This entry will describe one of the earliest whoopsies I know about (even earlier than the (in)famous Wicked Bible of 1631, which instructed readers that “Thou shalt commit adultery” in Exodus - a classic printer's error one assumes. (You can read about a lot more bible misprints too.)

Robert Cawdrey wrote one of the earliest English dictionaries, published in 1604. In his Table Alphabeticall of Hard Unusual English Words, he gives us:

anchoue, [a kind of] of fruite

- so, next time you order a pizza with anchovy, take heed!

You can read the entire text of this fascinating book online.

... and I am not talking turkey here.

"The tide is turning as leaders across Weymouth and Portland work closer to bring community stakeholders together through proactive consultation and clear constructive goals.

Our economy is reliant on our community and their confidence to use our services and purchase the products available, however how do we determine the level of customer service?" - Wessex Voice of Business magazine, May/June 2007

This - believe it or not - is the opening text of an article that (as far as I can tell) is promoting the importance of communication. Ironically, after reading this and the ensuing garbage several times, I am still unsure of what they are really trying to get across.

It's studded like a plum pudding with juicy buzzwords and PC sentiments, but sadly lacking in clarity. I hope they didn't pay a copywriter for it.

More buzzphrases from the same article in case you want to knit your own drivel:

reviewing service provision, inspiring for the future by recognising and celebrating today, steering committee, specific focus, initiatives and resources, cluster working, learning providers, establishing a framework, innovative solutions, blah blah blah ...

Time to knock off for the weekend, I think! Have a good one.

"... As far as banks are concerned, the Fraud Act 2006 must now be read with the bank antimony laundering obligations and banks will focus primarily on the source of the customers' deposits" - Mike Rainford writing in the FSB's Business Network magazine, Apr/May 07

This gem is taken from a generally incoherent and rambling article. Antimony (element 51 in the Periodic Table) is not, to my knowledge, that often washed, despite what the author says. Yet another example of when reliance on a spellchecker is no substitute for proofing and/or common sense. He might get away with it - as long as anyone doesn't bother to read too carefully. But they will, since you have to pore over the sentence and its companions before you conclude that the author probably doesn't know what he's on about either!

Obviously a surprisingly common mistake, although Google suspects it might not be what was intended.

Here's another paddle through the backwaters of reason from the same piece:

"With the rapid development of information technology and the prevalence of the personal computer has impacted on fraud, hence the new offence." Er, yes - what?

'In the last two years the sale of fruit and vegetable plants has trebled," says Tim (Godwin). "Food is the real in-thing ... and we are selling out-of-seed potatoes before it is even the right time to plant them.' - Caroline McGhie, writing in the Telegraph Property section last weekend

Well, I suppose it's too much to expect a property journalist to spot the rather odd hyphenation error in her copy - as even the horticulturalists get it wrong, as I report elsewhere!

I've heard of 'gone to seed', but never 'out of seed'. What the speaker meant, of course, was [selling out] of [seed potatoes].

Just a quick proofing would have revealed that the sentence as it stands is rubbish. But why bother with such lowly tasks when you have a spellchecker?

Related link: Telegraph online article