Posted on 04/13/2007 8:55:07 AM PDT by kevin_in_so_cal
English language experts say that, with the 2008 Olympics less than 500 days away, there is still a long way to go before standard English translations of the names of dishes and drinks sold in Beijing restaurants can be finalized.
Garbled and misleading English signs in tourist spots have long confused English speakers in Beijing. Problems range from obscure abbreviations, word-for-word translations of Chinese characters into English, improper omissions and misspellings.
But what confuses them even more are English menus in Beijing restaurants.
However, not everyone agrees with the need to standardize everything. "Weird and wonderful English on Beijing menus -- like "pee soup", "complicated cakes" and "grass with fishy smell" -- are part of the city's charm," said Theo Theodopolopodis, a Greek businessman who has been living in Beijing for two years. "If we sanitize everything, what happens to local flavor?"
Liu Yang, vice director of the Beijing foreign affairs office, told reporters Wednesday that his office has invited English language experts from the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore to join the English menu translation work team.
"They are finding the work challenging," said Liu, adding that Beijing has already publicized standard English signs for museums, scenic spots and subways.
Liu said that Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme has been using the internet to identify the most accurate English names for Chinese dishes, and is working on a list of more than 1,000 dish and drink names.
Beijing claims to have 4.87 million residents who can speak English, accounting for 32 percent of the total population in the municipality.
Statistics indicate that around 2.85 million foreign tourists came to Beijing last year and the number is expected to top three million this year.
It’s about selling an idea or argument according to Webster.
I once was cautioned not to use used to to replace once.
Their descendants taught them bad.
“ceremoney “
Every father of the bride knows that this is the correct spelling, emphasis on last syllable.
Your cautionary tale illustrates why you are an Old Professer, and I am merely wet-behind-the-ears.
Always striving for grammatical excellence,
CD
Yes, thanks for point that out. I will forward the revision to OED.
After all this discussion, I’ll stick with not using “soft-pedal,” instead of not using “soft-peddle” :-=).
This suggests, CD, that by the time you're old enough to call yourself an "Old Professor," you'll have prostrate cancer.
Even worse, Rhode's 19, the line of boats that is named after someone named Rhodes. When I saw that right on the side of the boat, I almost refused to get in.
Great thing about Fowler, in addition to his puncturing the balloons of the pretentious, is that he always sticks to the language the way it is spoken or the way it is written by those with common sense.
Most copyeditors will shift the word "only" to its logical place in the sentence, but Fowler says sometimes it is earlier than its logical place as a kind of signal to what the rest of the sentence is going to say. Compare "I gave him only five dollars" with "I only gave him five dollars." The second is less logical but more colloquial and therefore easier to read.
90% of the people you converse with in writing would never know the difference.
Maybe 99%, since you and I, fanatics on the subject, can’t be totally firm on the correct usage!
Or flat on my face.
WBTE; the last place they wipe your slimy body after being thrust into this strange environment.
Don’t confuse, “Once, I went there” with “I once went there.”
And, especially, don’t confuse “habitually” with “used to.”
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