Thursday, September 27, 2007

"trustworthy"


Stephen was sold some souvenir fudge in this bag. He is not sure he wants to eat it now. (To sticklers: yes this fits into the slogan grey area. whatever.)


Unrelatedly, I extended my FAQ last night, with a special moment for linguistics nerds. Not that having an FAQ has decreased the number of people who ask me about the things in the FAQ.

14 comments:

Stacey said...

I'm glad that "slogan" isn't on the Lifestyles brand of condoms. I'd be a little dubious.

Anonymous said...

Well, the "you" is bolded, so that should put your mind "at ease".

Anonymous said...

I'm with stacey. It really does look like a condom slogan. I wouldn't want to eat the fudge either.

john said...

i don't think slogans deserve a gray area. it's still wrong. putting a slogan in quotes on a sign is like saying "this sign says 'blah blah blah.'" ... I contend that's not necessary. Of COURSE the sign is saying that, it's written right there. If the quotes are to indicate that, say, the proprietor is saying "blah blah blah," then it's still unnecessary -- of COURSE the proprietor is saying it, he wrote it on the damn sign.

Anonymous said...

Hell, no - slogans are not a "gray" area. No quotation marks for slogans!

jspencer said...

I agree, since when is that "correct?"

bethany said...

ok, you people are the real sticklers. I have sticklers on all sides! This is why I think slogans are a grey area: it is SO common to use quotation marks to denote "this is our slogan" that I think it's sort of acceptable. But this blog doesn't really care about what is and isn't correct - it cares about what is and isn't funny.

jspencer said...

We know, Bethany. We're all just sick of everyone attacking your fabulous blog on the basis that the quotes aren't "technically incorrect."

We get the fact bthat that's not really the point

john said...

let's just say all quotes are wrong except for direct, uh, quotes! and ignore all naysayers.

Anonymous said...

Bethany, you're the master, of course. But common use? This argument "suggests" that because people use quotation marks whenever they want to that any use is correct use.

Anonymous said...

How about this? The quotation marks are perfectly valid: neither grey area, nor redundant. The company is using the words of only one of its legions of satisfied customers. Whether we choose to believe it or not is, of course, another matter.

sonicfrog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sonicfrog said...

Ken, I don't buy it. Your explanation would make more sense if it were said by many of the customer / patrons, making it difficult to site the multiple sources on the condom wrapper... I mean the banner. And the emphasis of the word You reaks like cheap commonplace ad-speak, not something that would come from a normal consumers mouth.

PS. Ver Word: ingsofgh. I can't help thinking this is an anagram for something:-)

sonicfrog said...

Stacey, I see you have a baby. Is there some other reason why you distrust Lifestyles brand of condoms??? ;-)