Editors needed!

My time in China has shown me that the Chinese language is not easy to translate into English - and that more quality editors are needed. So often there is a literal translation from Chinese to English and the folk think that it is a quality translation.

For example the word "river" - it seems that in China an element of water that in the English language in the UK, or Australia, a river would be a large flow of river, a natural water course. Here "river" is used to describe waterways that clearly are not natural, and don't resemble anything I would call a river.

Recently while staying at a hotel that was described as 'overlooking a river' I discovered it was a "canal" - a somewhat polluted man made waterway.

I've written elsewhere about that - but additionally when things are printed - the come out different, because the printers do not know the difference. If they are typesetting in English, it is very hard for printers. Thankfully things are more computerised now, but still no one can pick up the errors.

I have had students in exam consistently write some bad English - when I refer to the text book, the errors are there. The students are learning incorrectly from text books that should have been edited and corrected.

If a Chinese company hires a translator to translate from Chinese to English, they usually do not know that the resulted words are Chinglish, and don't make sense in English. It is impossible to translate directly from Chinese to English without editing. Impossible!!!

As well, with Chinese English teachers, they often have to rely on material that is prepared without an editor. Not only that, Chinese naturally have difficulty pronouncing some sounds "th" and "l" in particular. So "mother" becomes "muzer" and "fall" and "tall" become "for" and "tor".

Then comes a foreign teacher whose native tongue is English and it is somewhat of a nightmare. The students believe their Chinese English teacher!

It is a nightmare for a foreign teacher to mark examinations because in many cases one knows that the errors are because the students have been taught incorrectly. The longer I am here the more I understand.

What to do about it? I have no idea!!!

KEEP OFF THE GRASS!

The photo is not very clear, but I think it is clear enough to understand the message. For reasons that we don't quite understand people are "discouraged" from walking on lawns. Sad in a way as our feet only get to plod on cement or rock paths, and tiles indoors.


This message was on a tree at a museum I went to today. Perhaps this will help some folk understand why there is so much "Chinglish" - it is not easy to directly translate from Chinese to English and make sense at the same time.

Chinglish? Maybe.............

I carry around little note books and put in thoughts, words, ideas, details etc. In my unpacking and setting up of my "new" apartment I found one of my little books, and flicking through the pages came across a list of "Chinglish" - I think these were found when we travelled around Shanghai, Suzhou and other parts several months ago.

Obviously they were on the menu at one or more restaurants.

"Spicey yellow croaker" - Peppered yellow frog?

"Vegetable kidney in XO sauce" - Kidney beans?

"Braised cuttlefish in formented bean curd sauce" - formented?

"Dried meat floss" - Good for your teeth?

"Fried chicken ball with asparagus" Do chickens have balls?

"Saute loin pork with chilli and been sauce" - a has been?

"Fried vegetable with Galic" - OK, a typo maybe.

Elaborate Bacon

I've been setting up my kitchen - bit by bit - there's no door to door delivery, and it is a long walk with heavy items from the supermarket to the apartment door! Even a long walk from the taxi at the West Gate - so it is bit by bit - soon I will be stocked! Not that I really want much, but I have been designated "cook" with the apartment with an oven!

Audrey who was here before has returned to Canada - so "bequeathed" me all sorts of things, each day I discover more.

On my visit to TESCO I stocked up on a few things - including Elaborate Bacon. It is not the brand - it is the product. I think it is "elaborate" because it has more meat on it that the other variety I saw in the supermarket. OK, it works for me.

So today I cooked up an elaborate bacon and mushroom dish in the wok. With a dash of garlic leaves. It is funny as I had never seen these in Australia until a few weeks ago, and I was "hooked" as they say. They are like mini shallots, but just the leaves which I chop up and add to the dish. Just as tasty in China as it was in Australia, I can assure all.

Yum. My elaborate bacon recipe - it worked well. A wonderful taste in my mouth.

I will try and take note of more "Chinglish" words here. They are everywhere really, and some so much fun.

English or Chinglish?