rss feedChina and English: A place where slipping and falling should be done carefully
While some English signs in Shanghai might be poorly translated and humorous, the Chinese city boasts numerous skyscrapers and has become a financial capital. Photo source: www.simple-chinese.com
From the looks of it, The New York Times story about butchered or poorly-translated English phrases in China is making the rounds in a big way, judging from the fact that it’s one of the Gray Lady’s most emailed stories since being published on Sunday.
The article, which carries a Shanghai dateline, includes some egregious examples of words and phrases that are embarrassing, incorrect, offensive and need to be fixed. Some translations can make you chuckle – especially if you’re a native English speaker.
Two examples:
The way I translate the signs: “Be careful of falling” and “Please don’t go in the lake.”
There are more examples - so read the article.
I think the Times story offers a reasonable explanation as to why these words are missing letters and why phrases have new or convoluted meanings: Laziness and bad computer translations.
But while the focus – in and of itself - is humorous to many outside of China, the article might have been more insightful had it included more context of China’s place in the world in 2010 and the extent of English in that country.
I chalk part of the “Chinglish” phenomenon to the fact that China has an enormous population (if you haven’t noticed) of 1.3 billion.
In China, it’s easy to run into hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, on short notice. Because there’s an economy of scale, of sorts, in terms of people.
You can have millions of people who speak and write English well or relatively well.
That’s acknowledging that English is a second language and many of these speakers might not have had the opportunity (yet, at least) to study and live in the United States, England, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.
Likewise, it’s easy to encounter millions of Chinese who have not mastered English to where they can communicate with native speakers or realize that a translation is wrong.
Of course, there are those who might not even care if a Chinese sign has been translated correctly.
Yet, it is very possible to encounter Chinese people who have studied overseas, can navigate their way in both Mandarin and English and serve as key translators at government or business meetings or for international tour groups.
As in, from the perspective of an English-only speaker visiting China:
Don’t leave me! I need your help to order food, buy local train tickets and read all these Chinese characters for me!
I am aware that a growing number of expatriates in China are fluent in Mandarin and really have a strong grasp of China’s history and nuances.
This is a good thing – just as more ethnic Chinese people speak other languages, including English.
I haven’t checked the Chinese chat rooms in regards to reaction to this article. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it served as fodder for true questions and criticism about why it ran without additional context in such a prominent U.S. publication.
Such as: People in a country trying to make an effort to help non Chinese speakers have a better understanding of the signs in front of them.
I suppose it’s easy to overlook intent and focus only on the result.
My sense about this article rests on the fact that many Chinese people are quite sensitive to how the outside world views them and the country.
The Anti-CNN Website gained popularity a few years ago, especially when many Chinese thought CNN’s coverage in 2008 of turmoil in Tibet and the prelude to the Beijing Olympics was biased.
The Times article quoted Wang Xiaoming, a Chinese Academy of Social Sciences scholar who specializes in English, about the poorly-translations and watching reaction from her foreign-born colleagues:
They didn’t mean to insult me but I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.
Yes, there is a drive to clean up “Chinglish” in China.
But consider this: Many Chinese are fully aware that foreign countries have occupied or invaded China in past centuries – that there is a perception (read toward the bottom of the post) that the country has been historically weak or considered by some as backwards.
So when you have The Times playing up this “Chinglish” article – which points out errors – it probably strikes a nerve among many Chinese.
This sensitivity could explain why there is so much strength displayed during China’s National Day Parade each year and, until recently, that Chinese expatriates would gather to welcome President Hu Jintao during foreign trips.
I’d argue that “Chinglish” is only part of the overall China picture in 2010.
Had this article appeared in the late 1980s or early 1990s, I could understand that it was more central in the context of a country opening up to the world.
But in recent years, the world has seen:
- China hold at least $800 billion in U.S. debt.
- Chinese leaders say no to the United States.
- The U.S. and China exchange barbs regarding the environment.
- The Chinese Navy gain advanced capabilities.
- Chinese companies buy Volvo and older Saab technology.
- IBM personal computers become Chinese-owned Lenovo.
- Baidu, which is similar to Google, soar.
- More Chinese students studying in the United States.
- Chinese students paying full tuition at U.S. schools and colleges.
- China invest significantly in Africa.
- Government-backed language programs, under the Confucius Institute, open in the world.
- A Chinese commercial airplane being developed.
- Home-buying boom occur, with concerns of a bubble.
- High Chinese savings rates, attracting media and academic attention.
- Expo 2010 open in Shanghai – with GM showcasing its new electric vehicle.
I’m still trying to figure out where Chinese companies and the government get all of that money to spend.
From an outsider’s perspective, I have seen or heard about high amounts of spending, especially among the new growing elite.
Another way to look at the ”Chinglish” issue is that there are a large number of people in China who are striving to learn and master English.
They know that it’s the language of business, at least for now, and central to academic studies worldwide.
Yes, there are probably some in China who might not want to fix an English mistake – hey, it is more work – or might not realize that a true error had occurred.
But I do know that people in China take great strides to help others (myself, included) pronounce and write Chinese characters correctly.
I suppose a similar article could have been done by a Chinese reporter based in the United States. It might have looked at whether native English speakers are succeeding in pronouncing Mandarin – a tonal language - correctly.
Guess what?
Many native English speakers are accustomed to a non-tonal language.
What do you think that Chinese reporter could write about?
I understand that many expatriates in China are frustrated by “Chinglish.” You either get used to the mistakes, ignore them or set out to correct every single one that you see.
Besides, living, studying and traveling in China can have its trying times.
If you’re an expatriate, you can lose your sense of who you were in your home country. You want confidence in a new place.
And if you’re always lost in a sea of Chinese characters and people speaking Mandarin or their regional dialects, it is very easy to hone in on all those poorly-translated English signs.
I’m not saying this is the experience of The Times journalist. I’m saying that this is a possibility of what could happen.
There are many topics to question in China. But “Chinglish” might be one that should be in the middle or bottom of the pack.
A word of advice: If you see the Chinese menu photographed in The Times and don’t like chicken with bacteria in it (48 yuan or about $7 USD), you always can opt for the minced beef soup.
The English is not only spelled out clearly and correctly for non-Chinese speakers. But it’s also cheaper – at 25 yuan or about $3.70 USD.
As for me: I’d order the chicken.
The bacteria listed on that menu are actually various types of mushrooms.
It’s probably delicious – so much so that you might send friends back home an email about the food.
In English, of course.
Good to hear another perspective to this “Chinglish” article. I agree that perhaps the nytimes article could have presented a more balanced picture instead of solely ridiculing China’s attempt to translate their Chinese signs.