Chinglish, anyone?

I've been here a week!

It seems crazy to me that a week has gone by already.  I've already jumped headfirst into my job, done a good bit of exploring, and have started to settle in a little bit.

While these things are fresh on my mind, I thought I'd comment on some of the quirkiest linguistic things I've encountered since arriving.

Scattered throughout the raised escalator system.

There are ample opportunities for hilarity when translation from Chinese to English happens because the structure of the languages is so different.  For example, the already absurd phrase from one of my early Chinese textbooks,  "Jirou xianzai zai kafei bei.zi li" Literally translates to "The Chicken right now at the coffee cup inside"(actually meaning The chicken is inside the coffee cup right now).  So, you can see how confusing translation can be going from Chinese to (proper) English.

 Also, the British influence in HK for so many years has also yielded a lot of new (to me) phrases.  There are also funny hybrid words that I haven't ever encountered anywhere else, but that appear, at least, to be English.  Some are useful PSA's, like the one to the right.  There are also signs approximately every 10 feet imploring you to hold the handrail.  (But don't worry, they're sanitized).

Here's the list so far with appropriate translation:

Aircon = Air Condtioning
ie, Could you please turn the aircon on?  It's stifling in here.

Uni = University ie, Don't ask him to lead the group, he's going to Uni in the fall and won't be here.

Rubbish Bin = Trash Can ie, please throw that in the Rubbish Bin.

In the bathroom at my church

Car Park = Parking Garage, Parking Lot, etc ie, Wasn't it funny and slightly sad when my boss' car battery died in a the carpark on the night I arrived and we had to take a taxi to my host family's house? (true life example here, people)

Lift = Elevator, ie, Her apartment has no lift - can you believe we carried her furniture up 5 flights of stairs? 

Funny phrases:

We can start with this one.  "No littering into the bowl".  Really the translation isn't that terrible, but what's going on with the figure?  Is it a bee?  Or another insect? Why is it using the toilet to begin with?  All good questions, my friends.

In the MTR

Another funny one I encountered in the MTR (Hong Kongese for Metro or Subway).  Spitting is totally disapproved of here, and I believe is illegal.  Apparently it was such an epidemic that signs needed to be posted to remind people of their duty to not spread their filthy spit-germs. (photo courtesy of http://www.bootsintheoven.com/boots_in_the_oven/asia-china-just-hong-kong-for-now/)

I am totally loving these new linguistic surprises.  I encounter at least one per day, but have been woefully bad at documenting them.  I found a great site for some other funny "Chinglish" here http://mistyhilltops.com/2011/08/info/humor/fun-with-chinglish-stand-still/
(Photo credit to her for the Escalator sign)

Hopefully I can be as prolific as she is at capturing these funny signs!

Anyway, that's all for now.  I am getting excited for our first real event with the kids at church tomorrow night, and have had a great week of planning in preparation for the fall.

Stay tuned!
The Adventurer