My 15 minutes of (Irish Times) Fame - Terrible Typo Vigilantism pays off at last

Today I was having a long leisurely lunch with some retired public health nursing friends (reminding me I'll be in that club in another decade!) when I got a call on my mobile from a guy from the Irish Times. He called to tell me I'd won a €50 book token prize for my typo submissions in a competition in the paper last Saturday week in the Weekend supplement related to a book review on some geeky guys in the States who've written a book on the topic - The Great Typo Hunt.

Those of you who've been following this blog for some time will know that I've got a fetish about typos, grammar glitches and gremlins, and greengrocer's apostrophes, to the extent that I've photographed some gems on my daily rounds. Little did I think they would bring me the celebrated 15 minutes of fame when they'll appear in tomorrow's paper!

I did ask the reporter to ensure I couldn't be sued by the offending parties who might now become the offended parties with this unwelcome notice of their grammatical illiteracy. Of course the winner was the night classes "Enrole Now" which was supremely ironic and a cause of much local mirth - by the time the Principal of the college discovered it and had it removed the damage had been done. I also entered the "Dog Fowling" one.

I've written a few blog posts on the topic of typos in the past and for all my newbie followers who might like to look back at them - here are the links to the posts with a Grammar label.

Read the article here and check out photos 5 and 11 - my entries - and go forth and spread the word - the typo vigilantes are still on the prowl!

PS - who can spot the "Greengrocer's Apostrophe" in the article? Wonder was it a plant?

Apostrophe Anarchy - Grammatical Gremlins or Glitches?

I found these crimes against punctuation in the local papers this week and couldn't resist adding them to my growing collection of assaults on the English language and grammar. I have already ranted on this theme in previous posts here , here and here- and it looks like there's fodder a-plenty to fill many more posts in the future!

As I drive around in my work I am always drawn to signs on the road - often temporary - which are hilariously erroneous and always try to have the camera at the ready, that's if it's safe to stop and snap. Sadly I missed one recently about agricultural "machine's" entering and leaving a field, but don't you just love these ones here?


The rain is lashing down this weekend, and I thought it's time for a rant; the weather has been so good this summer we can't moan about it as we have done for the past number of years, and we are rapidly running out of conversation topics. As a national past-time you can't beat talking about the weather - a topic guaranteed to bring about national unity in a way that the Government can only dream about.

It never ceases to amaze that these kind of gremlins get past the editing departments of the newpapers, local or national, and I am not out to "get" them, as they perform a great service to their community. However, some judicious editing and proof-reading wouldn't go astray, as I think it's a bit OTT that there are so many glaring errors in one week between two papers.

My worst nightmare in writing this kind of post? Getting it wrong and having a "Greengrocer's Apostrophe" (or even a "Greengrocers' Apostrophe" to pluralise it!) moment myself - would serve me so right for being so sanctimonious about the hapless copywriters (copywriter's?!?) who get it so spectacularly wrong. My son (who oft berates my Eats Shoots and Leaves grammar fascism) pointed out the sponsor's one to me before I'd spotted it, and that set me on the trail of headlines - and I was pretty surprised to turn up the rest in one week's issues!

After all, their Sponsor's mightn't Get's it or wonder what kind of fishing competition can a club with only one angler host? I'm sure Cappoquin has plenty, as I am sure that there's only one crafty Paul alluded to in the article below!

I am sparing their blushes by not identifying the offending media but I am sure you can find plenty in your own locality - just be a little vigilant and keep smiling - there's plenty out there to brighten up a dull summer's day!

The burning question is - are they Glitches or Gremlins? You decide!