Is any word with “age” tacked on the end acceptable?
Oh, yes, it’s all the r-.
As for signage, I don’t see what the big deal is. It might be jargon, but you can’t deny that it has a specific meaning. You could also ask “How many watts do the appliances consume”, or you could say “What is the wattage of the appliances”.
It doesn’t mean that just because you have a different word that has a more specific meaning, that you shouldn’t use it simply because you could re-phrase it in a “clearer” manner (it isn’t any clearer if you knew the meaning of wattage anyway. In fact, it is less clear, because you don’t know if you’re taking into account appliances which are not on at the moment, or whatever).
Ah, but should we even limit ourselves to what’s in a dictionary in every case?
Let’s take my favorite example of a “non-word”, h-o-a-x.
It’s only official appearance has been in journals about linguistics. It’s not in any Webster’s dictionary, or Random House, not even any unabridged dictionary. It’s also not in any online dictionary. It simply isn’t a true English word, nor is it a foreign word.
My friends are always amazed when I challenge them to find it in any dictionary. There isn’t even a uniformity of spelling. This is a fact that people are stunned by.
Surprisingly, if you pay close enough attention, you may encounter it spelled h-o-x-e! Yes, that’s not really a spelling error. There is no real word to misspell. In fact, one occasionally will hear, especially in the American Southwest, a different pronunciation: “hocks.”
This would not be the case for a real word, since all spellings are defined. Pronunciations are also standardized, without exception.
True Blue Jack
Act Your Age
Snowboarder Bo takes umbrage at “signage”
a presage of outrage at language in which
usage is hostage to yardage and tonnage
a wastage of verbiage that we should ditch.
Twain’s admonition to “eschew all surplusage”
–vintage old adage by personage grand–
is offered by Bo as a message for shrinkage
to assuage the carnage that’s ravaged the land.
But Snowboarder, hear me, for though in my dotage
connection to others just isn’t for me
a property lineage marked by tall postages
fencing in steerages? That cannot be.
The bandage won’t play for Othello the Moorage
and babies in cribbages just wail and cry
If you’re in a hurry then don’t hail a cabbage
even one blockage is too far to try.
We do not shoe footage nor do we wear garbage
even - especially if sewage not sewn
Little Jack Horner did not find a plumage
and there is no damage that can floods postpone.
Only in Salem did stocks go with bondage
the cot’s in the cottage but not the same thing
not all men can manage, your peers ain’t the peerage
as you’ll find out quick if you 'phone up the king.
So knowledge can salvage some age-words from storage
and courage pay homage for images’ sake
Do not play so roughage - just spillage some rummage
or maybe some portage, a pillage to take.
There is much truthiness to be found here 
Yes, but the original sentence was perfectly clear if you know what the word “signage” means. I’ll get right on board with the sentiment that it’s annoying when people try to ensmarten themselves by embiggening the words they useinate, but I’m not a fan of dumbing down the language just because someone might not understand what a word means, either.
I use ‘signage’ all the time at work. We do display fixtures and such, and we use ‘signage’ to indicate a job’s worth of signs. Sometimes that’s a lot of signs, and it’s just silly to say ‘2 sets of 5 patio signs plus 4 sets of 3 grill signs plus 8 individual signs,’ when you can say ‘patio and grill signage.’ Saying ‘patio and grill signs’ doesn’t mean the entire group of signs.
But it’s already been pointed out that it’s not a bullshit word. I don’t use it when I’m not at work, 'cause it kind of bugs me, but it has a very precise meaning at work.
Are you fucking stupid?
I just looked in dictionary.com, Webster’s, Oxford English Dictionary. Amerrican Heritage and Encarta.
It’s in all of them.
Hoxe is not in any of them.
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!
I considered that. He used the word “hoax” after all.
But come on, that post was incredibly fucking dumb.
Ah, maybe it’s just my warped sense of humor, but I thought it was funny.
You mean, WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHAGEACITYNESS!!!
–FCOD
p.s. Justin_Bailey the hoxe is on you!
Justin_Bailey, obviously you just don’t get it. sigh :rolleyes:
See, now that’s funny!
Funny nothin’, that was hilarious!
While we are at it we can End Women’s Suffrage.
Dude I think you are the victim of the best/funniest whooshing I have ever seen.
King of Soup:
That was absolutely inspired. Very, very nicely done.