I was introduced to the lingustic oddity called “Engrish” a couple of years ago when some of our video production staff returned from an Asian trip. They brought all sorts of printed material back that while written in English made no sense whatsoever and/or did not convey what it was intended to convey. The result is usually very funny. This is how Wikipedia defines Engrish:
Engrish refers to non-standard variations of English often found in East Asian countries. Spelling may also be non-standard. While the term may refer to spoken English, it is more often used to describe written English, for which problems are easier to identify and publicize. The term arises from an ambiguity between the “r” and “l” sounds in the spoken Japanese language, although the Chinese language frequently sees the “l” substituted for “r” in foreign loanwords. Engrish is found on everything from poorly translated signs, menus, and instruction manuals to bizarrely worded advertisements and strange t-shirt slogans. Usage of the term ranges from the affectionate to the pejorative. Country-specific terms, such as Japlish or Janglish for Japan, Konglish for Korea, and Chinglish for China also exist.
One of my co-workers, a videographer, was a guest at a dinner in an Asian country. His first name is Brian (although he actually goes by his middle name of Tracy), but when he arrived at his assigned seat at the dinner the place card read as this: Brain Tracy…
Now, that’s an easy typo to make even for a well-written English-speaking person, but since he was in an Asian country he and I both suspect that Engrish came into play. Well, this week I found a website that features all things Engrish. Here are a few examples:
A shop sign:
An odd directional sign:
Oh, and please beware of rogue burgers:
Forget the burgers…I’m in the mood for some sort of Asian cuisine:
Uh, then again…maybe not. I’ve always found Mixed sea food Iraq government office surface to be kind of bland. Maybe something more spicy?
Uhhhh….no. Spicy Grandmas give me indigestion. Besides if I keep eating like this I’m going to end up in a place like this when I get old:
Oh no…that doesn’t sound like a nice place at all!
If you’re like me and just can’t get enough of this stuff visit:
http://engrishfunny.com/ Just be forwarned that some of the stuff can be a little risque, although not intentionally…it’s just a side effect of Engrish!
