A memorial bench to celebrate the life of a woman who loved dogs has become a viral sensation on Twitter as people poke fun at the poorly phrased message.
The plaque placed by the Los Angeles Parks Foundation reads: ‘In loving memory of Nicole Campbell – Who never saw a dog and didn’t smile.’
One Twitter user posted the bench on Twitter saying they loved the poor phrasing, which can have two meanings depending on how someone reads it. Others then followed in suit joking about how Nicole could go so long without seeing a dog.
Wrong meaning? The memorial bench went viral after one person posted the ‘badly phrased’ message on Twitter. The bench was put in by the Los Angeles Parks Foundation
Viral tweet: The user shared with others the message on the bench saying they loved it
Helpful: One person joked they were trying to show Nicole dogs but she just wouldn’t look
Lesson learned: One user commended the person for the ‘remarkable achievement’ of going through life without seeing a dog
Sad: One person said they couldn’t believe no one would show the woman a dog
What the bench meant to express was how much Nicole loved dogs because they always made her smile. Instead, it conveyed she neither saw dogs nor smiled during her lifetime.
One Twitter user, Clynn Teastwood, joked, ‘I keep trying to show you dogs but you just won’t look.’
Another person wrote: ‘The lesson here: Going through life without ever seeing a dog can be a little depressing, although a remarkable achievement.’
Since the bench went viral, the foundation posted a statement on Twitter asking social media users to respect the privacy of the family.
The statement read: ‘Dear Twitter, The Los Angeles Parks Foundation values our donors, their chosen message and their privacy.
Chosen message: The LA Parks Foundation responded to the viral tweet informing everyone that the family was who picked the message
Can’t crack a grin: This person said they have never seen a pup, which explains why they have never smiled
Grammar lesson: Ginseng English, an online English school, joined in on the fun by explaining why the message can be confusing to people
‘Please be mindful of the donor and their family. Thank you!’
The foundation made it clear that the family chose the message they wanted to be displayed on the bench.
Ginseng English, an online English school, took part in the social media fun by explaining why the sentence can be read the wrong way.
The organization wrote that the current sentence structure connects two verbs with an ‘and’ phrase, which makes it sound like Nicole never saw dogs or smiled.
Instead, the organization suggested making the phrase, ‘…Who never saw a dog without smiling.’
The suggestions keeps the plaque still short and sweet, but makes it more clear to a passerby what the message is trying to say.