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Dear Dave,
Perhaps this will open a whole new category for Mr. Language Person -- Inept translations into English. I've seen a lot of poor translations in my day, but none compares to [this] caption.
Sincerely,
Rich Johnston
A Star Town in China -- Xinba
Land of Promise and Pioneering, Paradise for Investment
Investment Advantages:
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I don't know about Phoenix, but I'M sure as hell moving to Xinba!
Posted by: Lairbo | June 30, 2004 at 06:40 AM
Here are some pretty good ones
Posted by: Mahatma Kane Jeeves | June 30, 2004 at 06:45 AM
And, leave us not forget, a classic brought to our (my, anyway) attention by Dave Barry hisself: "Bite the Wax Tadpole". I forget what it was for. Coca-Cola, I think.
Posted by: Lairbo | June 30, 2004 at 06:51 AM
Q. how many chinese people does it take to play a woodwind instrument?
A. apparently 4.
Posted by: mozart | June 30, 2004 at 07:00 AM
Maybe they're playing team billiards with a reeeeeaaaaaaalllllly long cues stick?
Posted by: lurker | June 30, 2004 at 07:11 AM
or cuestick (singular), even.
sigh...
Posted by: lurker | June 30, 2004 at 07:12 AM
I knew a guy named Phoenix once...
Posted by: Jaxx | June 30, 2004 at 07:15 AM
Attracting Phoenix? I've had certain things "rise from the ashes" that way, but none of them were avian. That I know of.
Posted by: LMC | June 30, 2004 at 07:16 AM
Velcome foreign Wisitors -- a sign outside a factory in China that led the gathered ESL instructors to realize that we had job security.
Posted by: wacked without an H | June 30, 2004 at 07:21 AM
There once were four men of Phoenix
Who fluted the form of a penis
Pausing between breaths
One thought, what to do next?
About where he could find a new kleenex.
Posted by: Cheesewiz | June 30, 2004 at 07:54 AM
How do we know that wasn't a deliberate mistranslation?
Look at all the free publicity. Those Chinese are pretty clever if you ask me. Blatantly promoting things with blowjobs, and claiming it was "just a mistranslation."
Posted by: qetzal | June 30, 2004 at 07:56 AM
My favorite, in the reverse direction:
John F. Kennedy in a speech in Berlin, Germany: "Ich bin ein Berliner."
This translates literally into "I am a Berliner", but this phrase has two meanings to Germans:
1 - I am from Berlin.
2 - I am a donut.
Guess which one got the most attention?
Posted by: Blue Meanie | June 30, 2004 at 08:13 AM
To avoid confusion, JFK could have said "Ich bin Berliner." But then, no one would remember it today.
/waits for some president to proclaim "Ich bin ein Amerikaner"
// it would have the same meaning as JFK's statement
Posted by: Bismuth | June 30, 2004 at 09:19 AM
When I get really bored, I take CNN stories and translate them using any of the fine translation services online. It's a rollicking good time. I swear.
(By the way, off topic-could someone tell me what the "All our _____ are belong to us" is a reference to? I see it all the time.)
Posted by: Angie | June 30, 2004 at 09:37 AM
I have a postcard from a Korean friend at home that reads on the front, next to a photo of flowers: "You and I have to love long long. It is I get to toad to you cleated face."
This has long been my favorite.
Posted by: mudstuffin | June 30, 2004 at 09:41 AM
Geez. Wonder what Bill Clinton has to say about blowing this peace pipe.
Posted by: Chaz | June 30, 2004 at 01:37 PM
You should take a look the site www.engrish.com.
Posted by: Lindy | June 30, 2004 at 05:01 PM