"Lost in Translation" .. a book


As a person who is born with English as not her mother tongue, English is a language that she has to learn for all of her life, except if she decided to quit and never use that language any more.

But since English has become the International Language, follow by France, there’s like an obligation to put English in every signage, or any information related to society in other country where English is not their mother tongue too.

Several months ago, I bought a book, the title is “Lost in Translation” by Charlie Croker. It’s an old book, published in 2006. He portrait the genuine grammar-gargling from around the world.

The good point of this book, the writer admitted that his understanding of the country language were not as the people understanding of his language, English, when he traveled.

SIGN LANGUAGE
Temple in Burma
Footwearing strictly prohibited

Indian National Park
Ramganga River is inhabited by crocodiles. Swimming is prohibited. Survivors will be prosecuted.

Tibet.
Reception Centre for the Unorganised Tourists

Chinese Sign
Little grass is smiling slightly, please walk o the pavement

On a tap in a Finnish washroom
To stop the drip, turn cock to right

In a temple in Bangkok, Thailand
It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man.

The government in Seoul, South Korea, established a hotline for taxi passengers who encountered rudeness. A sign in taxis advised of this :
Intercourse Discomfort Report Centre.

Well there is more of the portrait example, and I haven’t finish reading this book yet. I only read it to relieve my stress.

And here it is, the examples of my English, when I put my comment of mosquito electric racket. I was trying to say ..”to kill the flies” and end up with ..”to kill the flea”
It’s multi-function too, to kill the flea, remember of how hygienic our food is ?


PS
Hey, we need to laugh to ourselves sometimes, at least it sooth our life.

Comments

Ancilla said…
hihihi.. jadi maluuu...
ancilla : Wakakak, sebagai orang Indonesia sih, jawaban ngelesnya, maklum bukan orang Inggris :-p *nggak pantes ya*
Rob Baiton said…
It is the beauty of language and the beauty of translating from any language to another.

Some of these "mistakes" are often very, very, very funny.
Rob : Couldn't agree more than you. If you can find the book, please read it :-)

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