Shoppp* (for Shop, Shopper*, Shopping, etc.)

While most of us probably wouldn't care to shop till we drop, or even to be dropping everything just to go shopping, a few overly enthusiastic typos have dropped into the OhioLINK database, OCLC, and probably your own OPAC as well. Stores are great places to look for typos, but don't expect to get your item for free after pointing out a mistake. Many managers seem unmoved by the problem, but I'll bet the one who ordered this sign made had a red (cerise?) face when finally faced with the error. Like a lot of shoppers, today's entry just doesn't know when to quit. However, triple-letter typos are actually quite common: we've written here about Accc*, Agreee, Alll*, Appp*, and Arrr* already, and that's just the A's! You can experiment with other examples on your own; shop around and see what turns up. In the meantime, we found four cases of Shoppp* in OhioLINK—one of which occurs in a record for the 1977 production Lily Tomlin on Stage, "conceived and produced by Jane Waner" (a typo, of course, for Wagner): "Mr. Theatre Goer and Shoppping Bag Lady"—and, oddly enough, only four in WorldCat too.

(Another in the P. I. King photo series. Click image for larger context.)

Carol Reid