Monday, February 16, 2009

50 cent words

In general, I am in favor of using appropriate words and not dumbing things down to a 4th grade reading level. Treat people like humans, not like idiots. I'm not sure I would use bus stop signs in this way though. I saw this metrobus stop by the Discovery Channel building in Silver Spring, MD. I have to admit, I wasn't 100% sure if alighting meant getting on or getting off, and that is a critical distinction in this case. I'm sure I would have figured it out the first time a bus passed me by.

The larger question is what would be a better word or phrase? It has to be short, unambiguous, accurate, and (at least mostly) correct english. "Getting off only" would be humourous, "This stop is for people to get off the bus and not for picking up people" is a bit long. Maybe "Dropoff only" or "No pickups"?

[where: Silver Spring, MD]

2 comments:

  1. No Boarding Bus/
    Exit Only.

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  2. although I ONCE had a VERY HIGH I.Q., a brain injury took away my membership in Mensa. I have a son who loves to TRY, still to see if he is smarter than I am by learning as many new 50 cent words as he can and tossing them at me. Problem is, he can't pronounce them. We were talking about an award given to someone after their death and he told me it was given to them "post-humerously."

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