Month: May 2009

Names mean things: Pastor Preasha Hilliard

General

I noticed this a week ago.

I was stepping through television channels, looking for something good to watch, when I saw what clearly was a religious TV program.

A woman was speaking directly into the camera, and “Pastor Preasha Hilliard” appeared as part of the banner at the bottom of the TV screen.

I do not know whether Pastor Hilliard was given that name as a child or she chose that name later in life.

But you have to admit that Preasha sounds a lot like “preacher”.

I do not believe that it is a coincidence that Preasha is involved with preaching.

Names mean things.

“quaint essential picnic”

Mispronunciations

My wife saw this a week ago in an email message.

Problem:
The modifier of “picnic” is incorrect.

Explanation:
My wife got what appeared to be an often-forwarded email message about being safe with mayonnaise, which has a reputation for spoiling quickly when not refrigerated.

The message referred to the popularity of mayonnaise in meal items that are commonly found on picnics.

The message included the phrase “quaint essential picnic”.

A spelling checker would not have caught the problem in this phrase.

Except perhaps to suggest a comma between the word “quaint” and the word “essential”, a grammar checker would not have caught the real problem, either.

The solution comes from saying “quaint essential” to oneself quickly and appreciating that the email message writer probably was attempting to convert an unrecognized word into two words that he or she already knew.

Solution:
“quintessential picnic”

“Mobile Mikes Tile Service”

Apostrophes, Common English Blunders, Possessives

I saw this last Sunday on a sign.

Problem:
A possessive apostrophe is missing.

Explanation:
I saw a magnetic sign attached to a pickup truck last Sunday.

The sign’s title was “Mobile Mikes Tile Service”, with no apostrophe anywhere, and there was contact and other information beneath the title.

Nothing on the sign implied that there was more than one person named Mike, so I assume that there is just one “Mike” who runs the business.

Oddly, although many sign makers make the mistake of inserting an apostrophe where it does not belong, this sign’s maker omitted an apostrophe where it did belong.

Solution:
“Mobile Mike’s Tile Service”