Orthographically chanllenged

Our friends at Capcom have done it again.

Who?

They're the ones who released the Revelations game complete with typo.

And they've done it again. Same company. Different game. Similar problem.

I wonder if they sacked their Proofreader after the previous gaffe.

And, though he failed miserably first time around, perhaps that's him savouring the new blunder.

Well, F--- Me...

...if it isn't that van again.

Discovered outside a shop in North Leeds.

Is this someone's idea of clever, tongue-in-cheek marketing? (After all, here I am posting about it.)

Simple naivety?

Or is it just me and my puerile sense of humour?

Grammer allergey

Maybe this is why your feeling under the whether today.

Thanks to etta for showing me this one.

Blue Valentine

Joe thought he'd earn loads of Brownie points when he ordered a set of flowers for his fiancée to be delivered by Teleflora on Valentine's Day.

When she received them, she let him know there was a spelling mistake in his message.

He was wondering what it could be when she sent him this photo.

Than or then?

A comparison? Or a time?

Another Facebook gem from Greg L.

I had no idea that this was such a big issue but, according to the web site thannotthen.net (yes, there's a web site dedicated to the subject) a significant percentage of people aren't aware that the two words have different meanings.

But, as T says above, the difference is very important.

It changes Jenny's preference to a request.

And, if it's fulfilled, she no doubt becomes simultaneously pissed on and pissed off.

US at Geography

The ever-vigilant Jon C pointed out these classics.

It is claimed that very few Americans ever leave their country. But surely the US news media employ someone with a smattering of geographical awareness.

CNN has decided that London should be moved to Norfolk. And it thinks that Cornwall is not only a city in the south west of England but that it is far more important than Scotland or Wales.

Tripoli is now in Lebanon and not Libya. No wonder Gadhafi's whereabouts are unknown.

Cannes has been moved from the French Riviera to the north west coast of Spain. Remember to turn your deckchair through 180 degrees the next time you're there.

Finally, even entire continents aren't safe in the hands of Chicago's WGN.

Controversy? You bet.

They're parking their car over there

Easy, right?

So come on, Sussex Police. You can do better than this.

Stop relying on spellcheck to check your output. Get a person to do it.

Thanks to Jon C for spotting it in a Daily Mail article.

I assume that they're using the default US version of spellcheck too.

How so?

Traveling. No. Not in the UK, thank you.

Oh wait. They're not using spellcheck at all.

Otherwise, how did Febuary get through?

Tut-tut.

No compliments for Vita's proofreaders

A typo on the packaging for a pain-relief product sold as a house brand in many Canadian supermarkets could pose a serious risk to children according to Health Canada.

It warns that the Compliments brand Muscle and Back Pain Relief Regular Strength packs of 18 carry 'a significant labelling error' in the French instructions.

Vita Health Products is recalling all of the packages in five different lots.

The directions for use on the French labelling refer to 'adults and children 2 years and older'. The correct instructions should read 'adults and children 12 years and older'.

Health Canada warns that children under 12 should never be given the pain reliever.

Apparently, the English labelling is correct.

Hmm. Anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

Well, any reference to an evil plan to remove the offspring of certain sections of the Quebec community would be inappropriate to make here so it's probably best not to mention anything.

Oops.

Merde.

Cross incontinence

I thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of the gaffes that companies have made when introducing their brands and slogans to other countries.

For example, the Turn It Loose slogan used by Coors translated into Spanish as Suffer From Diarrhoea.

And Clairol introduced its Mist Stick curling iron into the German market only to find that mist is slang for manure. Not too many people wanted to use a sh-t stick to style their hair.

When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as they had in the US featuring a picture of a baby on the label. In Africa, however, because many people can't read, companies routinely print a picture of the product on the label. Oops.

Meanwhile, Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the same name as a notorious porn mag.

And an American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of I Saw The Pope (el papa), the shirts read I Saw The Potato (la papa).

Also, when Parker marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read It Won't Leak In Your Pocket And Embarrass You. The company thought that the word embarazar (to impregnate) meant to embarrass. The ad actually read It Won't Leak In Your Pocket And Make You Pregnant.

Finally, for the time being, Frank Perdue's chicken slogan It Takes A Strong Man To Make A Tender Chicken translated into Spanish as It Takes An Aroused Man To Make A Chicken Affectionate.

Do you know of any others you'd like to share?

Paper Rickroll

Thanks to Scarlett F for bringing this one to my attention.

Congratulations are due to Emanuel Josef V Saringan, a student at The Ateneo de Manila University.

He presented to his Professor this report of a field trip to Malacañang Palace.

Apologies for the quality of the image but I've made it more legible than the original. Just.

And, when you start singing it again later today (because you did just then, didn't you), feel free to blame me.

Or him.

Watseful Scots on the BBC

Well done, Jon C.

Screen shot captured just before 8pm on Saturday.

That is, just before the BBC could remove yet another error.

Surprising revelations

They keep cropping up, don't they?

This is the case for the new Resident Evil: Revelations game to be released next week.

I understand that the error will not appear on the cases made available to the public.

Unfortunately, though, this is the one in which the advance copies were distributed to the media.

Must be that resident evil typo gremlin up to his old tricks.

Sneak pique

For a couple of months now, @StealthMountain has been responding to tweets that include the incorrectly spelt phrase 'sneak peak' by sending the culprits a message pointing out their error.

I don't suppose an actual person is sending out these tweets. 23,000 in two months would be heavy going for even the most finger-happy teenager. It seems much more likely a spambot of SM's making is left to do the dirty work.

Actually, it's done in quite a pleasant, inoffensive way. All the message says is: I think you mean "sneak peek". Not like some grammar nazis I could mention who burn you with fire at the slightest mistake.

And, to be fair, Stealth Mountain is reasonably self-deprecating, admitting in his or her profile that 'I live a sad life.'

What I find amusing though is Stealth Mountain's list of favourite responses to the message. They vary in their style and level of vitriol but all make entertaining reading.

From the simple 'WHATEVER' and 'Shut up' to the more intense 'I hate you please die' and 'why tf you correctin me idgaf if i spelled it wrong'. At worst it provides a useful resource when your insults and retorts pool is running low.

Anyway, here it is. The full list.

It proves that none of us likes a smart arse.

Especially when it's our mistake that's being highlighted.