Mistakes on English lingua franca signs

[Sean]

English is indeed the world's common language but it's typically understood only through local cultural terms, which usually means its relatively simple basis implies that it's a simple language, when it in fact it quickly becomes remarkably expressive and flexible.

Take a look at the link to a file put together here from my own photos- I'd post it direct but there'd be a lot of messing around with images in the process...

https://www.box.com/s/q3ogn73jntl67qq7u62y

[Sean]

Here are the notes from the start of the file, me trying to make sense of things, but it all needs a good proofread I guess.

Learners of English in China and elsewhere are often mislead by the relatively simple grammar of English. There's more to the different ways of using English than just different dialect.

English grammar becomes complex and highly expressive and Americans who speak English as a first language don't make grammatical mistakes.

Native English speakers sometimes find it curious that written English in other countries is often prepared without being checked, showing mistakes that they see as being rather crazy, and indeed even laughable.

For instance the pictures below include an example of a sign with poor English fixed perhaps hundreds of times inside metro train carriages.

If I had done basic Chinese language study and was asked to prepare a similar sign to communicate to people in Chinese for use on a metro system in England, I'd most certainly get it checked by a native Chinese speaker with good written skills as I may well have made mistakes. But those having learnt English in other countries often don't think any checking is necessary.

I suggest the following reasons for the assumption by other language speakers that poor English isn't poor but instead just fine-

•   English in non-English speaking countries is largely used as a lingua franca to communicate with foreign visitors- it only has to get across basic ideas and low standards will suffice. English is treated like a pidgin, or a simplified language created from others.

•   People are misled by English having a simple basis- learners can reach a simple conversational standard with a limited amount of study whereas some languages have more complexity built in to begin with. This simplicity and lack of rules however then allows English to become tremendously rich and complex, involving careful word order and judgement.

•   People forget or don't see that words may have meanings for more specific contexts, translation dictionaries not explaining this well.

•   People just don't have any native speakers with good written skills around to check their English for them.

•   Translations tend to be made character for word, which can make more sense for Chinese speakers to understand but then of course they can speak Chinese to each other and don't need the English: the signs aren't for Chinese speakers and the translator is just being wrongfooted by their own presupposed linguistic terms.

•   More longwinded English however can communicate better to basic level speakers when they wouldn't know the more developed vocabulary, for instance Pedestrian Across the Street Channel as below may communicate to more people than Underpass or Subway.

•   Other writing systems are simpler than English, for instance Chinese characters are only indications of meaning, used by several languages, so it's not thought that further care needs to be taken. Characters are only syllabic, lacking the detailed thought of phonetic construction.

•   Lower standards of material development in society parallel lower standards and expectations in English- the necessary attention to detail hasn't been normalized. What is said on the signs also often has a similar lack of sophistication as how to say it.

•   People may not bother to get spelling right if they have a good phonetic alternative- non-Western societies value practicality over principle and the idea there should be attention to detail in such intellectual constructions doesn't arise.

[DaveF]

"Pedestrian Across the street Channel" is brilliant.  I think all underpasses worldwide should be re-labelled immediately.

"Americans who speak English as a first language don't make grammatical mistakes"??!!  Have a look at the "Cato's Grammar Grumble" thread.

And, sorry, but "mislead" in your first para should be "misled".

[DaveF]

...although all your delightful Chinese ones pale into insignificance beside this beauty from Swansea docks (long since removed, alas):



Go on, run the Welsh through Google Translate.  Here it is typed out for copying and pasting:

Nid wyf yn y swyddfa ar hyn o bryd.  Anfonwch unrhyw waith i'w gyfieithu.

[North Star]

That 'Welcome to People'   s Park again' sign is for those exiting, I think.

[Sean]

...although all your delightful Chinese ones pale into insignificance beside this beauty from Swansea docks (long since removed, alas):



Go on, run the Welsh through Google Translate.  Here it is typed out for copying and pasting:

Nid wyf yn y swyddfa ar hyn o bryd.  Anfonwch unrhyw waith i'w gyfieithu.

I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated.

There's a weird logic somewhere between John Cage and Douglas Adams in that.

[Sean]

Parenthetically I just spend over two hours in my managers' office correcting dire English on a listening and writing exam. My work likely won't go any further than the first desk but I earn some points in the process.

I won't copy you the sackable complaining email I sent them first about poor English but it was another reminder of the cultural situatedness of all things...