Life in the Land of the Rising Sun

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Taro, Did What I Just Said Make Sense?



This sign is on the entrance to the Aeon Shopping Mall in Narita. The Japanese part reads:

"The Aeon Narita Shopping Center, as a building kind to the elderly and the handicapped, is a shopping center in accordance with the "Heart(ful) Building Law" established by Chiba Prefecture."

That wasn't so hard, was it?

Now look at their English "translation". Doesn't that just build your heart? I'm especially impressed with their "aotivities" so as to be gently.

All your shopping center is belong to us.

posted by The Moody Minstrel at 10:30 PM

18 Comments:

  • Boy, the prefecture sure has a big heart.

    By Blogger gus, at 10:35 AM  

  • Wah.. if only they can communicate better in Engrish.

    WTH are they tring to say har?

    By Blogger Robin CHAN, at 5:45 PM  

  • Sensei MM, please offer your Engrish services so they can offer you tea and answer your questions truthfully. haha........

    By Blogger HappySurfer, at 6:14 PM  

  • Two problems with translations in Japan. 1st is lousy literal translation of what was posted in Japanese, the 2nd is that it is not necessary to do a literal translation anyway. Japanese seem to like a lot of emotional warm and fuzzy adjectives on these kinds of things, whereas for an American or Englishman a simple "We are a Handicap Accessable (or Friendly) Mall" would suffice.

    By Blogger Pandabonium, at 8:39 PM  

  • Pandabonium, not only the Japanese, the Chinese too - probably most others as well which do literal translations.

    Saba, that is so funny. Some more here for your enjoyment.

    By Blogger HappySurfer, at 12:30 PM  

  • Saba, that's a good one!

    By Blogger gus, at 3:54 PM  

  • That's what happen when you work alone, even if help (sensei like moody) is available?

    And maybe it is not necessary to translate after all -- it a common building by-law for most develop countries.

    Hmm, on second thought, how much you charge for this one (translation), sensei? :p

    By Blogger @ロウ 。LOW@, at 5:17 PM  

  • They can quote my translation on this blog if they want to, and I won't bother charging for it. My fee is the satisfaction of knowing my fellow gaijin won't end up dying of laughter when they go shopping there.

    Of course, I'd appreciate it if they'd include the credit: "Translated by The Artist Formerly And Still Known As The Moody Minstrel". That should be enough to appeal to my vanity.

    By Blogger The Moody Minstrel, at 2:38 PM  

  • "はー、なんて酷い翻訳なんだろう。MMさんのような翻訳のプロの外人が必要なようだね。

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:56 PM  

  • I lik der translaysin bate-er :-P

    By Blogger DewKid, at 3:27 AM  

  • I know you believe you understood what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you read is not what wrote.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:15 AM  

  • Oh, you're not just a bully, you're a confused, ideologically dyslexic, pork-eating, Great Satan, crusader bully with a dorky-sounding accent!

    Get off this nuke thing. We only intend to use it for peaceful purposes. We will definitely have peace once the evil, Zionist regime is gone!

    I mean...wait...no...never mind.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:51 PM  

  • Alright, you guys! I don't want any national leaders hanging out on my blog!

    By Blogger The Moody Minstrel, at 12:38 AM  

  • hehehe ... yeah, really cannot directly translate japanese language literally to english.

    I guess their "heart" here means kindness acts.

    even in chinese, you can't literally translate e.g 干货 will mean f u c k goods ... LOLz

    oops ... sorry, is your site R(A) huh? :P

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:42 PM  

  • I think this has all gotten a bit silly. Not stop that.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:56 AM  

  • oops! pls delete my post if u find offending. 干货 actually means dried goods or groceries.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:58 AM  

  • It's okay, Slurp! I usually try to keep the tone on this site "family-friendly", but I think we all found your comment both relevant and entertaining.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    By Blogger The Moody Minstrel, at 5:55 PM  

  • haha.. now now.. elction time again?

    By Blogger Robin CHAN, at 6:13 PM  

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