand-painted in the 1930s by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, designer of several desert structures (including the tower). In addition to paying a hefty fine of $3,035 and getting sentenced to probation, the two are now banned from national parks for a year.
Yikes. Authenticity 1, grammar 0.
Grammar mistakes can be particularly entertaining in new places. What grammar mistakes drive you crazy? Have you seen any good ones in your travels? Provide us with some entertaining stories or links in the comments below.
Read More: We blogged about Beijing's attempts to clean up their signage before the Olympics began. And the "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks has a great collection of signs from around the world.
Photo: The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks.
"Depressing fact: a client of mine tells me his Google ads get 5% higher click-through when he puts the headline in unnecessary quote marks."
I was in Greenwich (UK) a few years ago and saw a sign saying: Beware of Bag Knicker's.
Posted by: John H | September 25, 2008 at 06:36 AM
This blog has tons of unnecessary quotations.
http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Wayfaring Wanderer | September 25, 2008 at 09:33 AM