The "d" that makes a Difference

This was at the Office of the City Prosecutor in the Parañaque City Hall.  I was there for a legal transaction and sitting there waiting for the prosecutor assigned to me when I chanced upon this sign appreciating its purpose.  It was explaining their standard operating procedure and at the end it was asking for feedback on how their service was.

Everything went well as I read the sign until, alas, this sad ending - THANK YOU for helping us continuously improved our service. Sigh!  Here we go again with that dreaded "d". Why oh why oh why?! It was flawless already!

We should really reserve that "d" for any verb if we want to mean that it has been done.  In other words, it is meant for the PAST.  In this case, they are trying to continuously improve their service.  Hence, it should be:

THANK YOU for helping us continuously improve our service.

Beauty Lounge, Contributed by Mayang Villaflor

So many things going on here, so many words jam-packed in that rectangular sign. Somewhere among this rabble is this: Because Quality Need Not to be Expensive.  A teacher would have given this a "D" mark but this line brought everything down to a screaming "F".  It's enough that there's too many words in this sign but then add that grammatically fatal line is to murder it.  Actually. they did not have to put that line.

Now as called for by this blog, I need to correct the wrong grammar.  Because Quality Need Not be Expensive.  The "to" should be dropped.  However, considering the whole sign,  that entire line should be deleted.

Not only is this the turf of a grammar watcher like me, but also to a graphic artist.  It's a challenge to fit all those words in that rectangle and make it effective.  I'm sure the graphic artist would have requested to reduce them.  So, let me take the position of the copywriter of this sign:

ANIANA 

Beauty Lounge

1166 Quirino Ave. 

Tel. 0943 705 6542

Affordable Complete Beauty Salon

(The address does not have to be complete if the sign is posted at the establishment)

I believe that is a lot simpler and more comfortable for the passer by to read.  Oh yeah, there's gonna be better space now for the logo.  Effective communication should really be simple as possible.

Security Note, Contributed by Marissa Buñag

This has DISASTER written all over it: Grammar, spelling, punctuation.  Oh my goodness, this guy needs to go to the ICU of the English Language Hospital!

What's a stronger word for correction? Revision? Overhaul?  So this sign should read:

Kindly keep the backdoor closed and padlocked at all times.  Strictly for emergency exit only.

Wait, if the door is used for emergency exit, why is it padlocked?  Oh, dear God, the technicalities of communication!  How we should really learn them if we want to get our message across properly.

Signs of the Rest Room

The rest room, or the CR, comfort room as we call it here in the Republic of the Philippines, is the place where we, as what it's called, can rest or find comfort when we are out in public places like restaurants, malls, gas stations.  We can take it all off and give everything out with gusto.  However, we also need to observe discipline and courtesy because after all, we are still in a public place and we need to be considerate to other users.

So putting up signs are good reminders and as usual, here we go again spotting the grammar/spelling bandits:

This is not a serious grammar offense, but "properly" would have been better placed after the object to be disposed, as in: Please dispose your tissue paper properly in the trash bin.

What I find peculiar here, though, is the bubble gum.  Am I naive about this?  Is there that much of bubble gum chewers who do not dispose of it properly?  Is it only the bubble gum that's not disposed of properly?  How about napkin wrappers and its kind?  This sign is definitely aching for better ways of grammar and even words.

Again, the placement of the "properly" should be after the object to be thrown.  As in: Please throw your tissue and napkin properly in the trash can.

It's the 2nd line that really made the mess here.  Should be:  AS (not In) Courtesy to the next user.... PLUS: the spelling!  Oh goodness!  Printer madness!  Such a waste of paper and ink!

Since I took this CCGW stance, I have began to observe the overflowing opportunity to spot grammar bandits and to find ways to help them.

Near at....

This sign got me thinking. There is a smart padala beside the swimming pool?  Hmmm... then there's the country club... oh, oh, oh!  Maybe it meant there is a smart padala by the country club, along the street of the country club.  Maybe it would be more effective if the exact address was shown then in open and close parenthesis (by the country club)

Not to used...

Not really noticeable but my son noticed it in this receipt.  Not to used.. not to BE used. Typo?

We Served Lunch and Dinner

Has it closed that you have serveD lunch and dinner?  Clearly, they meant that that they serve lunch and dinner on a regular basis.  That "d" in served made a lot of difference in their meaning...