May 03, 2004
Punctuate Me

Everybody I know is talking about Eats, Shoots & Leaves, a book that apparently encourages people to mark up signs that misuse punctuation. This is the sort of thing that would keep people in my neighborhood busy for a long time. (I still haven't forgotten the mattress shop on Irving Park that vacated its premises and left behind a sign: "Move to West Diversey." Load up the truck, we're all going along!)

Even the NYT is in on the fun:
But thanks to Lynne Truss's best seller, "Eats, Shoots & Leaves," which implores readers to "be a nuisance . . . and if possible use a bright red pen" whenever they spot errant apostrophes, if this hard-working immigrant makes a sign for "carrot's," some fussbudget will now be emboldened to correct his punctuation, even though the sign's meaning is perfectly obvious.


Posted at May 03, 2004 08:44 PM