HOW TO CORRECT THE SENTENCE?

[tien-sung]

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday

Could you tell me where the humor is in the above sentences?

from tony (Taipei)

 

[TheParser]

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday

Could you tell me where the humor is in the above sentences?

from tony (Taipei)

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Tony.

(1) Thanks for the great laugh.

(Of course, we really should not laugh at people who are doing their

best to write in another language.)

(2) Your sentence means that the ladies have taken off their

clothes (to cast off) and people can now see the ladies in the basement.

(3) Believe it or not, we can "fix" your sentence with just a little hyphen.

The ladies have cast-off clothing. That is, they have clothing that

people no longer want.

***** Thanks for the laugh *****

 

[billmcd]

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday

Could you tell me where the humor is in the above sentences?

from tony (Taipei)

The way in which it is stated and the use of "cast off" would suggest that the women "have taken off their clothing" and that the women can be seen in the church basement. Better to have stated "the ladies of the church have "used" or "preworn" clothing and "the clothing can be seen...."

 

[Barb_D]

Parser, don't worry about laughing at these. There is a list of bloopers in US church bulletins and newsletters that has been circulating as long as there has been an Internet. Some are funnier than others.

 

[billmcd]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Tony.

(1) Thanks for the great laugh.

(Of course, we really should not laugh at people who are doing their

best to write in another language.)

(2) Your sentence means that the ladies have taken off their

clothes (to cast off) and people can now see the ladies in the basement.

(3) Believe it or not, we can "fix" your sentence with just a little hyphen.

The ladies have cast-off clothing. That is, they have clothing that

people no longer want.

***** Thanks for the laugh *****

I agree that the hyphen is the best solution and would have avoided embarassment to the church bulletin's editor, but at the same time I don't think it would have resolved the original poster's problem.