Dear Mr. Action Line, can you investigate these aquatic orthographic oversights spotted nearby at Vallecito and Totten reservoirs? Sign me, Aqua-nonymous
Following Action Line’s blockbuster exposé of the “libary” sign at the former library building, it’s not surprising to see increasing scrutiny of other public placards hither and yon.
Which brings up an interesting question: Is Vallecito more hither or is it more yon?
Regardless, there’s much ado about “do to invasive mussels” at Vallecito.
Action Line had to do some due diligence about the “do” dalliance.
Someone might get in deep doo-doo.
The launch restrictions are “due” to the threat of zebra muscles, which necessitates the new way to “do” things at the ramp.
However, you do have to give the sign-makers their due. At least they got the “mussels” part right.
The sign could have easily read “do to invasive muscles,” which would prompt pumped-up grammarians to storm the place and flex theirs.
They’d demand the Bureau of Reclamation put the “clam” in reclamation.
Let’s hope the Vallecito sign is corrected. It will come in due time, of course.
And if the sign is replaced on a crisp morning, it would be in dew time.
Meanwhile, near the eastern city limits of Cortez, there’s a sign pointing to the way to Totten “Reservior.”
Reservoir (correctly, with “o” before “i”) derives from an Old French word meaning “to reserve.” Thus, the modern-day meaning of a water storage facility.
So there’s not much French influence in the Four Corners – “sacrebleu!”
Most would say, “c’est la vie.” And why not? It’s a proud Four Corners tradition to butcher language.
Just look at how we ain’t talking good Spanish round these here parts.
You’ll frequently hear “MESS-a VURD” or “VAL-uh-SEE-duh,” referring to the national park near Cortez and the large body of water near Bayfield.
So botching “reservoir” seems quite natural for a man-made lake.
But what’s really sad about the “reservior” sign is not the spelling but the fact that it’s taken so long to notice.
Not even the eagle-eyed Mrs. Action Line, who has that certain savoir faire for details French or otherwise, saw the typo, despite dozens of trips along U.S. Highway 160 over the years.
That the sign was brown could only mean one thing. It’s most likely from the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Our good friend Nancy Shanks, CDOT’s spokeswoman, owned up to the transportational transposition.
“Oh, mon dieu!” Nancy lamented. “CDOT job applications do not require a second language! Je regrette our massive faux pas.”
But it’s easy to see how “reservoir” became “reservior.”
In English, we’re taught that “I” comes first, as in “I before E, except after C.”
Which works great until you enjoy some leisurely foreign caffeinated beverage with your weird neighbors and weigh in on how the “I-before-E” leitmotiff doesn’t reign.
“It’s a nonpareil error of heinous proportions,” the neighbors say, feigning their interest. “It’s a sleight of hand that should be thrown on its keister.”
Even Old McDonald didn’t follow the “I-before-E” rule. He also put “I” before “O.”
You remember Old McDonald. He had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
For now, it’s “Totten Reservior.” And when the marker gets replaced, no one will remember the dam sign.
Email questions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if yew stop may king sew man knee miss steaks.
