Lao Voices

As I was laughing at these badly translated signs, I keep thinking to myself, maybe my English is this bad because Engrish is not my native language. When I first started writing, it was very bad; one of my teachers in High School once asked if I was playing with a dead dog, that was what she gathered from reading my essay. I do have to admit that English is a very difficult language to learn, to be honest with you, I’m still struggling with it myself.

I came upon a site, micktravels.com, which he said that ‘Most of the English-translated signs I saw in China looked fine. But there were a few that just didn’t translate correctly into English. Some of them are very funny, some are completely unintelligible.’ After looking at these signs, I totally agreed with him, I had a good laugh but try not to laugh too hard because my head is still throbbing from laughing at Padek’s post.

See more signs here

I think it’s embarrassing to have signs that are funny or misleading, but not knowing the correct terminology, you just can’t help yourself at times, of course you’d come out looking like a dweeb, and I’m sure I’m like that at times, but we’ve a good excuse, Engrish is not our native language.

China is hosting the Olympic next year, it’s like inviting the whole world to laugh at you, but it’s not as if they’re not doing that right now, Chinglish has become a running joke among many foreigners in China, and several websites have been set up listing humorous examples of mistranslation. Below is from a news article on Beijing Stamps Out Poor English, which I found that it’s somewhat amusing to read. If my Engrish is this bad, can you please kindly let me know, don’t let me be like China, thanks in advance.

Emergency exits at Beijing airport read “No entry on peacetime”

The Ethnic Minorities Park is named “Racist Park.”

A road sign on Beijing’s Avenue of Eternal Peace warns of a dangerous pavement with the words: “To Take Notice of Safe; The Slippery are Very Crafty”.

Menus frequently list items such as “Corrugated iron beef”, “Government abuse chicken” and “Chop the strange fish”.

Below were comments from this news article,

I have two favourites from spending many years working in China. At the Terracotta Warriors Museum in Xi’an a sign said “Cherishing Flowers and Trees” which meant “keep off the grass”. The other on a cruise on the Yangtse River, “Don’t Bother” instead of “Do not Disturb” on the cabin doors. There were many others but these always made me smile.
Lee Tomkow, Santa Barbara, California

Whilst living in Beijing about a year ago, I came across a park in a residential area in the Shunyi district which (although intended for use as a ‘dog park’) was translated to ‘Dog-Bark Park’. Not to mention an apartment building which, for some bizarre reason beyond my knowledge was named “An Australian Lady and Her Lifestyle”.
James, Spring, TX, USA

At the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China there is a sign that reads: People and flowers, plants help each other in breath, if you pick the flowers they will die, and you will reduce your life too. A lovely message somehow gone somewhat wrong.
Ollie Boothroyd, Windsor, UK

“Site of jumping umbrella” (paragliding site)
Michael Pye, Cambridge, UK

“No striding”. On a menu: “The oil explodes the shrimp”. “Pleasant aftertaste”. On a sign: “Keep fire in safe hands, we live in a safe world.”
Emily, Bremerton, WA, USA

My favourite is: “Please take advantage of the chambermaids” on a hotel brochure.
Andrei Pogonaru, Bucharest, Romania

At one of the bigger train stations (and I’m kicking myself right now because I can’t remember which one!) there is a huge, and I mean huge, sign which states simply “Question Authority”. Remember, this is an incredibly heavily controlled officially Communist state. The sign is merely pointing to the help desk.
Peter Douglas, Edinburgh

The taps in my hotel room in Beijing had a fancy engraved sign “No Drinking Without Dealing” - I suspect they meant “boiling”. There are so many examples but my favourite may have been at the Ming Tombs “Environmental Sanitation of the Scenic Spot Needs Your Conserve” - indeed it does.
David Graves, Seattle, USA

Forbidden: Prostitution, gambling and drag abuse!
Lou, Beijing, China

I have stayed in Shanghai many times for work. The new subway at Jing An Temple was proudly opened early for tourist trips. All the east exits said “East Exit”. All the west exits said “Wast Exit”. The next trip back the offending words were covered with duct tape.
James Phethean, Helston UK

When I was living in Beijing in 2000, I saw a sign in front of a rock garden in the Forbidden City that warned tourists “Please do not climb the rocketry”.
Craig, California

Airline Pulp - The only English description on a snack package handed out with drinks on Southern China Airways.
Andrew Hobbs, Henley on Thames, UK

While working in Taiyuan, north of Beijing we had the pleasure of visiting a local tourist attraction, one of the signs that had us chuckling was, “do not overtransgress” which is a good guideline, but I don’t think you would find a similar sign in an English speaking nation.
Vincent vandenHeuvel, Strathroy, Canada

On a menu: worm pig stomach. No thanks, I had it for breakfast, honest.
Janet, Edinburgh

While staying in a hotel in China I noticed that in with the free (complimentary) bath stuff was a number of items for sale including a pair of boxer shorts labelled “Uncomplimentary Pants”!!
Stephen Mowll, Poole, Dorset, UK

From a recent trip to China to teach English, my favourite example of a mistranslated phrase belonged to a chocolate snack cake whose slogan promised: “This tastiness cannot be carried, even with both hands.”
Alia, Austin, USA

A sign in the Shanghai metro read: “After first under on, do riding with civility”.
Zachary Scott, Chicago, United States