I really like wordplay but you are ignoring the dollars: $6 is read in
English as six dollars--not dollars six. This reads as
if it were written by a non-native speaker of English. We used to speak
"franglais" in college, using the French for very bad
puns in English; however, none violated English syntax.
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
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Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 12:00 AM
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Subject: ATEG Digest - 27 Jul 2011 to 30 Jul 2011 (#2011-138)
There are 2 messages totalling 314 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Worst advertisement (2)
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Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2011 11:27:58 -0400
From: Scott Catledge <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Worst advertisement
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I keep seeing a billboard that says the following:
$6avory sandwiches ('sandwiches' is a substitute for the real word to avoid
lawsuits).
$6 would be pronounced /siks dollahrz/ but its placement in an adjectival
position (nouns can be used as adjectives but not normally as adverbs
modifying a word in the adjectival position before a noun) Indicates that
/siks dollahr/ would be the expected pronunciation. [a six-dollar
hamburger-not a six-dollars hamburger] The ad writer apparently wanted the
final consonant of the word before avory to carry over; unfortunately, /siks
dollah ravory/ makes no sense and /siks dollah zavory/ is equally asinine.
It seems as of the person trying to be cute and eye-catching succeeded in
catching attention-but a WTH reaction does not inspire me to eat there.
The only comments that I have heard on the billboard are along the line of
"Is that stupid or what?" None of the commenter were grammarians or
linguists but they felt intuitively that the sign made no sense. They all
seemed dismissive or irritated at the sign-none seemed amused.
Would anyone like to comment or add another nomination for worse ad of the
year?
Scott
Norman Scott Catledge, PhD/STD
Professor Emeritus
history & languages
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<html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" =
xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" =
xmlns:m=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" =
xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta =
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue =
vlink=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal>I keep =
seeing a billboard that says the following:<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><sup><span =
style=3D'font-size:18.0pt'>$</span></sup><span =
style=3D'font-size:18.0pt'>6avory sandwiches</span> =
(‘sandwiches’ is a substitute for the real word to avoid =
lawsuits).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><sup><span =
style=3D'font-size:18.0pt'>$</span></sup><span =
style=3D'font-size:18.0pt'>6 </span>would be pronounced /siks dollahrz/ =
but its placement in an adjectival position (nouns can be used as =
adjectives but not normally as adverbs modifying a word in the =
adjectival position before a noun) Indicates that /siks dollahr/ would =
be the expected pronunciation. [a six-dollar hamburger—not a =
six-dollars hamburger] The ad writer apparently wanted the =
final consonant of the word before avory to carry over; unfortunately, =
/siks dollah ravory/ makes no sense and /siks dollah zavory/ is equally =
asinine. It seems as of the person trying to be cute and =
eye-catching succeeded in catching attention—but a WTH reaction =
does not inspire me to eat there.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>The =
only comments that I have heard on the billboard are along the line of =
“Is that stupid or what?” None of the commenter were =
grammarians or linguists but they felt intuitively that the sign made no =
sense. They all seemed dismissive or irritated at the =
sign—none seemed amused.<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Would anyone =
like to comment or add another nomination for worse ad of the =
year?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal>Scott<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Norman Scott =
Catledge, PhD/STD<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>Professor =
Emeritus<o:p></o:p></p><p class=3DMsoNormal>history & =
languages<o:p></o:p></p><p =
class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>
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<p>
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Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2011 11:52:03 -0400
From: Dick Veit <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Worst advertisement
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Scott,
I don't think I'd call it stupid or asinine. It may not be brilliantly
clever, but it does make sense and contains wordplay, of at least the
typographical variety, with the "6" functioning as both the number and the
letter "S." It's a blend/portmanteau like "spork" and "brunch": "$6
Savory..." becomes "$6avory...." From the commercial point of view, it
clearly got your attention, and that was undoubtedly the merchant's
intention. I'd give it a B or B- rather than an F.
Dick
On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 11:27 AM, Scott Catledge <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I keep seeing a billboard that says the following:****
>
> ** **
>
> $6avory sandwiches (=91sandwiches=92 is a substitute for the real word t=
o
> avoid lawsuits).****
>
> ** **
>
> $6 would be pronounced /siks dollahrz/ but its placement in an adjectival
> position (nouns can be used as adjectives but not normally as adverbs
> modifying a word in the adjectival position before a noun) Indicates tha=
t
> /siks dollahr/ would be the expected pronunciation. [a six-dollar
> hamburger=97not a six-dollars hamburger] The ad writer apparently wante=
d the
> final consonant of the word before avory to carry over; unfortunately, /s=
iks
> dollah ravory/ makes no sense and /siks dollah zavory/ is equally asinine=
.
> It seems as of the person trying to be cute and eye-catching succeeded i=
n
> catching attention=97but a WTH reaction does not inspire me to eat there.=
***
> *
>
> The only comments that I have heard on the billboard are along the line o=
f
> =93Is that stupid or what?=94 None of the commenter were grammarians or
> linguists but they felt intuitively that the sign made no sense. They al=
l
> seemed dismissive or irritated at the sign=97none seemed amused.****
>
> ** **
>
> Would anyone like to comment or add another nomination for worse ad of th=
e
> year?****
>
> ** **
>
> Scott****
>
> ** **
>
> Norman Scott Catledge, PhD/STD****
>
> Professor Emeritus****
>
> history & languages****
>
> ** **
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interfac=
e
> at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or
> leave the list"
>
> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
>
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--20cf30025aa21f385604a94b61e3
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Scott,<br><br>I don't think I'd call it stupid or asinine. It may n=
ot be brilliantly clever, but it does make sense and contains wordplay, of =
at least the typographical variety, with the "6" functioning as b=
oth the number and the letter "S." It's a blend/portmanteau l=
ike "spork" and "brunch": "$6 Savory..." beco=
mes "$6avory...."=A0 From the commercial point of view, it clearl=
y got your attention, and that was undoubtedly the merchant's intention=
. I'd give it a B or B- rather than an F.<br>
<br>Dick<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 11:27 AM=
, Scott Catledge <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">s=
[log in to unmask]</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" s=
tyle=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div link=3D"blue" vlink=3D"purple" lang=3D"EN-US"><div><p class=3D"MsoNorm=
al">I keep seeing a billboard that says the following:<u></u><u></u></p><p =
class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><sup><span =
style=3D"font-size:18.0pt">$</span></sup><span style=3D"font-size:18.0pt">6=
avory sandwiches</span>=A0 (=91sandwiches=92 is a substitute for the real w=
ord to avoid lawsuits).<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><sup><sp=
an style=3D"font-size:18.0pt">$</span></sup><span style=3D"font-size:18.0pt=
">6 </span>would be pronounced /siks dollahrz/ but its placement in an adje=
ctival position (nouns can be used as adjectives but not normally as adverb=
s =A0modifying a word in the adjectival position before a noun) Indicates t=
hat /siks dollahr/ would be the expected pronunciation.=A0 [a six-dollar ha=
mburger=97not a six-dollars hamburger] =A0=A0The ad writer apparently wante=
d the final consonant of the word before avory to carry over; unfortunately=
, /siks dollah ravory/ makes no sense and /siks dollah zavory/ is equally a=
sinine.=A0 =A0It seems as of the person trying to be cute and eye-catching =
succeeded in catching attention=97but a WTH reaction does not inspire me to=
eat there.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal">The only comments that I have heard on the billboard=
are along the line of =93Is that stupid or what?=94=A0 None of the comment=
er were grammarians or linguists but they felt intuitively that the sign ma=
de no sense.=A0 They all seemed dismissive or irritated at the sign=97none =
seemed amused.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Would an=
yone like to comment or add another nomination for worse ad of the year?<u>=
</u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoN=
ormal">Scott<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Norman S=
cott Catledge, PhD/STD<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Professor Em=
eritus<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">history & languages<u></=
u><u></u></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=A0<u></u></p></div></div>
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<p>
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>http://ateg.org/</a></p></blockquote></div><br>
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End of ATEG Digest - 27 Jul 2011 to 30 Jul 2011 (#2011-138)
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