Public Signs, Private Errors: Examining Grammar in Urban Communication

Grammatical errors on public signage are evident but are ignored and tolerated. It creates confusion for the readers, which causes misinterpretation, leading to a bad reputation for the establishments it represents. This study investigates the commonness and nature of grammatical errors in public signage across various urban establishments. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative approach, the research examined misspellings, syntactic issues, punctuation misuse, and ambiguous constructions in English-language signs commonly found in commercial and public areas. Data were collected over two days through purposive sampling, focusing on signs with visible linguistic inaccuracies. Analysis revealed frequent violations of grammatical conventions, including fragmented sentences, typographic neglect, and contextually unclear messages. Drawing from Peirce’s Semiotic Theory and Corporate Identity Theory, the study highlights how such errors affect both communication clarity and public perception of businesses or institutions. The findings emphasize the need for language accuracy in signage to ensure effective public communication, enhance brand credibility, and avoid misinterpretation, especially in multilingual contexts where English serves as a second language.