shake well before using

Discussion in 'Linguistics' started by mathman, Dec 2, 2018.

  1. mathman Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,002
    The title appears on many orange juice containers. It is usually interpreted as "shake well.....before using". However an alternate reading could be "shake....well before using". Is there any punctuation which would distinguish?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. iceaura Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    30,994
    A comma after "shake" would narrow the interpretation to the second or alternate reading.

    There would still be a third reading: shake {yourself, not the container}, well before using, which is almost the same as shake {yourself} well, before using.
     
    exchemist likes this.
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    5,089
    No punctuation to eliminate a possible alternative meaning.
    However, the phrase "well before" is considerably less common than "shake well". If the instruction were to shake the container and then let it rest for some time, we would expect a more specific interval than "well", which might be anywhere from a minute to year. And, of course, users who can read are reasonably expected to understand the purpose of this shaking.
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. sculptor Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    8,466
    shake the well
    before using
    ok
    how
    I just wanted a drink of water
     
  8. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    mathman: you would enjoy most of Douglas Hofstadter's books, such as I am a Strange Loop and Metamagical Themas. He writes a lot about of meaning of words and context, but in a whimsical philosophical way.
     
  9. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    5,089
    ...not to mention mind-convoluting...
     
    DaveC426913 likes this.
  10. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    I shake all of the containers in the store in case somebody forgets.
     
  11. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    5,089
    I bet that's less annoying than me pressing the button on all the talky-barky-waily toys in Walmart.
     
  12. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,077
    Cancelled
     
  13. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,864
    Shake Well World before using.
     
  14. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,353
    I think so:
    Shake (well before using)
    Shake well (before using)

    Alternatively a change or word order would suffice, although I appreciate that's not what you were asking for, and it just somehow doesn't sound as good.
    Before using, shake well
    Well before using, shake

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  15. gmilam Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,522
    How do you shake a well?
     
  16. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    5,089
    Permeation by the holy spirit, or rock'n'roll; either's good.
     
  17. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    37,882
    When I was a child, there was a television show called Zoom. When my daughter was born, it happened to be in production revival.

    The later series included the PB&J Game. It is as simple as it sounds.

    The game requires two people in a location suitable for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, such as a kitchen. We can presume the necessary supplies and equipment are available.

    One person will tell the other, step by step, act by act, how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The other person does what they are told, and only what they are told. If they cannot do what they are told, they are to do nothing.

    Technically, every instructor fails; it's human nature. More directly, it is nigh on impossible to give proper instructions the first time.

    For grown-ups, computer programmers probably recognize the problem.

    It's a fascinating game. Spouses beware: Doghouse not included, but you will build one, yourselves. (I know; and here you were just trying to make a damn sandwich.)

    Oh, also, there's this idea in discourse called the principle of charity, which is a philosopher's term and definition of how to not be absolutely counterproductive. That is, knowing what people mean, and not needing them to play the PB&J Game.

    It's why we didn't investigate Dan Quayle over father-son bondage. It's why of all the rough talk we might throw at Dubya, the line about working to hurt Americans would not be sufficient to warrant treason charges. And it's why most people can figure out to shake well before using.

    Can't do a damn thing about the instructions on a box of toothpicks, or the pictorial instructions in a box of condoms, though.

    To the other, what was that movie ... oh, right, Moving Violations ... with Willard and Sperber doing a double entendre bit where she thought she was talking to a doctor and the mechanic thought she was talking about a car, so she ended up trying to treat trouble in her "rear end" with a bottle of Wesson oil and long sprint alongside the freeway. That, at least, was comedy, and classic. In fact, that joke might be the only reason to see the film.
     
  18. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    "Shake well... before using" is about order of operations; it says nothing about length of time. Shake well, leave it in the fridge for two weeks, then use it.

    "Shake well immediately before using" might work.
     
  19. willyloveless Registered Member

    Messages:
    3

    bright idea! i will do that also. thank you so much.
     
  20. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    It would be easier to distinguish by altering the wording in this case. For example, "Before using, shake container well" or "Well before using, shake container".

    Of course, you've already given an example of punctuation that would distinguish, in your opening post.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  21. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,864
    I had a temp of 104.3 F once. I was shaking like a leaf and laughing at the "shake before using" instructions on my meds. The ambulance lads helped me with that in transit.
     
  22. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    Good point. They should be more specific about what you should shake.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  23. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,864
    I was shaking so bad my speech was garbled and I had trouble dialing 9-1-1. About thirty seconds into our "chat" the operator said she was dispatching a unit. The cop who lived across the street got to me first. He was helping me out of the house when the big red box with all the sparkly things arrived. They loaded me straight on without asking any questions. Full props to first-responders.
     
    sideshowbob likes this.

Share This Page