Tired of Laughter, Beijing Gets Rid Of Bad Translations

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117063961235897853.html?mod=todays_us_page_one ^ | February 5, 2007 | MEI FONG

[MinorityRepublican]

BEIJING -- For years, foreigners in China have delighted in the loopy English translations that appear on the nation's signs. They range from the offensive ("Deformed Man," outside toilets for the handicapped) to the sublime (on park lawns, "Show Mercy to the Slender Grass").

Last week, Beijing city officials unveiled a plan to stop the laughter. With hordes of foreign visitors expected in town for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing wants to cleanse its signs of translation nonsense. For the next eight months, 10 teams of linguistic monitors will patrol the city's parks, museums, subway stations and other public places searching for gaffes to fix.

Already, fans of the genre are mourning the end of an era, and some Web sites dedicated to it have seen traffic spike. The bewildering signs were "one of the great things we want to show people visiting us," says financial-services consultant Josh Kurtzig, a Washington native who lives in Beijing. Correcting them is "really taking away one of the joys of China."

Stuck in Beijing traffic recently, Mr. Kurtzig noticed workers replacing one of the classics: "Dongda Hospital for Anus and Intestine Disease Beijing." The new sign: "Hospital of Proctology." He grabbed his Blackberry and emailed the news to friends around the globe. Their reactions, he says, were swift, and mostly unfavorable. "Nooooooooooo," read an email from one friend.

Not many locals share this sense of loss. "We cannot leave [these signs] up just for the amusement of foreigners," says Olive Wang, marketing manager for a major sportswear company.

Many in China regard the Olympics as the nation's coming-out party -- a milestone in its ascent as a global power.

[Malsua]

[aruanan]

says Olive Wang, marketing manager for a major sportswear company.

Was her name shortened from Olive-colored Wang?

[avg_freeper]

People will do anything to fry the cow river these days.

[T'wit]

Him no speak Engrish goodly. Him laugh plentiously, but.

[T'wit]

Amazingly visit Engrish.com store honorably tee shirt.

[SlowBoat407]

Being the crack in the earth that belongs to with great care trimmed small tree.

[ByteMercenary]

My first reaction to the thought of anyone going to the Olympics being held in Red CHina was 'Do you have a death wish?' But after reading about several point of interaction between muslims and the Reds, I think one should be perfectly safe. It appears that any muslim shennanigans are dealt with quickly, quietly, and fatally (for the muslims involved). Too bad we cannot summon up the stones to emulate this behaviuor.

[OSHA]

Avoid the pork.

[Dad yer funny]

.. , a true head-scratcher for me was ,...

... the menu board outside an eatery ,.. one delectable entre' was ,...

. . . Fried Anus , .. {{ I guess one was quite enough! }}

[metmom]

We were in a Chinese Restaurant and they were offering *Home Mad Noodles*

[bk1000]

[dinoparty]

Sign I saw last week in restaurant: "These food must be cook."

[WashingtonSource]

F*ck to cry the fry river?

[Arrowhead1952]

LOL....

[reagan_fanatic]

That's got to be one of the funniest ones out there!

[T'wit]

Which? I like the pig picks to fry idea powder.

[musicman]

[Teacher317]

(bookmarking to add pictures when I get home...)

[T'wit]