This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Thursday 16 March 2017

A lack of contrast: a rant

Dr Simon Harper, an expert in Human Computer Interaction at the University of Manchester talks about situational impairment. It sounds a gentle thing, but I have more robust words for yellow text on a white background, or pale pink on white, for that matter.

What's sparked this rant? The care instructions that have come with my new handbag. Small white print on a pale pink background.

The really frustrating thing is that there's no point in posting a picture of it because all you'd see is a pink rectangle.

Like this:


To be honest, we don't care much if your handbag falls to  pieces     through lack of care because then you'll just have to buy a new one. Still, never mind, dear! (But perhaps I'm too cynical, and the text is  really telling you to buff the silly thing - with  the  skin  of goblins 
for all I know - or mermaid scales or banana skins...Who can say?) 

What does it say?

I have absolutely not the foggiest idea.

Word To Use Today: contrast. This word comes from the Latin contra against, and stare, to stand.


No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.