Chinglish

Tuesday, October 24th, 2006 at 9:29 AM | Category: Meryl's Notes Blog 2 comments

0671023233.01. SCMZZZZZZZ V1114095306 Chinglish
The Chinglish Files defines Chinglish: “The humorous version of English that appears (often in instructions for assembling or using products) after a translation from the original Chinese (or any other language) fails to come across in ‘normal’ English.” You’ve probably seen these poorly written instructions in forwarded emails or in books from folks like Richard Lederer.

A friend who originally hails from China sent the following:

If you can read Chinese, here’s a story from BBC web site (The story is in Chinese, but it translates the signs in English so you can see how they turn out.). It’s nice to know that the Chinese dish Kung Pao Chicken is translated into “Government Abuse Chicken.”

Poor chicken!

Another favorite is: “To Take Notice of Safe; The Slippery are Very Crafty.” The correct translation should have been, “The road is slippery when wet.” If you are looking for the safe, you won’t find it.

Read signs in Beijing at your own risk…if you are planning to go to the Olympics in 2008.

My parents will be in Beijing this weekend, but alas, they can’t translate signs.

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2 comments

  • Posted by xpandan on October 27th, 2006, 5:17 PM

    Funny. But I think that report is about the situation past. In fact, I’m quite sure the English skills of young Chinese are much better.

  • Posted by megahexe on August 18th, 2007, 10:52 AM

    As an English teacher of foreign students, I can assure you that the English skills of young Chinese students are NOT better. The source of the problem being aging teachers with appalling English skills passing on their bad habits, and a lack of impetus in the Chinese educational system to rectify this problem.

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