Common wisdom holds that “it’s all in the timing.” Fine. But what time are we talking about? Here’s a sign I saw on the window of a bar:
So polite! And a semicolon, too.
The image is a little blurry, so I’ll repeat the message here: “Please respect our neighbors; try to avoid loud talking after a certain time. Merci. Amelie.” The courtesy is impressive, and the punctuation flawless. My only problem: When is “after a certain time”? Noon? Midnight? Now?
Here’s another, posted on the door of a construction shed:
Temporarily.
I think we can all agree that walking into “heavy demolition” is a bad idea. I’d have no problem with “Do not use this doorway until further notice” or simply “Go Away! Heavy Demolition!” What I don’t get is the concept of “temporarily.” Can you use this doorway permanently? If there’s heavy demolition going on, “permanently” for anyone who uses the doorway may be a very short period of time. Amelie, the bar owner, would probably say, “Do not use this doorway until a certain time.”
Speaking of time, it’s time for my vacation. Woods out — temporarily.
I have a little theory about that first sign. I note that Amelie has signed her name with an accent on the first e… which indicates that she is French. I think they have an expression, when talking about age, “a woman of a certain age.” (We sometimes say that in English, too – a euphemistic way of saying “older.”) You see where I’m going. Maybe the use of “certain” in that case also fits when they speak of time on the clock. No? 🙂
The second sign is just temporarily bizarre.