Friday, August 31, 2007

Is that really what you mean?


I was recently looking for the services of a tree surgeon when I saw this advert on a forum at work for recommended services:

"Call Brian for all your tree felling and cutting needs! My prices are very fair and my service is hassle free. I am also a registered waist handler so no worries with the new legislation. Fully qualified and insured."

This made me laugh. In fact I was having a drink at the time and I nearly sprayed a large area of my desk. Personally I didn't know this type of service existed let alone that you could get a qualification in it! I wonder what the training involves? I am deeply reassured that he has insurance. If he tries handling my waist he might need it!

Don't you just love the English language? So many words with more than one meaning, or that when spoken sound the same but mean something completely different. As in this case. LOL! I was wondering if there were similar examples in other languages?

22 comments:

Queen of Light and Joy said...

I also did not know that a person needs insurance. You learn something new everyday. Michele send me to tell you that. :)

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Handling waists? Sounds very weird.

Michele sent me here.

craziequeen said...

Let's hope he disposes of waists sensibly and without impacting on the environment :-)

He can have mine - if he can find it! I haven't seen it myself for years......

Went to work today, got sent home at lunch time......

cq

-E said...

I need someone to haul off some of my waist.

Thanks for the kind words on my post about my mom, I really appreciate it.

Linda said...

If this gentleman is worth his salt, he's going to be making many of us women VERY happy as carts off our waists....LOL!

It never ceases to amaze me how people do NOT proofread. I find, on a typical day, at least 30 or more errors in our local paper. These errors are most often simple spelling; sometimes the homonyms get them, too!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

You know I got an email from someone a few weeks ago that had LOTS of these words that sound alike but mean totally different things, and for the life of me, I cannot think of ONE! LOL!
This is funny, I must say....!

If you get a chance come see the BEAUTIFUL Flower on my blog...!

BreadBox said...

Well, I didn't skip you at Michele's but I will visit you anyway!

I always liked the joke about the two irishmen who saw a sign which said
"Tree Fellers Wanted" and one said to the other "What a pity there's just the two of us...."


Michele didn't send me this time: I came in response to a desperate plea for help:-)

N.

Michael K. Althouse said...

I don't that I want my waist handled, but it's good to know if I ever change my mind!

Michele sent me,

Mike

Niall young said...

Your Waist..isn't that found on your Trunk?

I like the one about the Christian , Jew and Muslim who go into a bar...the barman says.." Hey...is this some kind of joke?"

Tiffany said...

I didnt know they needed a qualification either. Waist handeler...hmmm Michele sent me

kenju said...

Hmmmm.....methinks he needs a class in English spelling and grammar!

craziequeen said...

Spending many years holidaying in an Arab country, it was painful watching them try to make sense of the English language - words spelt the same sound different (cough, bough) and those spelt differently sound the same (waste, waist).
But then they spoke better English than I spoke Arabic!

Kudos to all those who learn English properly (like our darling Mar) and do it proud.

Here via Michele, to tell you I blogged Hairspray.

cq

Pat said...

That would be useful. I seem to have mis-placed mine. (Waist)
I believe the girl who asked to be knocked up at 7 am when she was staying in the USA caused a bit of a sensation.
Here from Michele's. Hope you have more sun that we have today.

rashbre said...

I wonder if he uses those special elastic tape measures when handling waists?

Anonymous said...

What a waist! That was one good laugh.

Michele sent me here to get cheered up!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Michele sent me back....and I still don't know any words...LOL!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

wait and weight! Hooray....

BreadBox said...

I know that there are words that sound similar in other languages but have vastly different meanings:
a colleague of mine went on a tour of China, and after a banquet one day tried to say "thank you, but no, I am full" in response to an offer of still more food. Unfortunately, what he said was actually, "thank you, but no, I am a newspaper".

N.

BreadBox said...

Oh, and of course, Michele sent me.
N.

Anonymous said...

MIchele sent me back to laugh at this again early in the morning.

Melody said...

*snort*

That made me laugh too!!

Star said...

It is amusing.But also irritating. This is printed in a circulated publication. I realize we all butcher the English language from time to time. In print and in speech. Presumably though there was some kind of editing for this ad. Either it went totally over the head of everyone in the pre-print process, or he really is in "waist" management.