Misleading Phrases

[PeterT]

Over the years I've seen / heard numerous phrases which when one thinks about them make no sense.

For instance

Near Miss
Surely a near miss is actually a collision?

This plane is taking off momentarily
Does this mean it's landing straight away?

Authorized Parking Only
Normally the sign never indicates WHO has to supply authorization, so as long as my passenger says I can park there it's ok.

CAUTION Wet Floor
I'd rather NOT wet the floor here but thanks for the invitation to do so.

Door Alarmed at Night
Maybe it needs a night light so it's not scared

Any other ones people care to share?

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[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Door Alarmed at Night
Maybe it needs a night light so it's not scared.

[arjaybe]

I'll think of some momentarily, but for now I have to take issue with momentarily and near miss. Momentarily has two meanings: briefly and soon. And near miss can actually work grammatically. In the sense of a miss that was near (close) as opposed to far (distant.) That one was popular in both air traffic control and vessel traffic. I chuckled along with the rest of them, but it nagged me and I finally figured out why.

[PeterT]

I believe that momentarilty meaning SOON is an American usage, while BRIEFLY is more of the British usage.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I believe that momentarilty meaning SOON is an American usage, while BRIEFLY is more of the British usage.

Agreed. That's the way I learned it. No, wait. I think I learned it the other way after all. (edit)

Which brings to mind table. As in tabling a motion. Presenting for discussion or putting off for now?

[Karellen]

What a coincidence. I was reading about something similar two nights ago.

Occasionally while reading I come across sentences that I think are poorly worded and initially don't make sense, but after re-reading two or three times, it becomes clear what the intention is.

Found a couple of articles on Wikipedia describing it, if anybody is interested...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden-path_sentence
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchysis

and Synchysis seems to be the phenomenon PeterT is referring to.

[Calenorn]

I’ve seen highway signs that say “Speed limit enforced by aircraft.”

Sounds rather drastic. What are they going to do, strafe the car?

[BetterRed]

From today's UK Daily Telegraph:

"But trying to shoehorn 21st-century concepts of the “queer” into the lives and works of three vicars' daughters [Bronte sisters] from the mid-19th century, isn’t just deranged but faintly insulting."

Surely that should be "…a vicar's three daughters…". Else they'd be three half-sisters whose mother slept with three vicars.

I sent a correction.

[cromag]

"Parking by permit only"


I searched all over that darn lot and couldn't find the permit anywhere.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

Which brings to mind table. As in tabling a motion. Presenting for discussion or putting off for now?

And homely. Good in UK, bad in US.