Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Road signs for intellectuals

"Site access/egress". At first glance I thought it was Welsh. (Most of our signs are bi-lingual.) Then I thought, 'No, wait, egress is a bird.' But that doesn't make sense.

Much pondering - by which time the traffic lights had changed and I had driven past the sign in question - led me to the conclusion that it was neither Welsh nor a bird but a real English word meaning 'the way out' (thank you Mr Chambers). 

If it takes me, a reasonably articulate woman for whom the word egress does actually ring a bell, that long to decipher the sign may I suggest that it's perhaps not ideal?

On a similar note i.e. little used words, I recently spotted a van advertising 'fortnightly sales of furniture and chattels.' And I instantly had an overwhelming urge to attend a sale of chattels. 'May I interest you in this pre-loved chattel, madam?'

On a completely different note I caught a snatch of a news report yesterday about a woman who was persuaded to smuggle 20,000 euros in a condom inside her person. I cringed.

P.S. Husband pointed out that the sign should have read ingress/egress rather than access. It constantly amazes me the range of stuff Husband knows.

12 comments:

Mike Tea said...

That's what democratising education does for you.

Mike Tea said...

Come to think of it, isn't that how Barnum, of circus fame, got visitors to his show to leave? A sign saying, "This way to the egress?"

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I have never heard or seen the word before, why have they used it?

nick said...

I agree, I wouldn't have any idea what egress meant. Why use a word that's only understood by .005% of the population?

Forty rolled-up 500-euro banknotes inside a condom? I suppose it's possible. But it must have been very uncomfortable!

Liz Hinds said...

What was the name of the other circus owner beginning with B, Mike? I was trying to remember it yesterday. As you do.

I don't know, Anne.

That's what I thought, Nick. (Both comments.)

Mike Tea said...

Barnam and Bailey?

Liz Hinds said...

Billy Smart!

Ole Phat Stu said...

20,000 Euros? Each coin 2.2mm thick. Makes 44 meters. That's a hell of a dildo! ;-)

Mike Tea said...

Is he?

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Trubes said...

That looked like a good 'do' Liz...it is good to see family outside of funerals, everybody looked like they were having a fine time, including Ms Liz on a swing... why not... I think you two are as zany as each other...
I liked the look of the old rockers band...Friends of our did that and got an old 60's band together, they practised for weeks and it was absolutely dire, no wonder they kept up their day
jobs!
Di..xx
btw I do have another post up should you feel like dropping by Di..xx

Trubes said...

I don't know how my comment got in the wrong place... must be the resident ghost messing about ! lol di xx