Sometimes quick and unprofessional translations can be seen in resorts where loads of tourists are around. Professional translators would cry out in pain but English speakers would also stop to think for a minute and burst out laughing when seeing these translations.
1.Supermarket, Hong Kong:
For your convenience, we recommend courteous, efficient self-service.
2.Translated from Japanese to English and included in the instructions for a soap bubble gun:
While solution is not toxic, it will not make child edible.
3.On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
4.Taken from a menu, Poland:
Salad a firm’s own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten in the country people’s fashion.
5.In a New Zealand restaurant:
Open seven days a week, and weekends too.
6.Hotel brochure, Italy:
This hotel is renowned for its peace and solitude. In fact, crowds from all over the world flock here to enjoy its solitude.
7.Hotel, Japan:
You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
8.Hotel, Yugoslavia:
The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.
9.Booklet about using a hotel air conditioner, Japan:
Cooles and heates; if you want condition of warm air
in your room, please control yourself.
10.Hotel, Acapulco:
The manager has personally passed all the water served here
11.Hotel room notice, Chiang-Mai, Thailand:
Please do not bring solicitors into your room.
12.Hotel lobby, Bucharest:
The lift is being fixed for the next day.
During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
13.Hotel catering to skiers, Austria:
Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose
in the boots of ascension.
14.Tourist agency, Czechoslovakia:
Take one of our horse-driven city tours. We guarantee no miscarriages.
15.A paragliding site near Beijing has a sign that reads:
Site of jumping umbrella.
16.At a Budapest zoo:
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food,
give it to the guard on duty.
17.In an East African newspaper:
A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors
have thrown in the bulk of their workers.
18.Car rental brochure, Tokyo:
When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn.
Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage,
then tootle him with vigour.
19.An advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:
Teeth extracted by the latest methodists.
20.Doctor’s office, Rome:
Specialist in women and other diseases.
21.On a poster in Sydney:
Are you an adult that cannot read? If so, we can help.
22.On the grounds of a private school in Scotland:
No trespassing without permission.
source: Mistranslations We Love, alphaDictionary.com
Találd meg, melyik utasítás, melyik helyen olvasható.
- Take notice: when this sign is under water, this road is impassable.
- Do not activate with wet hands.
- We take your bags and send them in all directions.
- Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.
- Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.
- Please leave your values at the front desk.
- Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
- In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.
A. Airline ticket office, Copenhagen
B. On a highway sign in Australia
C. Hotel, Vienna
D.A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer in Germany
E.A laundry in Rome
F. Cocktail lounge, Norway
G. In a Nairobi restaurant
H. Hotel elevator, Paris
keys/megoldások: 1.B; 2.D; 3.A; 4.G; 5.E; 6.H; 7.F; 8.C
Vocabulary
to cry out in pain | fájdalmában felkiáltani |
to burst out laughing | nevetésben törni ki |
courteous | udvarias/ előzékeny |
efficient | hatékony |
edible | ehető |
limpid | tiszta/ átlátszó |
rashers | császárszalonnák |
solitude | magány |
to flock | odacsődülni/ odaseregleni |
to take advantage of | kihasználni |
flattening | kisimítás |
to control// control yourself |
irányítani// uralkodj magadon |
to pass | átengedni//üríteni |
solicitors | jogi tanácsadók |
unbearable | kibírhatatlan/ elviselhetetlen |
to perambulate | járkálni |
repose | nyugalom |
ascension | felszállás |
miscarriages | vetélés |
bulk of | valaminek a zöme/ nagy tömege |
to heave | emelkedni |
to tootle / tootle along |
fújdogálni/ autókázni |
obstacle | akadály |
vigour | erőteljesen |
methodists | metodisták |