Language police

I ran out of coffee yesterday so I stopped by Target this afternoon to grab a bag of beans from Starbucks (I had planned to get a pound at Small World yesterday, but ran into some friends and then realized the meter had run out — which meant that I had to, as well). When I handed the coffee to the kid behind the counter — and incredibly helpful and conscientious kid, by the way — he let me know that I had a free cup of the coffee of the day coming.

“Would you like a free complimentary cup of coffee?”

Of course, but don’t complimentary and free mean the same thing?

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet