My friend Ian sent me this picture of his friend:
He got it at the Gap.
Ian’s friend thought that the grammar on this shirt was correct; he vehemently disagreed.
Well, I think you know what I think, and I think I know what you think. And I definitely know you know what I think you know.
But do you think that this shirt is an example of tongue-in-cheek humor? I’m not so sure…
Thanks, Ian. Check out his blog.
![~encounter~[phase~one~]](http://static.flickr.com/8404/8752005462_3d1d0da72f_t.jpg "~encounter~[phase~one~]")
I think that only a few people (like us) believe that the end of society would be presaged by bad grammar. Therefore, I don’t think this is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately.
I’m not so sure I agree with ccr. One definition of society – “an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another ” – could be used to support the notion that grammar’s destruction could spell the end of society, at least in part.
One of the “organized patterns” of our society could be grammar as we know it. If it breaks down, you have at least a partial breakdown of society, contributing to the end of that society.
But this is not completely appropriate to the statement that this society’s “days is numbered,” since the breakdown of one pattern does not necessitate the breakdown of any other patterns.
So, in the end, I am in the middle. It is partially correct to say that grammar’s degradation is connected to (and, most likely, causing) society’s degradation, but we cannot speculate as to society’s complete destruction without more information.
I think that the loss of proper grammar and language usage contributes to the degradation of society. When people communicate poorly, it seems that they have other areas in their lives that they have also let slip, and when we’re not careful with all of our actions, one thing leads to another and voila, nobody cares anymore. I’m not sure that made sense, but all I can say is that I appreciate language that is used correctly and becomes a beautiful thing, and in the current state of affairs, an art form.
This are good use of language.
Is you crazy?
HA! I agree with ccr in MA.
Um, or perhaps is it I can has cheeezburger speak? I find that seeping into my daily speech sometimes. Scary.
Oh, there are definitely times for cheezburgers.
Definitely not intentional. But oh so ironic.
I would say the best way to communicate the end is to do so in a way that makes proper sense, and doesn’t obfuscate (supposed) facts with improper grammar or punctuation. If it is intended to be tongue-in-cheek, I would have to say that they failed. You don’t make a joke that no one gets – then there is no point.