silly adverts

[James Smith]

Silly because one wouldn't normally think that "used" was a condition that needed certifying, right?

James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.


--- On Mon, 10/27/08, Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET> wrote:

> From: Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject: Re: silly adverts
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Date: Monday, October 27, 2008, 9:16 AM
> Yes, "certified" means that the dealer has
> inspected the car and ensured
> that it meets a specific standard (which differ from brand
> to brand).
> Certified used cars usually come with some type of
> warranty, not as
> comprehensive as a new car, but better than nothing.
>
> Unlike "pre-owned," the word
> "certified" in this context denotes a feature
> of value and differentiation that a potential buyer can use
> in making a
> purchasing decision.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Laurence Horn
> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 7:43 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: silly adverts
>
> At 10:29 AM -0400 10/27/08, Alison Murie wrote:
> >When "pre-owned" caught my attention some
> years ago, I thought it
> >sounded pretty silly, & was just a sort of trial
> balloon,but ADS
> >people had known of it for quite a while then.  Now I
> see "Certified
> >Pre-owned" installed in pretty permanent-looking
> letters on a car
> >agency in our town.This strikes me as beyond silly.
> >AM
> >
> Yeah, "pre-owned" cars sell for a few thousand
> more than used cars,
> and of course draw a (financially and psychologically)
> different
> clientele.  BMW has been pushing "certified
> pre-owned" in their
> commercials for a while; I assume such a car is certified
> even though
> pre-owned/used, rather than that BMW is certifying it's
> not new...
>
> LH
>
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> http://www.americandialect.org
>
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