Bizarre use of inverted commas ...

[Tigerschick]

Driving into town this morning I saw two examples of this ...

First, on the back of a company van:
"Ask us for a"
Free Brochure

Then, on a sign in a timber yard:
Forklift Drivers
'Take Care'
Drive Slowly

I just don't understand the thinking behind either of them!

This drives me mad. I think they're being used as emphasis but the first one makes no sense at all!

Maybe the forklift drivers have all been on a training course with the theme of "take care" and this is to remind them. I'm being unduly forgiving here.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

I tried to think of excuses for them ... but gave it up as a bad job!

As always, the thing that really gets me about these is that they are not quickly scrawled notes on a piece of cardboard; they are professionally produced signs that must have been seen by at least 4 people before they were displayed!

Dior

is the first one because asking involves speech, hence speech marks??

also in uncharacteristically forgiving mood

the first one they were trying for

"Ask us for a
free brochure"

and at some point someone decided that symmetry was more important that grammar

the second one they are doing it for emphasis because they don't understand what inverted commas are for.

Mrs B - you are much more forgiving than I will ever be