The human brain is truly amazing… We aren’t able to do much when we’re born. But the next thing you know, a little person is saying their first words. Then using full sentences. And later, reading and writing. Think about reading for a minute. We’re basically decoding random markings into meaningful messages. And we get to a point where we can do this fast. And without thinking. Like you might have done just now.
But sometimes we come across something so confusing we need to stop. Go back. And read it again. Until it hopefully starts to make sense. Unfortunately, some things will never make sense. Like a few of the signs posted in the r/dontdeadopeninside online community. It’s a space dedicated to “signs/media that read as nonsense if read normally: from left to right”. It has over 714 thousand members sharing the funniest, most bizarre signs they’ve ever come across. Keep scrolling for a list of our best of all time signs posted by the community, and let us know which ones really left you confused.
#1 So I Fart Old Dust
Image credits: variousbirds
#2 I Hate To Do This To A Fellow Climate Activist But
Image credits: _temporarilystairs_
#3 We Buy Men Used 29 And Up
Image credits: nowakhm
There’s a whole science behind reading. And researchers from various fields continue to study it. Some want to understand how we make sense of words. Others are looking for new ways of teaching people to read. One of the things they’ve found is that the human brain is not prewired to learn to read naturally. It’s something we are taught or must learn. During reading, various parts of our brain work together to make words come to life – and make sense.
“The ability to read text, process it and understand its meaning,” is how Oxford Owl describes reading comprehension. The University Of Oxford’s homeschooling site breaks it down like this: “It relies on two, interconnected abilities: word reading (being able to decode the symbols on the page) and language comprehension (being able to understand the meaning of the words and sentences).”
#4 Push Animal For Heat Heat!
Image credits: MasterBallsCK
#5 Say To Sliders Drugs To No Yes
Image credits: night_chaser_
#6 Nothingnothing Right Inleft In My My Leftright Brainbrain
Image credits: jcthefluteman
The two need to work together like a well-oiled machine. Meaning, if you can decode words, but don’t understand their meaning, you won’t be able to comprehend a text. And if you can understand what the words mean, but you can’t decode them, you also won’t be able to comprehend text.
#7 We Stand With No Standing Ukraine
Image credits: jaber-allen
#8 Stand Hong With Kong
Image credits: pedrojalapa
#9 Dip Dip
Image credits: JimMorrisonsPetFrog
There are many factors that can impact our ability to understand text. Dyslexia is one of them. The Mayo Clinic defines it as “a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding).” Researchers have found it’s caused by disruptions in how someone’s brain processes writing so they can understand it.
#10 Don’t Never Drink And Drive. Drive High
Image credits: MrShiftyJack
#11 It Doesn’t Look Good Either Way
Image credits: baconworld
#12 Enjoy Mouth Popcorn Your Watering
Image credits: Katokiku
You are not doomed if you have dyslexia. Some super famous people have revealed they’re dyslexic. Kim Kardashian recently spoke about her daughter North’s diagnosis. She’s one of many to speak out and break the stigma attached to learning disabilities.
Anderson Cooper is an Emmy Award winning news anchor and journalist. A big part of his job involves reading words on a teleprompter. But as a kid, Cooper struggled to read. He’s spoken publicly about his struggles. And said he would carry a book around with him but “would just pretend to read it, because I had trouble reading and making sense of words, in particular, letters.”
#13 Asia Rden Ensb Vgio Ocko
Image credits: acrawf1
#14 Left No Turn Right Only Turn
Image credits: thatrotteneggsmell
#15 Honk Ha Against Te
Image credits: bela_okmyx
Cooper admitted even those who knew him well had no idea he had dyslexia. “I think it’s a sign of probably how well I tried to hide it when I was a little kid,” he said. “I remember at the time being concerned that other people would find out about it.” The news anchor has credited teachers and reading specialists with helping him to overcome his difficulty and excel in his career.
#16 Ly Paer Soils Ca
Image credits: igethejoke
#17 Eggmnnaeet
Image credits: JTUkko
#18 Jesus Scares
Image credits: Comet_Dawn
As an actress, Keira Knightley’s job also involves a lot of reading. But she too revealed she once struggled with dyslexia. She told the Guardian that she overcame her reading difficulties with the help of Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility screenplay script.
“My mum, who worked with her on Sense and Sensibility, got me a copy of the screenplay Emma had written,” said Knightley. “And I was – am – dyslexic and the way she got me over it was to say: ‘If Emma Thompson couldn’t read, she’d make sure she’d get over it, so you have to start reading, because that’s what Emma Thompson would do’.”
#19 Don’t Save A Life Be Afraid To Give Blood
Image credits: dontdeadopeninside
#20 Shosple Colupis
Image credits: caiia_
#21 Guaranteed Reduced Quality
Image credits: Maqwheel
Sometimes, the issue doesn’t lie with the reader. No matter how good we normally are at reading or comprehension, some things are just hard to read. Like a few of the signs on this list. The Sign Research Foundation actually did a study on this very thing.
They found that the number one reason people couldn’t decipher a sign was because the letters were too small. 83% of respondents surveyed gave that as their main gripe. While 71% blamed the placement of the sign. Just under half had an issue with the font used.
#22 7 Surprising Black Ways To Use Beans
Image credits: maximum_chungus
#23 I Am Dond
Image credits: bestgrandson
#24 Spread Cream Not Cheese Disease
Image credits: JonyIveAces
Many marketing, PR and creative experts will agree that signage is vital to your business. And there are some tips to take into consideration when planning yours. These include keeping signs visible and legible. Living by “less is more” – short messages are easier to read. You should also avoid clutter. Use clean, crisp and easy-to-read fonts. Pay attention to the colors you use. And our personal favorite: don’t write a bunch of rubbish on your sign!
#25 Always Forgotten. Remembered Never
Image credits: Neverknew_whattodo
#26 Took A Wee While To Design This Masterpiece
Image credits: cwWalshyy
#27 You Don’t Matter. Worry
Image credits: ghkddbsgk
#28 They Are, In Fact, A Particular Sub-Species Of Rock
Image credits: 192747585939
#29 Who Else Is Donating To End Children?
Image credits: JoshuaP01
#30 Jesus Christ
Image credits: Meeper12346
#31 Loho Veme
Image credits: healeys23
#32 The Nofarts Joker
Image credits: notoriousbigboy
#33 I’ll Take One Of Each
Image credits: hotdogcolors
#34 No Daniel Craig No
Image credits: shrobotic
#35 Wet Men Paint At Work
Image credits: KaibaMixi
#36 Please The Beans
Image credits: spameggsspamandspam
#37 Abort Jesus
Image credits: purrseids
#38 Never Comeback Give Up Robert
Image credits: FabulousGiraffe
#39 Say No To 100% Hygiene
Image credits: Dracarass
#40 For The Life Of Me, I Can’t Figure Out What This Says?
Image credits: iwantacoolnametoo
#41 We Are Fried. Hiring Chicken
Image credits: Some–Idiot
#42 In Czech: “Sama Doma” Means Home Alone, “Sado Mama”…you Probably Know
Image credits: pepaczlol
#43 This Sign At A&f
Image credits: A_Weber
#44 You If Going Lost You’re Me Together Get Can’t Know Don’t
Image credits: 1mnotcrying
#45 Redshe Neckshed
Image credits: WishboneUnlikely1963
#46 Go Citd Wals!
Image credits: ijustsailedaway
#47 You Give Chances Kid Voice Are
Image credits: The_missing_link_69
#48 The Tim Hoe Use
Image credits: JohnnyAlabama
#49 We Hold That All Man, These Truths, And Women To Be, Are Created Self-Evident… Equal
Image credits: 5W1TCHY
#50 Will There Be Blood Or Not!?
Image credits: reddit.com
#51 Doesn’t Sound Like Fun
Image credits: Reddituser4678213
#52 Aliectass
Image credits: _awwsmm
#53 Stolen From My Friends Snap Story
Image credits: long-time-lurker-
#54 Well If You Insist
Image credits: Mad_Mark90
#55 If You Were In A Car, Would You Know What Accident To Do?
Image credits: MrGrampton
#56 Cloudy Meat With A Chance Of Balls
Image credits: PuzzlePerp
#57 Please Do Not Take It Home. Leave Litter Here
Image credits: freshcheezels
#58 They Must Have Added The Arrows After Realizing How Steamy It Was Originally
Image credits: reddit.com
#59 Don’t Forget High School Buy A Yearbook
Image credits: -rguzgasr-
#60 *inhales* Everything Everything Everything Everything Everything Everything Everything
Image credits: Vampyrix25
#61 Honk If You My Is Think Truck
Image credits: drearycheery
#62 Smash Immigrants Welcome Racism
Image credits: Dbanzai
#63 Screw The Other 7 Coralines
Image credits: CommieG
#64 When “Don’t Dead Open Inside” Actually Makes Sense No Matter Which Way You Read It
Image credits: KarateKid84Fan
#65 Idiot Anti-Vaxxers Who Got Fired From Hospital Job
Image credits: fight_milk38
#66 Cuth Pube
Image credits: gothchick99
#67 Black Matter Lives!
Image credits: daveberzack
#68 Hoho Pepe
Image credits: ackley14
#69 South Mouth
Image credits: MRairden
#70 W Fart Free Water
Image credits: TrumpilyBumpily
#71 This Jesus Cowboy
Image credits: sopinessasquatch
#72 Love Is Watching & Watching Someone Someone Die Is Hard
Image credits: haevy_mental
#73 Sophisticated Ho
Image credits: Xendran
#74 Satan Jesus Is Is Defeated Lord! [oc]
Image credits: not_quite_creative
#75 Noki Parng
Image credits: LegoYoda777
#76 Hot Sharp Water Needles!!
Image credits: dkreidler
#77 Feed Animals School Kids Parties Groups
Image credits: Mineral_myco_medic
#78 Don’t Dead Open Inside
Image credits: SmokeyPeanutRic
#79 The State Of Washi Wangton
Image credits: morecatslesspeople
#80 Free Artificial Colours, From Flavours & Preservatives
Image credits: J_por
#81 This Is This Is Meme
Image credits: Groenboys
#82 Anel Nasa
Image credits: reddit.com
#83 Have You Guys Heard Of The New Samsung Aix Gay?
Image credits: nWo_Spike
#84 Family Dollar, Dollar Tree……wait ?
Image credits: Electro-_-Lite
#85 The Love Is Sweeter Of Than Any Jesus Candy!
Image credits: baggymaggie