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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Shanghai seeks end to 'Chinglish' | Shanghai seeks end to 'Chinglish' |
| (3 days later) | |
| The authorities in the Chinese city of Shanghai are starting a campaign to try to spot and correct badly phrased English on signs in public places. | The authorities in the Chinese city of Shanghai are starting a campaign to try to spot and correct badly phrased English on signs in public places. |
| Chinglish, as the inaccurate use of the language is known, has long been a source of embarrassment for the authorities there. | Chinglish, as the inaccurate use of the language is known, has long been a source of embarrassment for the authorities there. |
| It is also a source of amusement to foreign visitors. | It is also a source of amusement to foreign visitors. |
| But Shanghai wants to spruce up its image. It is expecting millions of visitors for the World Expo fair. | But Shanghai wants to spruce up its image. It is expecting millions of visitors for the World Expo fair. |
| Student volunteers will check the English on signs throughout the city. | Student volunteers will check the English on signs throughout the city. |
| If they suspect the translation is less than accurate they will inform the government. Then the bureaucrats will request that whoever is responsible corrects the mistake. | If they suspect the translation is less than accurate they will inform the government. Then the bureaucrats will request that whoever is responsible corrects the mistake. |
| You can find Chinglish all over the city. Often it can be blamed on software used to translate Chinese automatically. | You can find Chinglish all over the city. Often it can be blamed on software used to translate Chinese automatically. |
| Please bump your head carefully Sign in hotel lift See your pictures of 'Chinglish' signs | |
| Sometimes you can see what the author was getting at, such as the sign that warns people to "keep valuables snugly", and "beware the people press close to you designedly". | Sometimes you can see what the author was getting at, such as the sign that warns people to "keep valuables snugly", and "beware the people press close to you designedly". |
| Then there are signs where they have mistranslated a crucial word. | Then there are signs where they have mistranslated a crucial word. |
| One in a hotel lift advises people "please leave your values at the front desk". | One in a hotel lift advises people "please leave your values at the front desk". |
| Sometimes they have just got it the wrong way round, such as on the sign in the stairwell of a department store asking shoppers to "please bump your head carefully". | Sometimes they have just got it the wrong way round, such as on the sign in the stairwell of a department store asking shoppers to "please bump your head carefully". |
| My favourites though, are those which get more surreal, like the one on the Shanghai metro from the public security bureau that reads: "If you are stolen, call the police at once." | My favourites though, are those which get more surreal, like the one on the Shanghai metro from the public security bureau that reads: "If you are stolen, call the police at once." |