Dear Editor,
US$4 million was spent on the spanking new Massy supermarket at Providence and your front page picture of March 18, of suited dignitaries walking through the well-stocked aisles also showcased Guyana’s pervasive illiteracy. The signs right above their heads stated that there were “Can Meat & Seafood” and “Can Vegetables” in stock.
“Can” is either a noun or a verb and is incorrect when used as an adjectival description. However, this grammatical error has slipped into common usage as in: pluck chicken, fry rice, bottle water.
A correct sign would have read: “Canned Vegetables”. The adjective is derived from the past participle of the verb “to can” as used in the sentence: The vegetables have been canned. Hence, also: plucked chicken; fried rice; bottled water.
The same grammatical principle is almost always used correctly in other instances such as: “imported goods” and “trained professionals”.
However, the use of incorrect grammar has become so commonplace that it goes unnoticed – until our children fail their English Language exams and then we wonder why.
Our inability to use our official language well to articulate our issues, hopes and desires plays a large part in our continued underdevelopment. To reason, analyse, decide then state an intention or plan depends on a good command of language. We are a language-challenged nation.
Massy is not the only offender by far but the front page photograph was too prominent to go without comment. Perhaps, a tiny bit of the US$4 million investment can be used to make grammatically correct signs.
May I also suggest the plural form of “meat” and “seafood” for the corrected signs: “Canned Meats & Seafoods”?
I wish to congratulate Massy on the opening of their first supermarket in Guyana and on what looks, from the published photographs, to be a wonderful shopping experience.
Yours faithfully,
Ryhaan Shah
