No Smoking Signs and Grammar
No smoking signs are everywhere in the UK now -
Do I object ?
Do they annoy me ?
Yes - but no because of libertarian issues …
I throw this open to you all out there
Right or Wrong ?
It is against the law to smoke in these premises
It drives me up the wall - it just doesn’t sound right, I feel it needs to be on these premises.
Whether grammatically correct or not some things just sound right - or is it just me ?
I think I may well be on the look out for dubious or humorous signs from now on.
I often think about sending a picture of our garbage disposal van to Jonathan Ross, it says on the front
“Danger Men Working in the Rear”
Best
Rod
Later edit After writing this I was ranting about it and it was pointed out to me that the reason it says in is because you can smoke outside the shop or whatever.
Clearly a wiser head than mine - that said it still looks annoying and wrong to me and that’s all that matters 
Jordan said,
September 5, 2007 @ 8:59 am
RC
I think the sign is correct.
If you were to smoke ‘in’ the premises that would be inside the building.
You believe that it should be ‘on’. I think that that sounds more like you should be clinging to the building blowing the smoke up the walls.
Hate to say this
but this time Mr Collins you are wrong. 
)
Jordan
Rod said,
September 5, 2007 @ 10:02 am
Jordan,
thinking about it I still prefer on
Were I constructing a sentence referring to my whereabouts I would be on the premises, in the shop or whatever yes - but on the premises.
Interestingly a Google search for the phrases in speech marks seems to agree with me as well - looking at the results.
Cheers
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
September 5, 2007 @ 11:10 am
Jordan,
I enjoyed the thought of you getting the last laugh over RC briefly … just goes to show we must, grammatically speaking, watch him like a hawk!
Rod,
Perhaps the sign should have included ‘within’ or ‘inside’ rather than just ‘in’. It was presumably too expensive to include the phrase ‘fire escapes and smelly refuse collection areas are freely available to those who insist that smoking is one of the few pleasures left in life’
On closer inspection the word ‘premises’ plural noun a house or other building with its grounds and outbuildings, indicates the whole curtilage, therefore perhaps ‘outside the gate, down the road, behind yon tree’ would be helpful for those who require clear instruction?
WoE
Rod said,
September 5, 2007 @ 11:29 am
WoE
I agree, far better wording could have been found.
Looking at it again it still looks wrong.
Just done a few more searches and in does not appear in well constructed sentences, it is always on
So, I’m sticking to my guns - language is a visual thing as well as being spoken and demanding, at least some, grammatical correctness - henceforth known as: being GC
I find these signs aesthetically distressing
Best
Redaneleye
Jordan said,
September 5, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
WoE.
Hello, its been a while. Have you been away on a Broomstick, Cauldron and Potions course? Ready to mix up some brews to try and slip in RC’s lunch?
Jordan
Witches of Eastwick said,
September 5, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Jordan,
We have travelled the oceans to be here … isn’t that a famous one liner from the Dracula movie?
Glad you are still on board, as it were. Can’t have RC getting too much of his own way … he was definitely drifting towards the boring at one point, so this is a metaphorical Mae West! Still we mustn’t be too harsh on the poor buoy, after all he does have tough competition from LB’s delicious new blog
WoE
p.s. Note to RC: there are a number of nautical references in the above that you must count, it’s part of our new anti spam initiative
Craig said,
September 5, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
I would guess that both are correct, either in or on, depending upon the nature of the premises. If a pub was to post a sign saying it was illegal ON the premises, then you couldn’t smoke outside in the carpark?
Some signs for you should you need them.
http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/files/p044dh_communal_210×148.pdf
http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/files/no_smoking_sign_bus_shelter_210×148-dl.pdf
http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/files/no_smoking_sign_doorway_210×148-dl.pdf
Rod said,
September 6, 2007 @ 8:55 am
Craig
thanks for that, I should get some signs and stick them up in my living room I think !
Best
Rod
Little Witchlet said,
September 9, 2007 @ 1:01 am
Have been on the wine so this is false courage!
Why do people smoke anyway - couldn’t everyone just stop - or maybe not start? Seems so obvious to me who proudly has never tried any form of smoking - here we go, Saint Mary! - really don’t understand, what is the appeal?
Rod said,
September 9, 2007 @ 8:51 am
LW
I smoke because I genuinely enjoy it, I never smoke because I feel I need a smoke.
couldn’t everyone just stop
Absolutely !
Smoking is a voluntary act and it’s only a lack of gumption that stops any smoker who wishes to give it up doing so !
I get tired of hearing smoker whine on about how they try and stop, wished they’d never started etc - just stop then !
Best
RC
Witches of Eastwick said,
September 9, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Rod,
Wasn’t Gumption a form of cleaning product? I stockpiled mine after the war but I’ll find out if they still sell it, then people will be able to get as much gumption as they need…
WoE
Rod said,
September 9, 2007 @ 11:24 am
WoE
if you do find your stockpile ration it out slowly for maximum profit.
Such is the need for gumption in this country you’ll make a fortune !
RC
Little Witchlet said,
September 9, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Ah, tis a serious topic - gumption tells me probably best not pursued here…
However ……. a cigarette packet was discarded near my drive today - the words “smoking kills” emblazoned across the bottom - nope, still don’t understand.
Lv Little Witchlet x