Image Transcript

A 3x3 grid of images of signs.

Row 1: “Bees” Active In This “Area”, Employee Must “Wash Hands”, Entrance “E.R.”

Row 2: “NEW” underwear 50p each, The “CLUNK” in the elevator… will not… …harm you!!!, Beware of “Dog”

Row 3: “LIVE” Lobsters, “Women”, “Restrooms” located on other side of building

v1als: unnecessary quotation mark appreciation board

prettypinkdork: There are few things as profoundly funny as unnecessary/ominous quotations.

  • @[email protected]
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    1129 days ago

    Pretty sure bottom right is just saying they don’t mind if you go piss in the alley around back

  • @[email protected]
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    328 days ago

    What if they had a goose naned “dog” and just wanted to remember you to be a were of “dog”

  • @[email protected]
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    628 days ago

    Honestly “Restroom” makes sense with quotation marks because it seems like a misleading polite euphemism to begin with. You aren’t going to the excretion room to rest.

  • Lucien [he/him]
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    2229 days ago

    Quote marks used to be used for “emphasis”, and some older people still use them that way. I had an aunt who would use quotes like this on signs at her fruit stand.

    • @[email protected]
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      928 days ago

      I’ve heard this before but I’m not entirely sure. Is it possible some old people just didn’t learn to write properly? Like when they used to write emails in all caps?

    • @[email protected]
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      1528 days ago

      Is that true? Or just “true”? I couldn’t find a credible source for that with a very short search.

      • Gabe Bell
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        228 days ago

        I know people who use “air quotes” to put “emphasis” on words if they are “trying” to make a “point”

        But I don’t know if that comes from people using quotes originally to do the same thing.

      • @[email protected]
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        128 days ago

        It’s true in a sense that you can find examples of big companies and chains using them in such a way, even in national advertising and on products.

        It was never part of any written standards to be used that way. But this situation counts more as communicating than language, and communication is whatever the people want it to be.

        I think it comes down to people in any of the situations to make these decisions were never academics.

  • Gabe Bell
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    2929 days ago

    I think it’s a toss up between “dog” and “new” as to which is the most disturbing.

    • @[email protected]
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      1729 days ago

      “Dog” = canine shaped kill bot; Beware of canine shaped kill bot

      “New” = Open pack worn once and never washed; Open pack worn once and never washed underwear 50p each

      “Live” = Undead (they are still moving, so that counts right); Undead lobsters

    • @[email protected]
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      428 days ago

      The city defines a dog as any living entity with four legs and a tail. So raccoons, bears, mountain lions, mice, these are all just different sizes of dog.

  • @[email protected]
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    29 days ago

    Everyone knows “bees” are just batteries for “birds”. And the “area” is a recharging station.

  • @[email protected]
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    528 days ago

    I want to know what these people think quotation marks mean. They don’t even make sense if misused for emphasis in most of these.

      • Enkrod
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        228 days ago

        That’s actually exactly how I write my “n”, so now I feel personally attacked.

        🫦

        Do it harder

      • Enkrod
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        328 days ago

        Haven’t yet decided if actual cop would be worse. Either way, Timmy better be fast.