Authentic Italiano?

WHILE PASSING A CITY CENTRE ITALIAN RESTAURANT, I WAS SURPRISED TO NOTICE INCORRECT ITALIAN ON A PROMINENT SIGN.

The hand-written blackboard sign states: “BON GIORNO” — How odd! This is not Italian!

The Italian for “Good Morning” is “BUONGIORNO” as anyone with an internet connection can quickly check (please double click on image to enlarge):

One would imagine that any business would (or should) proof-read public signs and notices, but when your business is trying to make out that it is “authentic” or genuinely Italian, getting right the only thing written in Italian would be even more important. Sempre più catastrofici!

Speacil Baby

I WAS AMAZED TO SEE A CAKE PROUDLY DISPLAYED IN THE SHOP WINDOW OF A NEWLANDS BAKERY.

Being positioned so prominently, it is clear that the baker is proud of the skill and craftsmanship that went into the making of this celebratory cake — and perhaps with it, the hopes of attracting future commissions.

What is this cake? Well, a cursory inspection revealed a pinkness to the icing — suggesting the cake was for a girl or about a girly event.  There is a miniature baby in a nappy decorating the top of the cake, and the ABC nursery blocks shown on the side.

It is just possible that the cake is to celebrate the birth of a baby girl. I have personally never heard of this sort of thing, but — it is a definite possibility.  I suppose if it were a first birthday, it would say so.

Maybe it is for a special day — perhaps the day a baby is brought home from the maternity hospital or something.  Being pink it is certainly not for a circumcision!

If it is for an unspecified  “special day”, then the baker should be shot for being unable to spell the principal word — or is it a case of “well, that is exactly what the client wrote on the note”?

Either way, things are getting worse.

Howie Hawaii

ONCE AGAIN I AM AMAZED BY PEOPLE NOT BOTHERING TO SPELL CHECK BEFORE TAKING THE TROUBLE TO GET A BIG PUBLIC SIGN MADE.

Click on the image for a larger version.

Yes, it states, “Hawaiin” when it meant to state “Hawaiian”.

One more thing, why is it that whenever pineapple is added to any dish, it instantly becomes Hawaiian?  Do Hawaiians eat THAT much pineapple?  Pineapple with everything?

Proffessional!

I TOOK THIS PICTURE WITH MY CAMERA-PHONE FROM THE UPSTAIRS OF MY BUS THIS MORNING, AND HAD TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL.

As you can see (please click on the image to enlarge), there are several windows completely covered with posters.  On one of them is the word “Profession”, but it is misspelled, “Proffesion“.

Other words appear in the series, on other windows, for example, “Legal” and “Council” as shown here in this snapshot.

Things are getting worse when people can put a lot of thought, time and effort into creating a message that is so prominently visible to thousands of bus passengers every day, yet which (instead of getting their point across effectively), manages to annoy and confuse!

Yet Another Awful Handwritten Sign

SPECIAL OFFER SIGNS ARE SUPPOSED TO ATTRACT ATTENTION IN SUPERMARKETS, BUT THIS ONE ATTRACTED ATTENTION FOR THE WRONG REASONS.

It is handwritten, but nonetheless unchecked. Click on the image to enlarge.

If you cannot make it out for some reason, it states:

“SELECTED SAVOURIE
PICK AND MIX
ANY 6 FOR
£1.50
IDAL FOR
LUNCHES – PICNICS”

One is forced to wonder if the sign was done in a careless manner — in which case, what will the products be like?  Are they done just as carelessly?  What if the sign was checked, the mistakes noticed, but they couldn’t be bother doing it all over again?  Maybe that captures the work ethic at this store?

If so, then standards are certainly getting worse.

Recdurrant

I AM UNSURE IF THIS IS A NEWLY DISCOVERED PLANT OR IF IT IS A “TYPO”.

I was visiting a garden centre when I noticed the sign, so I just had to take a snapshot with  my mobile phone camera [as usual, just double click on the image to enlarge it].

It seems so authoritative, RECDURRANT — but maybe it is actually meant to read “REDCURRANT” as my spell-checker keeps trying to tell me. If so, things are getting worse when something like this can go unnoticed and uncorrected for so long.

Constructive Criticism

I WAS AMAZED TO SEE A SPELLING MISTAKE ON A VAN LIVERY.

I just had to snap a picture with my camera-phone for your delectation.

[Please click on the image to enlarge, as always]

An hand-written sign containing a spelling error is bad enough, and something printed with an error is unforgivable (especially when it is an advert), but the worst possible instance has to be to have a mistake on your van.

A van is a mobile advert — that is the whole point of livery — and because it is a mobile advert, it has to be minimal and accurate.

All the information on this van is of crucial importance to getting business.  One cannot afford to get the web site URL wrong, have an error in the e-mail address, or put on the wrong telephone or fax numbers.

In this example, instead of “construction”, they have “constructuion”, so on the one hand, it may be argued that the reader (and prospective customer) would know what was meant — but it could equally well be argued that things are getting worse and that this company are simply careless – they actually do construction, “construction” forms part of the company name — the one they registered at Companies House, and “construction” is spelled correctly elsewhere on the van!

Deary me! Can’t we do better than that?

Purse List

GETTING A BIG GLOSSY POSTER FOR YOUR SHOP WINDOW IS A BIT OF A SHOW-OFF.

It doesn’t just tell prospective customers exactly what you can offer, and the costs –  but it also communicates a lot about a business,: the business image, attention to detail and so forth.

I was thus puzzled to spot this glossy poster recently in the window of a big beauty store slap bang in the busy and expensive city centre. “Top Nails in Hollywood“.

They seem to have managed to mis-spell PRICE LIST!  Click on the picture to enlarge; it reads PIRCE LIST.

But that is not all.  Look closer — the Kids’ section is interesting; it is entitled KIND’S NAIL. Things are indeed getting worse.

Under The Spell

IT HAS BEEN ANNOYING FOR YEARS, AND IT’S STILL THERE!

Despite a variety of alterations and modifications to the restaurant and shop over the years, Bella Napoli in Shawlands has never seen fit to fix the sign with the spelling mistake — even though it is the first thing you see when you walk in the door! (Click on the picture to enlarge).

This sign has been there from the very first day the place opened (which was when I first noticed that they couldn’t spell “sandwiches”). I would even forgive the weird extra apostrophe at the end of “Deli”, but not the extra “H”!