One of the great things life in Taiwan offers--and my brother and many other foreigners would agree with me--are really cool stationary-ish stores. You can buy everything from office supplies to bathing suits, from the latest Japanese pens to stuffed animals, from awesome clipboards to Christmas tree decorations all in one fun to browse store. In fact, Sam and I hit several while he was here. If I ever asked if he wanted to stop and look in one his answer was always an enthusiastic yes.
Ok, back to the main point of this post. One thing that I like to look at whenever I go into one of these stores is their collection of signs. I am always on the look out for a good "please take off your shoes" sign (haven't found one I liked yet). And, most of the time I can find one or two that entertain me.
Take for example, this one:
Despite the fact that infuse does not mean 沖洗 (chong xi), which is better translated in this situation as "rinse" . . . despite the fact that infuse actually means something like "to steep or soak in a liquid so as to extract the soluble properties or ingredients" . . .
Yeah, despite all that, where exactly would someone need to put a sign that says "after you have thrown up, please rinse"?
lol. I love those "dollar stores" in Taiwan too and the stationary stores. Fun fun fun! Well, it occurred to me quite naturally (it might be because i grew up in Hong Kong) that one place for that sign would be at the public sink where many (men, esp.) hack up their stuff (phlegm, etc.) and don't rinse their liquids down... ewwwww!!! Gross! But the engrish you're discovering in Taiwan are hilarious, please post more! ^-^
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteYep, gotta love those not-quite-there English signs. :) I do, I really do. That is one thing I enjoyed while in S.Korea. Maybe you can explain why a girl would wear a t-shirt saying "Better Than Milk". My Korean-American friend and I could just not work that one out. :)
ReplyDeleteOh too funny! We have those stationary stores here too...we call them Moon-Bang-Goo's! We LOVE to go browse through them. The girls always end up finding some new little thing they just HAVE to have! The English is just great isn't it! I love to read the "poems" on the stationary here! Maybe we should start a weekly post of the fun "english" sayings we have seen throughout the week! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThat was great! Thanks for sharing....
ReplyDeletesorry I've not been around very much. I still enjoy visiting your blog...just been terribly neglectful!
Sometimes, I make funny English error too!
ReplyDeleteFew weeks ago, I was talking about my hair on my arm. Then I used the word "FUR".
Then my friend told me. "Claire ... only the animal has fur.
Oops!! :$