Ever been in a foreign hotel and seen a sign that directed you to "Slip carefully"?We've been there. English is a tricky language, and translating it can be just about impossible.
We're all for being worldly, but we're also amazed and amused by the wonderful mistakes people around the world make with that verbal stew known as English.
Here are some of the best we found on the Web, but feel free to send us your own discoveries.
(And before you mention it, we know us native English speakers make plenty of misteaks, too. Look for the domestic edition of this gallery below.)
Misspelled Signs: World Edition
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
Tips For Slipping Carefully
1. Always wear tight fitting clothing.
2. Grease the soles of your shoes to avoid accidental grippage.
3. Land on a big pile of marshmallows, pillows or feathers. - Misspelled Signs: World Edition
It's nice to know that strict punishments for reckless elevator-jumping are in place all over the world.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
That's one way to make furniture more exciting. We bet they face stiff competition.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
You might get rolled in on a stretcher, but you'll leave feeling much happier.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
Is that an electric shock delivered via a bunch of fresh flowers, or just performed for money?
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
It's not a popularity contest.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
If this is an airport, and the sign leads to the departure lounge, this sign might actually be accurate.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
He likes his privacy.
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
Damn you slippery! Damn you all to hell!
- Misspelled Signs: World Edition
It's like chicken but...shicker.
Non-English speakers make a lot of mistakes with their English translations. But we're the ones who invented the language -- so we don't have to translate it. Shouldn't our signs all be correct? Sadly, no.
We're worse:
Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
Kids -- if you see this by your school and don't notice something is wrong, stay there.
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
"Hey is that a stop sign?"
"Okay I guess I'll drive right on..."
SMASH! - Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
In a rare victory for fans of British spelling, the pictured space shuttle is actually named "Endeavour" -- with a 'u'. NASA hastily changed the sign. (Photo by Florida Today)
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
"Where good friends party hardly" ... So, what, a funeral?
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
Any construction work carried out by the people who made this sign is unlikely to be "saf", "saff" or indeed "sayfe".
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
Good save, guys.
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
"Simply Fashions" vs. "Simply Fashion": Spelling mistake, or the greatest coincidence in clothing store history?
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
The Hells Angels have a bad reputation, but are actually very good spellers. This mistake made them cry.
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
Fatal electrocution AND a $200 fine? That's bad luck.
- Misspelled Signs: Domestic Edition
Just because the bridge is allowed to fish here doesn't mean you are.
Comments:
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Wednesday 09 April
By Sheila
These are great.. Reminds me of that Coca-Cola ad that said "Coke adds life." but was translated to “Coke brings your ancestors back from the dead.” in Japanese.
Reply
Wednesday 07 May
By Mitzi
Reminds me of a sign I saw in St. Petersburg, Russia. This was in front of St. Peter and Paul's Fortress: "Please don't walk around naked."
Wednesday 07 May
By Land710
For years I worked in commercial aircraft design at Boeing, and often we would have to design bi-lingual placards for the passenger compartment. Each of those placards had to be proof-read by a customer rep for errors.
We found out that the "LAVATORY" placard that went on the bathroom doors translated from an interior Chinese dialect actually meant "FLUSHING WATER TOILET THAT IS INSIDE"
Thursday 10 April
By pouty
RE;
(And before you mention it, we know us native English speakers make plenty of misteaks, too. Look for the domestic edition of this gallery below.)
Was that a pun? Or a mistake?
Reply
Monday 28 April
By Former sailor
Actually, there were TWO mistakes there. Did you miss one?
Wednesday 07 May
By Terry
I think the first mistake was the blogger's arrogant assumption that " we " invented the language. Ask the Brits who they think invented the " English " language.
Wednesday 07 May
By Lighten Up, It's Called Humor.
"I think the first mistake was the blogger's arrogant assumption that " we " invented the language. Ask the Brits who they think invented the " English " language."
The phrase "native English speakers" does not infer that Americans INVENTED the language, simply that it is the language that natives of this country primarily use. I think it's a rather 'arrogant assumption' to make that implication. I realize that nitpicking is a favorite pastime of humorless individuals, but it really should be practiced only by those who are truly attentive and knowledgeable on a subject. Your high horse looks tired, perhaps you should give him a rest.
Thursday 10 April
By Steven Viegas
SUPETYSUPSUO
Reply
Thursday 10 April
By San
What about this one?
http://www.uglydoggy.com/2008/03/how-you-present-yourself.html
...and then you have it the other way around too, companies in the US trying to "speak Spanish" and delivering horrible messages instead:
http://www.latpro.com/cms/en/careeradvice/lost_in_translation
_when_bad_hispanic_advertising_happens_to_good_companies
Translation is an art and correct spelling seems to be slowly disappearing!
Reply
Friday 11 April
By Bobby G
Considering how many items were featured here, I must say I enjoyed the comments. Good job! I only groaned at a couple of them.
Reply
Friday 11 April
By Bob Ramsdell
When I was on Okinawa during the Korean War, I took a picture of a sign for a beauty parlor. It showed an Okinawan girl and the sign said "Beatiful Pallor".
Reply
Tuesday 29 April
By Ping
I grew up in Japan in the 50's, the daughter of a career Army officer. My parents got a real kick out of the signs outside local bars and before we returned to the US my Dad went and took pictures of many of them.
One that I still remember was in front of a bar trying to entice people inside. It said, '....where peerless beauties are waiting for you.'
Friday 11 April
By rb
looks like the shcool picture is in the US, so you didn't invent English. I wouldn't have mentioned except for picture 19 :-)
Reply
Friday 11 April
By DOUGLAS
These are great.. Reminds me of that Coca-Cola ad that said "Coke adds life." but was translated to “Coke brings your ancestors back from the dead.” in Japanese.
Reply
Friday 11 April
By Lonnie
For picture 9 in the first slideshow: it's really not that awkward. It's in Tokyo and I see it all the time. It's in a train station, and it points the way for the exit leading to a large shopping center called Sunshine City. Thus, for Sunshine.
Reply
Friday 11 April
By Linda Daris
The caption below one photo reads: "Okay the spelling here is bad. But call us nerds, it's the four-period ellipsis that really bothers us."
What I find really amusing is that in that caption, there is a missing comma after the word "okay." Then, as written, there is a missing comma after the word "But." Actually, a better solution would be to have said "Okay, the spelling here is bad, but--call us nerds--it's the four-period ellipsis that really bothers us."
Finally, the four-period ellipsis is actually the correct form as shown in the sign, since the thought "Thank you . . . ." indicates an idea or statement that "trails off" and/or omits information before it leads eventually to the end of a sentence and a period. In this case, the fourth dot actually represents the period at the end of the sentence.
The use of proper English grammar is a dying art form, especially on the Internet. Oh, well . . . .
Reply
Monday 28 April
By Mollie Howard
While I was working in another country (which shall remain unnamed lest someone should be offended), our native employees tried diligently to improve their English. One who worked for me once presented me with a sentence he had written, having chosen his words from an American dictionary. It was, "His prefunctary apology did not glut my ire." How should one correct this while explaining that it is not, technically, wrong?
Monday 28 April
By Seiena
um. . . I'm in intermediate college composition. The proper elipses is three spaced not four . . .
Tuesday 29 April
By Carole
There should not be a comma after "but" because commas go before conjunctions, not after them.
As for the four dot ellipsis issue, according to the 15th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, chapter 11, section 59, a three dot ellipsis is called for in the sign.
Wednesday 07 May
By lucy colby
Excellent post, Linda. There're still a few of us out there who ARE concerned with literacy (or the lack thereof) especially on these message boards.
Unfortunately, though, I think we're in the minority.............