http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22403731
I once asked a kid in my class "what's your brother like?", meaning "what is he like". The answer came back "chocolate!"
On the subject of misplaced commas, an anecdote has it that an employee lost her job through one. She wrote to her boss: "he harrassed me every day, so I resign." The comma, of course, was superfluous in her intended statement. The reply came back from the boss: "your resignation is accepted."
Then there is the panda's diet, also the title of a disappointing book - "Eats, shoots, and leaves."
Any more examples?
Reminds me of some of the letters that councils have apparently received from tenants...one which said 'please could you come and clean up my back passage, your workmen left it in a right mess and I cant get my bike in it anymore.
It is tempting to write and submit a piece for them under the title 'A cleaner, tidier back passage' ;-)
haha...gets better and better!
Brilliant...am laughing my head off...
Well, as long as they use Brasso and none of that furrin stuff! ;-D
I saw them polishing the old Sheffield Stainless in readiness on Madame la Guillotine out by Concorde, just in case any of us slip up.
Carol you had a lucky escape!
I applied for a job once with the CQC who oversee inspection of homes, hospitals, doctors surgeries etc. I wasnt offered an interview and as they were equal ops employers and I met all the criteria for the job, I asked why.....'we dont have time to inform all applicants why they are not offered an interview' came back the reply...'oh yes you do if I think I may be disciminated against for any reason, you need to prove I havent been' I replied...this went on for 3 or 4 days...with many emails flying betwixt and between. I was pretty sure my 58 years precluded an offer of any interview. Eventually I was given the answer, 'on the applicaton form you opened brackets and didnt close brackets, in this job your use of English must be 100% correct' so appears I missed out on a plum job because of my unclosed bracket....bugger!
like in - sum peeple maik me sik...
Just noticed your name is all in small case too....hehe....and you are still allowed on this site?
Uhhh! I just gave myself a crick in the neck - 'cos I shook my head that hard in disbelief. To actually give that as a REASON! 'Scuse I, must off to the loo to look into the porcelain and get reality back.
It was clearly a hotheaded idiot running with their mouth online....but several of my friends were a bit shocked, and against our policy of not excluding other people on our facebook...this particular guy merited a delete. Thank God he lives a long way off! wish I had read your deleted posting Cate.
Sadly my last day on this site for a while (so no time for lines!) am back to France tomorrow to pack up the homestead, with the OH cracking the whip....so I am making the most of today...full stops and all!
Actually Cate...I have after years of debating sites...that there is no such thing as 'being too petty' at one point I was threatened with a fatwa for suggesting that their country was shameful because they wouldnt educate their daughters and treated women like objects. Good job this is on line I thought...then I realised, if this happened in the flesh its how wars begin!
In the corner Carol and 100 lines after school ;-)
Blimey....I should think with my constant run of full stops or period marks....I am due for shooting on those grounds then!