I haven't been following the full thread of this discussion,however, I'll
jump in.

It seems to me that a museum (or zoo or aquarium) might fruitfully use
different types of labels and signage within the same exhibit area.  Some
of these would be more "formal" and avoid the use of contractions, while
others of these might be more provisional or "informal" and include less
formal usage such as contractions.  The overall effect is not one of
unevenness or inconsistency, but of variety and multiple levels of
interactive possiblity.

The example I have in mind is signage at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
(which is one of my favorites whether museum or zoo). I have never noticed
if they use contractions or not in any of their signage, but I have
noticed that they have a very compelling layering or hierarchy of
signage. (I'll try a description below, but probably will get some details
wrong: forgive me I'm only an infrequent visitor there...)

There are the very formal signs: fairly large, made of permanent
materials like wood or metal, with many colors, pictures, and informative
text.  I would imagine these would use pretty formal grammar, spelling and
construction.

Then there are smaller interactive signs: for example, at the
javelina exhibit they have litttle wooden flip signs.  On the top there is
a basic question eg "How fast do javelinas run?" and you flip it open to
the answer (which I can't ever recall, so I always flip this one).
Somewhere on this there's a really nicely drawn cartoonish picture of a
javelina running at top speed... THese often seem to be directed towards a
younger audience, and I'd imagine that they might use slang, or
contractions, as a way of generating interest and interaction.

There's an intermediate kind of sign: like the one that has a javelina
skull in bronze with the lower jaw that can be articulated. Although I
recall this as a smallish one, this is a clearly more formal sign if only
because of the expense to make it, and we'd expect more formal language on
it I think.

Lastly, there are yellow tags.  (I absolutely love these.)  They are about
3"x 6" or so, paper with a plastic protective coating on them, and
attached with wire to things like plants or rocks.  These tend to answer
questions like "what is going on here?"  or "Is this plant dead?" or
"Where is the animal?"   The informality of this range of signage is
underscored by the more fragile and cheap materials used.

My sense is that these "tag" signs have a more personal address or tone to
them.  They assume that we have noticed a change from before, or they
attempt to capture a relatively evanscent moment (flowers after a rainfall
perhaps).  This level of signage could more easily use informal language,
and it would be a very appropriate way to engage the more intimate tone of
the signs.

Why do I love the yellow tags?  Because they almost always ask or answer a
question that I have.  Because they may change from visit to visit.
Because often they call attention to processes, either about the exhibit
and why it looks the way it does (giving a sort of "insider" view), or
about the "natural" event before us that belongs to that moment ("after
the storm," or "in the fall," or "when a coyote gets old").  They assume
that I/we care about changes of all kinds: that the museum is making, that
nature brings about, that visitors unintentionally cause.

Varying signage types, and language use on them, can lead to greater
interest by offering a landscape of information that is varied and
yet consistent, made legible and compelling through
differentiated layers.


Annette A. Wilson
_________________________                            _____________________
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        Environment and Behavior            :                 734/763-3589
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