When Jennifer Getsinger first noticed this Vancouver sign, featuring the slogan “Who are you running for?” she felt it to be an example of incorrect grammar: “who” (nominative case) instead of “whom” (objective case). Now she wonders if it was a simple proofreading error. But it doesn’t matter: she finds both equally annoying! Photo by Jennifer Getsinger.
DRIVE-BY EDITING
DRIVE-BY EDITING: spelling
Eve Rickert discovered the value of her proofreading skills while out to dinner at Pix Pâtisserie in Portland, Oregon. While she suspected that the restaurant didn’t intend to offer beer, wine, cider, and sherry at “10% of list price,” she wasn’t complaining! Photo by Eve Rickert.
DRIVE-BY EDITING: punctuation & spelling
Maureen Phillips spotted this sign for “Mike’s Tailor” (His own tailor? Lucky Mike!) and “professional altetration” services (whoops) while driving along Broadway Street in Vancouver. She didn’t have the heart to go in and point out the mistakes, though. Photo by Maureen Phillips.
“The Apostrophe Song” (video)
In honour of National Punctuation Day, we present “The Apostrophe Song,” a song that aims to “put the apostrophe back in its place.” It’s a four-minute tuneful celebration of the greengrocer’s apostrophe—Drive-by editing set to music, if you will…
The song was created for Cool Rules, an Australian writing-skills training firm.
Words and music by Shaun McNicholas. Vocals by Gypsy Lehmann.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2aSz9Ficw?rel=0&w=480&h=360]
DRIVE-BY EDITING: spelling
This Richmond sign caught the eye of air accident investigator Travis Shelongosky (pictured). Though not a trained editor, he knows “a error” when he sees one. Photo by Pratima Alexander. Submitted by Frances Peck.
DRIVE-BY EDITING: punctuation
While editing may be the first step to fame and fortune, terminal punctuation (on this sign from the shop floor of Macy’s Seattle) is not. Photo by David Harrison.
DRIVE-BY EDITING: punctuation & spelling
This sign could benefit from a liberal dose of full stops (“No appointment necessary drop in or call”) and spell-checking (“Work to-day get paid to-day”). Photo by Frank Karabotsos.
DRIVE-BY EDITING: spelling
This label—from inside a T-shirt—features a common misspelling: “seperately.” And shame on those fabric “softners” for not drying promptly! Photo by Frank Karabotsos.