Vid-i-o.
While working in the corporate sector, my immediate supervisor’s immediate supervisor (let’s call him “Bossfred”) called a co-worker of mine (“Mike”) into his office to complain about a mass-mailing going out to some of the company’s contractors.
Bossfred: “Just fix up the misspelled words, and you can send it out.”
The co-worker took the sheet of paper. Everything looked correct, but Bossfred had circled each instance of the word “video.”
Mike: “That’s how it’s spelled. V-i-d-e-o.”
Bossfred: “No, it’s v-i-d-i-o.”
Mike eventually brought in a dictionary and pointed to the entry.
Bossfred: “Then the dictionary’s wrong.”
There were two copies of the mass-mailing created that day: one that went to the vendors, and one very special copy for Bossfred (Eventually someone pointed out that Bossfred had previously dealt with a company called something like “VidI/O,” and this is probably where his problem started, combined with his obstinate stupidity, of course). I left this particular company years ago, but I still find myself enunciating what would be the incorrect spelling any time the word “video” comes up. It also has a nice hillbilly ring to it:
“Hey, did you take that vid-i-o tape back to the rental place?”
Tags: work