Kenny同志 Posted February 22, 2012 at 03:03 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 03:03 AM This is a picture from Liuzhou Laowai's blog. What's wrong with the translation? Mind the pit or caution, pit? PS: @liuzhou No offence is intended, liuzhou. I posted this in the hope that people here could help me to learn good English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muirm Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:19 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:19 AM I don't see anything wrong with that translation. I don't understand that blog post either. Maybe he is suggesting the picture is funny somehow? That doesn't really make sense either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creamyhorror Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:30 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:30 AM Yeah, there's nothing really wrong with the English, not sure why he tags it as Chinglish. Maybe he's too used to his own country's way of phrasing warning signs like these. "Pit" might work better but "hole" isn't wrong. Your suggestion of "Mind the pit" is fine too. Or maybe it's because he missed out the comma and thought the sign said "Caution hole" (hence the blogpost title), which counts as broken English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:43 AM Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 04:43 AM Thanks for your confirmation, muirm and Creamyhorror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted February 22, 2012 at 06:32 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 06:32 AM I don't understand that blog post either. Maybe he is suggesting the picture is funny somehow? Falling down holes appears to be a recurring problem in Liuzhou. I think Liuzhou Laowai was just happy/shocked/surprised to see people trying to do something about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:56 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:56 AM Well, thank you for your interest in my Liuzhou Laowai blog. This particular entry is nearly five years old, so I was surprised to suddenly see it getting an unusual number of hits. I don't see why people are confused by it. I said quite clearly that Having pointed out several times that Liuzhou people like falling down holes, I had to show you this. They are now pointing out the better holes to fall down As Imron says Falling down holes appears to be a recurring problem in Liuzhou That was the joke and the post really had to be read in the context of previous posts, which I did link to. I tagged it Chinglish because I believe Chinglish is not just a matter of "incorrect" translation, but also of pragmatic appropriateness. I'm fairly sure an English sign would never read "Caution, hole". Secondly, I was amused because there was no hole in sight, although the post doesn't show that. The blog title "Caution Hole" is yet another joke not worth explaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:17 AM Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:17 AM Thanks liuzhou for your reply. I should have noticed you meant to be humourous. I like the style of your writing and your sense of humour. In fact, I read your posts with intense interest last night till I became too tired to read more. I definitely will go to your blog again to learn whatever you will say. By the way, what’s the English for 當心坑洞 in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:37 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:37 AM Thanks kenny2006woo. I don't think there would be a sign with a direct translation pointing out that there is a hole. Any sign would be more likely to relate to warning that workers are filling the hole. Dangerous holes here tend to remain unfilled, providing with me with more to blog about! Also. signs in England tend to be visual rather than in words, so that everyone understands them, irrespective of their language. And no, this doesn't mean "man opening umbrella ahead". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:43 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:43 AM I would like to think we just put a barrier around the hole and allow the public to figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:43 AM Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 11:43 AM Haha, thanks for your information but the sign does look like the man's trying to open his umbrella ahead. Roddy, doing that is poentially dangerous and can lead to liability, I am afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted February 22, 2012 at 09:53 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 09:53 PM Far less dangerous than *not* putting a barrier around the hole and allowing the public to figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:05 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:05 PM How about just fixing the @#)(%)@) hole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:21 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2012 at 10:21 PM Fix the hole?????? I'ld rather have the road fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YuehanHao Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:02 AM Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:02 AM In my view the translation is readily understandable yet substandard / incorrect. Because of the comma, my first impression is that one is addressing the hole with a clipped command to be careful (e.g., in the mode of a superior to an inferior, as in "Silence, knave!"). So it is amusing. I would instead expect to see a sign with each word on a separate line or else with one word highlighted or visually emphasized to suggest a break between the two concepts - this is commonly done on warning notices. In plain text without separation by line, I would find a colon superior to a comma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:26 AM Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:26 AM Thank you very much for your input, Yuehan. It's very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:15 PM Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 at 03:15 PM I would instead expect to see a sign with each word on a separate line or else with one word highlighted or visually emphasized to suggest a break between the two concepts While true, it does lead to very amusing signs such as the every popular Slow Children At Play A comma would really help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted February 24, 2012 at 09:38 AM Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 at 09:38 AM Here is an alternative - also spotted in Liuzhou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 24, 2012 at 10:53 AM Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 at 10:53 AM Thanks for sharing this photo, Liuzhou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted February 24, 2012 at 02:30 PM Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 at 02:30 PM "Beware of the pit" That sounds funny to me as well. It makes me feel that even if I walk near it, it might reach out and grab me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted February 24, 2012 at 02:33 PM Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 at 02:33 PM English is no easier than Chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.