Pages

Saturday, September 23, 2017

No one does English quite like Japan

Because regular water is too fattening

The following sentences were taken from third year high school English homework from three different schools, both public and private. Mind you, these are considered correct:

"I wish there were no earthquake in Japan. But for earthquake, what a great number of historic buildings there would remain!"

"I like baseball. Because I like the moment of hit ball."

"I met a woman whose name is unusual at the party."

"Is to read comic books interesting?"

And finally, from a test:

"Everyone is in this classroom having lunch." This is marked incorrect.
"Everyone in this classroom is having lunch." This is the correct answer.
But how is one to know, you might wonder? These are its follow up sentences which were given as the hint:
"I'm hungry. I also want to have with them."

In too many cases, getting good grades in English amounts to memorizing the answers that the rigid teachers deem correct. Does this explain why there are so many crazily worded signs? They are everywhere, from the new city hospital's "Extraordinary Entrance" to new year's cards wishing "A Happy New Year."

Sign in public toilet: 

Please have running water after use. (Toilet paper also together.)

How to shed a toilet.

No washing hair or clothes in the toilet.

After-hours entrance at a cutting-edge modern hospital:

Extraordinary Entrance

At a cash register

We do not break into small.



I am told the Chinese also makes no sense.

I have no words.

"Pease porridge hot,
Pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot
Nine days old."
 Mother Goose
I have a feeling that is not what the writer of the sign had in mind.

2 comments: