Thursday, September 25, 2008

Advertisments mangle language

I think that the worst offenders of language mangling are on the radio.  I've wondered if the advertisers that do radio are cheaper than companies that do television, or if I just notice the radio problems because there are no pictures to distract my thoughts. I have occasionally thought that I would like to write to someone to complain, but who?

Yesterday I heard an ad for something (I forget) that would help people "experience a little bit more out of their life."  I recorded it on my cell phone so I wouldn't forget--does it make sense to you?  Are they trying to sound...educated?  And since I don't remember what the ad was for, I am obviously going to be missing out on something.

If you want to buy a certain kind of spa you can "save thousands of dollars off."  Really?  Just what does that mean?  Someone shoved two separate sentences into one incoherent one.

AndofcourseIlovethedisclaimersafteraparticularofferhasbeenmadeIknowtheyhavetosaycertainthingsfortheunscrupulousandtheirlawyersbutdoesanyonereallybelievethatspielhaslegalstandingwhenitisalmostimpossibletoabsorbeandunderstandwhattheyareactuallysaying?

(Wow, that was hard to type.)

7 comments:

NanNan said...

It must be the teacher in us! I've noticed how supposedly educated people think it's correct to say "Name and I" ALL THE TIME! ZI think we tried too hard to instill that lesson ---we didn't spend enough time explaining when it is proper to use ME !! That's my rant for today---- ;)

Mare said...

Aside from the obvious grammar mistakes, commercials annoy me for a couple of reasons. First of all, every one of the erectile dysfunction ads...why are they allowed to be advertised when kids can see it?
The Cave Man ones? I am so sick of them.
The Minivan wife who pulls into the driveway and 4 sullen people get in and suddenly are laughing, smiling, and playing cards?
Wilfred Brimley, "If you have dia*beet*us...
Aren't you glad that you brought it up? I feel better.

Sheila Keller-Powell said...

Yikes!! Mouse print has invaded your blog!!!!!!!

dellgirl said...

Oh yes to what everyone else said. And, what what about, have a cold...take this pill to get rid of it. Side effects range from muscle spasms, chest pains, intestinal fungus, and hair loss to diminished pulse rate and heart attacks in some cases?

Wha-tha-???!!!

Great Grandma Lin said...

yep we are loosing our ability to communicate...face to face...

wispy willow said...

I agree with Mare. I'm up to the eyeballs with erectile dysfunction adds. It's treated like it's the number one, most important physical problem that the nation's faced with.

And dellgirl makes another excellent point. All the disclaimers on the medications are hilarious.

I'm not a teacher, or an english major...so I make TONS of gramatical errors, and spelling errors, and I misuse quotation marks, and over use "..."'s, so I have a tendency to be rather forgiving of other's mistakes along any of those lines.

I am entertained by some of the loosey goosey language used from time to time, though. And Wayne and I are always shaking our heads at how ridiculous, dull, and dumb beyond all measure, television adds have become.

Rambling Woods said...

Drives me crazy too..I wince...
I started a blog for blogger friends to get to know me better...or maybe it's not a good idea..but here it is..View From The Deck