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Phrases That Are Just Wrong

Posted on by lwidmer

Oh, you know you’ve come across some client gaffes and junk mail phrases that crack you up. Come on – share them here.

A few I’ve chuckled at:

“Highly seasoned professional” – Unless you’re the main course or you’re currently covered in marjoram, please. Don’t. (Client’s resume line)

“We’re better then the rest!” – Then the rest what? Oh, you mean THAN the rest. Learn simple English. Please. (Client brochure copy)

“We search pubic records…” – Oh. My. Word. Are you an executive search firm or a pornography site? It’s one of the reasons I hate Spell Check. Times ten. (Found in a brochure for a search firm)

“An end-to-end, fully scalable, robust cross-platform user-friendly solution.” – It may well be. But we stopped reading somewhere around the second buzz word. (Emails like this are frequent in my In Box)

“You’re child’s success is in the hands of our tutors!” – And with punctuation like that, I fear for my child. Big time. (Mailer that came to my child-free home)

“Special Offer: Get One American Airwline ticket free!” – It’s American Airlines. Plural. And without a “W.” Try proofreading that headline once in a while. (This one came in the mail to my husband yesterday)

“Beyond Incomparable.” – That’s just impossible. Can one be more incomparable than incomparable already is? (In a magazine ad)

What have you seen?

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7 thoughts on “Phrases That Are Just Wrong”

  1. devonellington says:
    at

    I don’t answer ads that poorly structured. It’s a clear indication that the client will be more trouble than the payment’s worth.

    Reply
  2. Kimberly says:
    at

    Devon,
    I think you’re right. Some of those errors made me cringe.

    Reply
  3. writtenexpressions says:
    at

    When I see ads for writers or editors that include typos and grammatical errors, I often wonder if that’s part of the interview, a way of weeding people out early.

    Pretty much all typos get to me, but there are some unwritten words and phrases that really set my teeth on edge when I hear them: “irregardless” (especially when uttered by people who earn 5 times what I do), “impact” used as a verb (it may be grammatically correct, but ew), and the phrase “more unique”.

    Reply
  4. Doug Kyle says:
    at

    I don’t have the quote, but the worst I’ve ever seen was by a co-worker who emailed a client about their “data suppository” rather than their “data repository”… it wasn’t her favorite client!

    Reply
  5. writtenexpressions says:
    at

    HA! I used to work with a woman who would regularly send out emails saying she was “defiantly” going to do something when she meant “definitely”. Another example of a reason not to trust spell check!

    Reply
  6. Schraepfer Harvey says:
    at

    Great Carlinisms. A tribute to George?
    What a laugh. Thanks.

    Reply
  7. it outsourcing services says:
    at

    This hierarchy tree can be as simple or complex as you need it to be, and you can build it up using Android's set of predefined widgets and layouts, or with custom Views that you create yourself.Growing use of mobile phones & custom mobile application by businesses is directly creating favorable situations for mobile apps development. Businesses use blackberrry apps development for advertising purpose in the modern business environment at global level. A mobile software platform and OS based on the Linux kernel, Android apps development allows developers to create code that software development company can control mobile devices via Google-enabled Java libraries. Our team of iPhone apps development has deep knowledge of build application with iPhone SDK with excellent understanding of iPhone OS inner architecture. Our software outsourcing company works on behalf of partner for their clients it outsourcing services

    Reply

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  1. devonellington Avatar
    devonellington

    I don’t answer ads that poorly structured. It’s a clear indication that the client will be more trouble than the payment’s worth.

    Reply
  2. Kimberly Avatar
    Kimberly

    Devon,
    I think you’re right. Some of those errors made me cringe.

    Reply
  3. writtenexpressions Avatar
    writtenexpressions

    When I see ads for writers or editors that include typos and grammatical errors, I often wonder if that’s part of the interview, a way of weeding people out early.

    Pretty much all typos get to me, but there are some unwritten words and phrases that really set my teeth on edge when I hear them: “irregardless” (especially when uttered by people who earn 5 times what I do), “impact” used as a verb (it may be grammatically correct, but ew), and the phrase “more unique”.

    Reply
  4. Doug Kyle Avatar
    Doug Kyle

    I don’t have the quote, but the worst I’ve ever seen was by a co-worker who emailed a client about their “data suppository” rather than their “data repository”… it wasn’t her favorite client!

    Reply
  5. writtenexpressions Avatar
    writtenexpressions

    HA! I used to work with a woman who would regularly send out emails saying she was “defiantly” going to do something when she meant “definitely”. Another example of a reason not to trust spell check!

    Reply
  6. Schraepfer Harvey Avatar
    Schraepfer Harvey

    Great Carlinisms. A tribute to George?
    What a laugh. Thanks.

    Reply
  7. it outsourcing services Avatar
    it outsourcing services

    This hierarchy tree can be as simple or complex as you need it to be, and you can build it up using Android's set of predefined widgets and layouts, or with custom Views that you create yourself.Growing use of mobile phones & custom mobile application by businesses is directly creating favorable situations for mobile apps development. Businesses use blackberrry apps development for advertising purpose in the modern business environment at global level. A mobile software platform and OS based on the Linux kernel, Android apps development allows developers to create code that software development company can control mobile devices via Google-enabled Java libraries. Our team of iPhone apps development has deep knowledge of build application with iPhone SDK with excellent understanding of iPhone OS inner architecture. Our software outsourcing company works on behalf of partner for their clients it outsourcing services

    Reply
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