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Shanghai seeks end to 'Chinglish'
Just wondering if Japan should do the same, or then again, is it really "foreigners" who really spit or do the business against the wall unless drunk? Shanghai seeks end to 'Chinglish' The authorities in the Chinese city of Shanghai are starting a campaign to try to spot and correct badly phrased English on signs in public places. Chinglish, as the inaccurate use of the language is known, has long been a source of embarrassment for the authorities there.  Examples of often baffling Chinglish can be found across Shanghai It is also a source of amusement to foreign visitors. But Shanghai wants to spruce up its image. It is expecting millions of visitors for the World Expo fair. Student volunteers will check the English on signs throughout the city. If they suspect the translation is less than accurate they will inform the government. Then the bureaucrats will request that whoever is responsible corrects the mistake. You can find Chinglish all over the city. Often it can be blamed on software used to translate Chinese automatically. Sometimes you can see what the author was getting at such as the signs that warn people to "Keep Valuables snugly", and "beware the people press close to you designedly". Then there are signs where they have mistranslated a crucial word. One in a hotel lift advises people "please leave your values at the front desk". Sometimes they have just got it the wrong way round, such as on the sign in the stairwell of a department store asking shoppers to "please bump your head carefully". My favourites though, are those which get more surreal, like the one on the Shanghai metro from the public security bureau that reads: "If you are stolen, call the police at once." |
I see those everywhere where I'm currently vactioning in (Ethiopia).
You'd think they'd hire someone fluent in English to make the signs. |
Yep.. Always shocked my..
the Love Hotels in Japan were always fun;) |
What about Japangrish?
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Other than the somewhat surrealist ones Ozkai refers to, I love the ones where that incorrect critical word, turns the whole meaning into something ironically true as well such as the example from the love hotel. not their intent, but not necessarily incorrect either. :rolleyes:
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just remember to slip carefully on your way to eat at that new restaurant internal server error.
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Even professional Chinese translators seem to be somewhat off. I don't if this something to do with how the Chinese language works but if I'm ever on the English version of a Chinese companies website the or some other kind of media the English is always a bit off. When I was looking to buy a new Motorcycle I checked Wuyang's website as I had heard they were now putting out some good bikes. It went a little something like this in the 'About us’ section:
"We own over 500 employees" I say this however but I acknowledge that I could be wrong about this from the small amount of Chinese sites I have visited. |
Bad English is always funny but I always try to remember to be happy that there's not some other language that the world depends on for business and tourism like so many countries do.
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More good ones from Engrish.com ;)
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ROLF! Some of the stuff I couldn't even figure out what they were trying to get at. Way funny though!
Every time I see someone with a tattoo (I'm from the U.S.) written in a different language I always wonder if it really says what they were going for. That's why I'd never tattoo words on myself. Too risky! I'd be so embarrassed if I found out later on that my tattoo was all wrong and then being stuck with it, ugh! |
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But China wouldn't be China without chinglish, same with japan. =)
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Do Chinese in China (Not Hong Kong) actually use English characters? Japan does right.. "Family Restaurant" |
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Modern English is the Wal-Mart of languages: convenient, huge, hard to avoid, superficially friendly, and devouring all rivals in its eagerness to expand.
Mark Abley (b. 1955) |
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It certainly is popular. |
Here are some examples of "Engrish" that I took, 2007
 One of my host "mom"'s t-shirts  "Powetard" (PS you can see me and my buddy randall in the reflection -- and that's a bag at my side. I'm not that wide. :o ) |
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