Question

[Shakey1500]

Good Evening

I saw a poster last week on the window of a hairdressers. It listed the price for each treatment. Cut and Blow dry £35 etc. At the bottom, next to "Hair Extensions" was the phrase "Price upon quotation". Am I correct in saying that's an oxymoron? As in, a quotation is the giving of a price?

[DadDadDad]

I agree with you. I think "Prices for other cuts on request" or "Quotations provided for other cuts" would be more accurate (if a bit of a mouthful!).

But being good at hairdressing doesn't require you to be good at writing English, so it's not that big a deal.

[JeanSeberg]

Maybe the hairdresser's first language isn't English and they confused quotation with request?

[pigsDOfly]

I suppose if you look at it another way, the hairdresser is saying that when the quotation is given, the customer will learn the price.

However, it does sound a strange way of putting it.

[WMittens]

It's not an oxymoron as that would require a contradiction. Using the two terms is an unnecessary redundancy, but not contradictory.

A more common phrasing would be "price on application" or "price on request" (alternatively "quotation on application" or "quotation on request").

[Shakey1500]

Thanks for everyone's input

Yes, I see now that it's not an oxymoron, thanks WMittens. No idea what the owner's first language is Jean. I pass the building whilst on the bus and it always niggles me.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

they mean consultation surely?

Price/Quote upon Consultation