NationStates Jolt Archive


China fights Chinglish

Neu Leonstein
14-04-2007, 00:49
This made me laugh...

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,476689,00.html
Beijing Wants to Clean up English for Olympics

Despite massive efforts to eliminate faulty Chinese to English translations popularly known as "Chinglish" on signs and menus in preparation for the Olympics, Beijing officials still have a long way to go to make their English signage tourist friendly.

Check out the examples...:D

And there's more here: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=chinglish

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/70319669_cf627a6f08_m.jpg

Any other good ones?
Swilatia
14-04-2007, 01:13
Lots of it here (http://www.engrish.com/category_index.php?category=CHINGLISH)
Yootopia
14-04-2007, 02:21
http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/dont-touch-yourself.jpg

Hehehe
Vittos the City Sacker
14-04-2007, 03:51
I seriously need this on a t-shirt:

http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/i-hate-noise.jpg
Todsboro
14-04-2007, 04:54
This One (http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8622/screwtaiwanpm0.jpg) seems appropriate...
Layarteb
14-04-2007, 05:10
Too funny...I love the one on engrish.
Demented Hamsters
14-04-2007, 06:10
here's one of my favourites - a toy I bought a couple of years back. When I saw it, I just had to get it.
http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/4959/minddyramidcb3.th.jpg (http://img474.imageshack.us/my.php?image=minddyramidcb3.jpg)

click the picture and read the instructions.
Vetalia
14-04-2007, 06:10
click the picture and read the instructions.

I can definitely see trying to understand those directions giving you a good 10-20% boost in IQ. It's like the world's most difficult word puzzle.
Demented Hamsters
14-04-2007, 06:16
I can definitely see trying to understand those directions giving you a good 10-20% boost in IQ. It's like the world's most difficult word puzzle.
Quite.
I was a bit disappointed when I played it. It failed to live up to it's promise of dresming up my pleasure sanity.
I did not feel one whit of pleasure sanity dresm. Not one!
sorely disappointed.
Boonytopia
14-04-2007, 07:12
*snip*
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/70319669_cf627a6f08_m.jpg

I think this one's quite beautiful.
Potarius
14-04-2007, 07:25
here's one of my favourites - a toy I bought a couple of years back. When I saw it, I just had to get it.
http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/4959/minddyramidcb3.th.jpg (http://img474.imageshack.us/my.php?image=minddyramidcb3.jpg)

click the picture and read the instructions.

I want one.
Kyronea
14-04-2007, 08:02
url]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/70319669_cf627a6f08_m.jpg

Any other good ones?

...how the hell is that Engrish, Chinglish, or whatever other phrase we come up with? That sounds poetic and beautiful.

...what's it really supposed to say...?
Similization
14-04-2007, 08:10
For the mechanic who has everything...

http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/with-spare-parts.jpg
The Phoenix Milita
14-04-2007, 08:33
The correct term is Engrish
Boonytopia
14-04-2007, 08:45
The correct term is Engrish

Isn't Engrish for Japanese English & Chinglish for Chinese English?
Kyronea
14-04-2007, 09:03
Isn't Engrish for Japanese English & Chinglish for Chinese English?
Who knows? Who cares? It's not funny.
Potarius
14-04-2007, 09:12
For the mechanic who has everything...

http://www.engrish.com/image/engrish/with-spare-parts.jpg

I wanna know just what their "spare part" is...
Free Outer Eugenia
14-04-2007, 09:15
This made me laugh...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/70319669_cf627a6f08_m.jpg

That is not bad English. It is rather nice actually. Poetic an' all. Makes you think. What would you prefer, 'Don't Mess With Manchuria?'
Kyronea
14-04-2007, 09:19
I wanna know just what their "spare part" is...

Tripe, tongue meat, and whatever else is normally not eaten.

...perhaps intestines? Feet? Gall bladder?
Free Outer Eugenia
14-04-2007, 09:23
Tripe, tongue meat, and whatever else is normally not eaten.

...perhaps intestines? Feet? Gall bladder?Not 'normally eaten' where? Some of those are considered delicacies by many people.
Kyronea
14-04-2007, 09:37
Not 'normally eaten' where? Some of those are considered delicacies by many people.

Well, I meant by us...those of us who speak English as our primary language and most probably live in Western nations, as knowing Chinese policy, this website would most likely be banned.
Similization
14-04-2007, 09:44
I wanna know just what their "spare part" is...Ever bought furniture at IKEA and wondered where the hell that [gizmo X] is?

Now you know.
Neu Leonstein
14-04-2007, 11:35
I think this one's quite beautiful.
That is not bad English. It is rather nice actually. Poetic an' all. Makes you think. What would you prefer, 'Don't Mess With Manchuria?'
...how the hell is that Engrish, Chinglish, or whatever other phrase we come up with? That sounds poetic and beautiful.
From now on I will add the word "eternal" to what I say whenever I can.

...what's it really supposed to say...?
Probably something about not throwing your garbage everywhere.
Free Outer Eugenia
14-04-2007, 11:40
Well, I meant by us...those of us who speak English as our primary language and most probably live in Western nations, as knowing Chinese policy, this website would most likely be banned.French cuisine makes use of tripe. Many European cultures (Russia comes to mind) eat tongue and chicken gizzards. The Brits eat some unspeakable things.

And many of the various "Western" nations also have large immigrant populations from all around the world who retain and share their cuisine.
Swilatia
14-04-2007, 11:42
The correct term is Engrish

nope. Enrish and Chinglish are both the correct term. aditionally, you can call the engrish from Japan "Japlish".
Andaras Prime
14-04-2007, 11:43
Does communism in Chinese translate to capitalism in English?
Free Outer Eugenia
14-04-2007, 11:43
From now on I will add the word "eternal" to what I say whenever I can.I think you are missing the point. The epigram in question is reminding us how a thoughtless act can cause irreparable damage. "Eternal" works quite well here actually.
NERVUN
14-04-2007, 11:44
Tripe, tongue meat, and whatever else is normally not eaten.

...perhaps intestines? Feet? Gall bladder?
A lot of that is eaten in western nations you know. Hell, I can find that stuff in the US easily.
NERVUN
14-04-2007, 11:45
nope. Enrish and Chinglish are both the correct term. aditionally, you can call the engrish from Japan "Japlish".
I'd rather you didn't. Japanglish works (And is what a lot of Japanese call it).
Swilatia
14-04-2007, 13:33
Does communism in Chinese translate to capitalism in English?

what makes you think that?
Swilatia
14-04-2007, 13:34
I'd rather you didn't. Japanglish works (And is what a lot of Japanese call it).

Isn't that pretty much the same thing though?
NERVUN
14-04-2007, 13:44
Isn't that pretty much the same thing though?
The issue is use of the word "Jap".
Jeruselem
14-04-2007, 15:48
The Chinese are getting better though. They have to if they make and sell things to English speaking countries.
Swilatia
14-04-2007, 16:29
The Chinese are getting better though. They have to if they make and sell things to English speaking countries.

That does not excuse calling a dish "fuck to fry the cow river" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/73553243@N00/117117422/)
Demented Hamsters
18-04-2007, 09:00
...how the hell is that Engrish, Chinglish, or whatever other phrase we come up with? That sounds poetic and beautiful.

...what's it really supposed to say...?
It's pretty much correct, abeit poetic.

Literally translated, it says 'Don't because one careless destruction forever beautiful peace" which basically translates into "Be considerate because one act of carelessness can destroy beauty forever." Their version is nicer.
I assume it's a warning sign at a park somewhere.

The literal translation might give you some insight as to why the Chinese screw up their English so much.

I've seen much worse than that.

I saw an alphabet jigsaw when I first came to Hong Kong that had such a great translation I copied it down. Just dug it out today - hence the exhuming of this thread.

This jigsaw was of a train. Each carriage was a letter of the alphabet. Aim was for baby to correctly put the jigsaw together and make up the 'alphabet train', from A to Z.
On the back, the company extolled the virtues of it's product thusly:
In Childhood there are per 80, the growth of humans brain, At period the learning and attraction is most strongest in a life, so the parents pay attention to train your child.
Clever is not inborn, it's gestated in the circumstances of growth, If the parents can choose more toys, that it can guide their hand and brain with together, Not only it trains their dexterity hands in the iteration, but also co-ordination function their brain, eys and hands, It will breed a clever, health child.
Play the alphabet train, it can train acquaintance and memory to colour, material and English word and enhance recognition to sight and total concept.
Play the alphabet train, Must according to order of the alphabet, Then patch an intact alphabet train, So it can advance the growth of child's flesh and raising the custom of hand.
This is exact word-for-word transcript, complete with punctuation (or lack thereof). The bit at the end about 'growth of child's flesh' is particularly creepy.

I saw a great sign when I was in Tibet, extolling all to do their public virtues. I took a photo of it. I'll hunt it up and post it later.

I also saw an 'Amazing Spaderman' toy once, but unfortunately had no money on me to buy it. Shame, cause not only was the name wrong the toy, while having the Spiderman outfit on, also had 4 extra arms. cool.
Kyronea
18-04-2007, 10:53
French cuisine makes use of tripe. Many European cultures (Russia comes to mind) eat tongue and chicken gizzards. The Brits eat some unspeakable things.

And many of the various "Western" nations also have large immigrant populations from all around the world who retain and share their cuisine.

A lot of that is eaten in western nations you know. Hell, I can find that stuff in the US easily.

Point made, both of you...point made. Forgive my ignorance, and also please don't misunderstand me...I wasn't trying to imply anywhere that eating such foods is bad or barbaric or anything...you didn't get that impression did you?

It's pretty much correct, abeit poetic.

Literally translated, it says 'Don't because one careless destruction forever beautiful peace" which basically translates into "Be considerate because one act of carelessness can destroy beauty forever." Their version is nicer.
I assume it's a warning sign at a park somewhere.

The literal translation might give you some insight as to why the Chinese screw up their English so much.
Ah. It's quite beautiful, still...now if only all of Chinese could be translated that well...