ERRORTERROR

ERROR TERROR

Our mini-series on funny signs from English-speaking countries.

More funny signs from the English-speaking world. See if you can identify the mistake or misleading phrase in each
sentence. Then check our “Error Analysis” section for a full explanation.

4. There are two possible meanings to this sign:

a) Other shops will cheat you, but we are honest.
b) Other shops will cheat you, and we will too.
A safer, less ambiguous and more positive sign could be:
“We offer a reliable service, and the most competitive prices.”

1. On a sign outside a nature reserve (Yorkshire, England):
“Parking for birds only.”
2. On a sign outside a shop (Indiana, USA):
“Archery tournament. Ears pierced.”
5. The problem with this sign is that “come on in and get fed up”
has two meanings:
a) Enter and eat all you want.
b) Enter and become bored, tired and angry (fed up).
A better alternative would be:
“Don’t stand there and be hungry. Come on in and we’ll feed you up.”
6. Of course, if you have your “own grave”, you are most probably
dead. A simpler, less confusing sign could have been:
“Please do not remove flowers from the graves.”

3. Outside a shop (Wyecliffe, England):

“We buy junk and sell antiques.”

4. In a shop window (Wisconsin, USA):

“Why go elsewhere to be cheated when you can come here?”

5. In a restaurant shop window (London, England):

“Don’t stand there and be hungry. Come on in and get fed up.”

6. On a sign outside a cemetery (Birmingham, England):

“Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but
their own grave.”

Error Analysis
1. This sign has two possible meanings:
a) Parking for people who wish to observe the birds.
b) Parking for creatures with wings and feathers (birds).
Another alternative and more explicit sign could be:
“Parking for bird-watchers only.”

2. The problem with this sign is that people could associate GLOSSARY
the phrase “ears pierced” with the “archery tournament”. a misleading phrase n antiques n
We recommend two separate signs to avoid any confusion: a confusing piece of text old objects that have a lot of value
archery n to cheat vb
Sign I: “Archery tournament” a sport in which you fire arrows (sticks with to trick someone in order to make money from
Sign II: “Ears pierced” sharp points at the end - like the ones Robin that person
Hood uses) to get fed up exp
ears pierced exp to become tired of a situation
if you have your “ears pierced”, they put holes to pick flowers exp
3. Of course we all know that sales is about buying low and in your ears so you can wear earrings to take a flower in your fingers and to take it
selling high, but this sign is perhaps a little too explicit. junk n out of the ground
old things that have no value a grave n
The sign should say: a hole in the ground for a dead body

“We buy and sell antiques.”