Lost in Translation

May 17, 2010 Published under Art, China, Funnies, Global, Interesting Random Stuff

by Adeena Schlussel on behalf of Daniel Lubetzky

The New York Times had a fun compilation of signs across the world that conveyed something surprising, not always unintended, but always funny.

Published: May 11, 2010

Strange Signs From Abroad

A recent slide show, "A Sampling of Chinglish," which accompanied a story by Andrew Jacobs, showed signs in Chinese paired with unusual and often funny English translations. We asked readers to share photos of amusingly translated or otherwise quirky signs that they’ve found during their travels. Click an image to enlarge it, and scroll to browse through the collection.

Lost in Translation: Pocari Sweat

I remember this brand from when I lived a summer in Japan. They have a drink named "Pocari Sweat" and it is a best seller. Sweat?! Apparently in Japan, perspiration is associated with rejuvenating freshness. Now here is a line extension for Pocari Sweat in powder form. Mmmm.
Too close for wisdom

The Chinese symbol for Danger is composed of crisis plus opportunity. Westerners love this beautiful insight. Yet when you ask a Chinese person if they know it, they all know how to write danger, and when asked, they all know what each of the components mean, but most have never stopped to think of the [...]
How do you make door knob locks interesting?

So, your challenge is to come up with a compelling video that people will forward virally to each other, something funny, or sad, or powerful which will provoke people to share with others. Your problem is that the product you want to promote is a door knob lock! How do you make that funny? Before [...]
All Americans Look Alike

It is not PC to admit that Anglo-Americans often have problems distinguishing Asian faces (or for that matter, any other ethnicity). But from China Southern Air comes some comforting confirmation that for the Chinese, the opposite is true – Americans (or Westerners) all seem to look alike to them. On the plane on the way [...]
Too Close To See The Wisdom?

The Chinese character for Crisis is made up of two symbols: danger, and opportunity. This insight is by now known all-too-well in the Western world. What is less known is that most Chinese people have never thought of this beautiful relationship. For them “crisis” is “crisis.” And if you push them to explain what that [...]

Daniel Lubetzky