James Commentary April 21, 2014

Fun With English

I saw this container and sign in the MCC East Thrift Store:

When I saw this I found myself wondering where in the store I would find the container of Umbrellas Not For Sale and why, in a Thrift Store, you would have Umbrellas that weren’t for sale?

Because, if the only container with umbrellas was the one with the umbrellas for sale, why would you feel the need to label the umbrellas as for sale?

Wouldn’t the presumption be that any umbrellas in a Thrift Store were for sale?

Why would you have umbrellas on the floor in a Thrift Store if they weren’t: For Sale?

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