Friday, October 16, 2015

We're Switching to TSU

We started off on Blogger many months ago, and we've been using other social media platforms to drive in traffic. Our goal was to generate income from Google AdSense. So far, we've only been using tsu to post links to our blogs. But tsu has generate far more revenue in a short time than AdSense has generated in a much longer time. Therefore, we are going to start moving all of our content over to tsu, posting all new content on tsu, and directing all other social media traffic to tsu. As of this moment, tsu is officially our new blogging platform. Please join us at www.tsu.co/realbloggerx.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

I will be eaten?

eat, eating, eaten, eaten out, eating out

This restaurant banner reads, "no matter what you imagine, you will be eaten more than you expect." The problem is that the phrase "you will be eaten" has two possible meanings, and the restaurant does not mean either one.

One meaning is the dictionary meaning of "to eat." You will go to this restaurant and, instead of you eating the food, someone or something will eat you. This implies that you would lose limbs (fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, legs), ears, or noses, and possibly even die. So we really don't think this restaurant is advertising that.

A second meaning is sexual, and we will not explain that here. But this meaning suggests that women who go to this restaurant will have a specific sexual act performed on them. Again, we really don't think this restaurant is advertising that.

There are two correct ways to say this instead. First, you could say "you will eat more than you expect." Or, you could say, "you will be eating more than you expect." In the English language, these very small changes make the difference between suggesting that you will eat food or suggesting that you will endure violent or sexual acts.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

One step ahead

one step ahead, one step forward, one step, urinal, bathroom, restroom, washroom, latrine, lavatory

The phrase "one step ahead" does not make sense when it is out of context. After all, what exactly is one step ahead? Danger?

Because this sign was above a bathroom urinal, we could figure out the meaning. Someone, probably a janitor, wants men to stand one step closer to the urinal so as to reduce messiness.

A better way of stating this, however, would be, "take one step forward."

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Traditional Coffee Blood

traditional coffee blend, coffee, coffees

We have never heard of "coffee blood" before, so we think this is meant to say "coffee blend." That certainly makes more sense, anyway.

This napkin has a few other minor issues, as well: 1) the company name should consistently be "Hands Coffee," with a space and proper capitalization, 2) the word "traditional" should have a lowercase "T," and 3) the slogan "My belief. My choice." sounds like a controversial American political subject.

Without knowing exactly what this coffee shop intended, a better way of writing this could be: "Hands Coffee (traditional coffee blends of southern French style) loves specialty hand drip coffee and authentic European espresso."

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Pull door open for... what?

English, bathroom, bathrooms, restroom, restrooms, washroom, washrooms, lavatory, lavatories, latrine, latrines, sign, signs, signage

We found this sign in an airplane bathroom. The problem is that if you only understand Korean, you may know that you want to open this door, but you may have to figure out how; do you push it in, pull it out, slide it aside, or what? And if you only understand English, then you may know how to open this door without actually knowing what you could pull this door open for. Or, maybe you shouldn't open it all.

For English speakers, the size and shape of the door looks like a diaper changing table. But, it isn't. Plus, the sign only shows an image of a woman, not a mother or father with a baby. The Korean translates to "sanitary napkins."

As we have recommended before, it would be better to have two complete translations: one in Korean and one in English.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

That's offensive.

offend, offends, offending, offensive, profane, profanity, vulgar

Disclaimer: we censored this photo.

This is a vending machine on a street in Wonju, Gangwon Province, South Korea. We recommend that tourists always stop and take a look, because these vending machines usually have peculiar items in them. For example, we've seen lingerie for sale in one of these. And, again, these are not indoors, but on the street where children walk by.

This particular vending machine caught our attention because of the belt buckle at the bottom. Most Koreans probably don't understand the meaning and probably don't know that this phrase is offensive. On the other hand, profanity in Korea, at least by Koreans, seems more acceptable in more locations, in front of children, and even from children.

Also, this belt buckle is not unique. It is not uncommon to see Koreans out in public wearing hats and shirts with English profanity. Again, this could be a mix of misunderstanding and greater acceptance, but some of it is offensive. Much of it is meaningless, due to mistranslations, but sometimes you'll find something more like this belt buckle.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

May I have you?

help, English, inappropriate, improper, unseemly, unsuitable, unfitting

This is from an English workbook for young Korean learners. Because the waiter in this illustration is speaking to two people at a table, "may I help you" is the correct choice. The other choice, "may I have you," is a request for sexual intercourse. As you can see, the elementary school student first picked the inappropriate second choice, which is why that second option does not belong in this book. The writers and publishers really should have thought of something else.