Q. I’m wondering your take on my company’s bigwigs’ insistence on using a dollar sign in the following sentences:
(1) “How about 25 little cigars for less than $35 little dollars?”
(2) “We’re sending summer out with a bang . . . for less than $35 bucks!”
I’ve made my case against it and basically have been told that I’m being a nitpicker.
A. You’re not nitpicking—the use of $ with dollars or bucks signals ignorance or incompetence to many readers. But your bigwigs would surely count the Chicago Manual of Style as a meganitpicker, so our advice isn’t likely to help. Some day you’ll have the power! Till then, feel good that you did your job.