to have pointed out a spelling mistake in a menu?

[freckledleopard]

First off, I really don't think I was being unreasonable, but would like others' opinions please.

I went for drinks last night in a cafe I'd not been to before. The various food options were written on a blackboard above the tills. One of the options described sausages and "gravey". I didn't say anything initially - ordered my drink, thanked the server and went to my seat. Later in the evening, when ordering again, whilst waiting for my wine, I spoke to the same assistant and said, with a bit of a smile, "Sorry, I just wanted to point out that "gravy" is not spelled with an "e" in it". I smiled again to reiterate I was being friendly and added, "I just notice these things!" (which is true. I'm a lawyer and a pedant.)

The woman's demeanour immediately changed at this point. She said "well, I didn't write it, but I'll be sure to tell my dyslexic colleague that she spelled it wrong" (she really did emphasise the word dyslexic). Again, I smiled (awkwardly now) and repeated that I had a job that made me notice spelling errors. Again, she repeated that she would be sure to tell her "dyslexic colleague that she couldn't spell 'gravy'".

I paid for my drink and walked away blushing, feeling really pissed off. Frankly, if you're going to have a dyslexic colleague write the menus, surely it would be common sense to double check the spelling? Further, I always point out spelling and grammar mistakes on public signs and leaflets (and have been known to tweet companies whose packaging contains errors) so that the relevant people can correct them.

I'm still pissed off today (and yes, I appreciate it's a first world problem). But AIBU to think the assistant was rude, abrupt and should perhaps have graciously accepted what I said, maybe made a joke of it, rather than having a go at me?

A new cafe has opened down the road from us. There's a lavish painted sign outside which includes "Afternoon Tea's" on the menu. I'd love to go in to point out their mistake but after reading this thread I probably wouldn't!
Also saw a sign which said "Seasonal Vacancy's" outside a shop - that did make me wince as well.

No one likes a smartarse.
Did you tell her about your important job?

No usual. If you'd bothered to read the thread you'd see I didn't mention my job.

I think I am going to join Team FeckledLeopard. I think her replies are clever, funny and as far as I can see totally devoid of ANY grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. I am impressed.

On any other day her comments could have been well received.

So, I am jumping ship and going to give the OP a big shiney YANBU

ps, I did that on purpose

Were you with anyone OP when this happened? Did they agree with your approach? If my mate did that, I'd roar with laughter and tell them to take the stick out of their arse and drink the fucking wine.

What is lacking so badly in people's lives that they feel the need to mention things so unimportant and pernickety as a simple spelling error.

I need a now

hairyGrotter hear hear hear!!! So would I

freckled have to say totally disagree with you but to be fair your posts have a humour that belies your actions.

Think you are a deep one.

I am a linguist. It is my job to write impeccable English for my clients, my livelihood depends on me being able to do do.

However I would never be so tediously pedantic as to point out a basic and unimportant spelling mistake on a restaurant blackboard. As far as I'm concerned, a restaurant can be safely judged on the standard of its food not the literacy skills of its staff. If I had a chef come to tea, I'd hope they'd also refrain from pointing out any shortcomings in the food I served. It's only polite.

I'm rather surprised OP that somebody with such an important and prestigious job is patronising a cafe selling sausages and gravy.
Oh, and you were being an arse. No need whatsoever to point out the spelling mistake. You were trying to make yourself feel vairimportant and thought a humble waitress should be grateful to you for pointing out the error!

It's about context.and it wasn't appropriate to correct misspelling
In work, yes. Cafe,no
It's quite boorish of you

Wouldn't a linguist whose job is to write impeccable English say 'my livelihood depends on my being able to do so' rather than 'me ?

Probably not, if she's not a pedant, don't you think?

After all, you yourself gave up on appropriate punctuation, no doubt for similar reasons.

Luckily my livelihood will not be affected by my missing out a quotation mark.

At least you noticed now!

But she did distinguish clearly between her job and what she'd do on her own time, and I think that's the point.

I did indeed notice, LRD, and had I been writing for public consumption, would have been very grateful to anyone pointing out an embarrassing error.

Can you pay a visit to my local high school? "Slush Puppie's" signs all over the canteen. What hope do the children have? :(

I expect she's not embarrassed, though.

As a rule, people who're fairly confident of their ability to get it right when it matters don't get embarrassed by mistakes. People who feel insecure or anxious do. That's why it's so unpleasant to correct people unnecessarily, IMO.

It is, of course, "take on board feedback" rather than "take on-board feedback" unless you are on an aeroplane I assume... I have yet to see a menu which doesn't have an error (including Michelin star ones which I read for fun) but would never point it out as nobody seems to care. I didn't even point it out when my DD got a good "behavour" award at school. I think you just have to let it go OP or rant on Pedants' Corner...!

Any chance we can move on now? How was the wine in the cafe, OP? Was it prosecco? Were there any cakes??

my hairdressers used to have a sign saying "encase of fire, please assemble in the rear car park" above all the mirrors. I pointed out that it should be "in case", that it was 2 words. They said oh yeah.......next time I went it said "en case of fire..." I gave up. the sign is still there 4 years later. So either no one else notices, bothers to point it out, or they just don't get that it is still incorrect!

if I was a known regular in an eatery, I might point out in a friendly manner "do you realise this is spelt wrong" but TBH I am more interested in what the food tastes like than how it is spelt. Similarly I do not bother to point out to the chap that runs the local farm shop that he has rogue apostrophes all over the shop. his produce is great, his customer service is great and his mental addition is second to none.

when visiting secondary schools with DD1 we saw one where the canteen had signs up saying "hot dog's" and on the board advertising jacket potatoes "additional filling's 50p"

she couldn't believe her eyes!

In OP's shoes, I'd be more inclined to speak up if I were talking to the owner, as he / she might be more receptive to the observation and more likely to correct the error. The waitress is unlikely to thank you for it, so why point it out?

YABU for emphasising the point for a second time. I think that was rude.

The person who wrote the menu wasn't dyslexic the waitress was telling you to pack your bags! " you're going on a guilt trip!'
I can't believe this event has upset you.

Come off it LRD, anyone in a professional job who, for example, put up some sort of notice which contained a careless mistake would be annoyed and embarrassed at the thought of lots of others reading it, regardless of their level of confidence.

I wouldn't.

I teach at university.

I guess I'm not professional.

Why would you be embarrassed?

Surely, if you are already a lawyer or whatever, you feel fairly secure in your sense of your own education, right?