Are you fluent in Chinglish?

21 September 2009 3:08pm

Note: Javascript is disabled in your browser.
To see the gallery in all its glory, you'll need to enable Javascript.

View gallery

Wherever you glance in China, you enter the through-the-mirror world of Chinglish. You may at first be confused by a sign that says ‘Be Seated Defecate’, but it’s just a way of saying that the loo you’re about to use isn’t a squat version. ‘Deformed Man Toilet’ may sound like something from the David Lynch cutting- room floor, but it’s merely a toilet for the disabled.

‘The green grass is afraid of your foot’ is simply a cryptic way of saying ‘Keep off the Grass’. Upstanding Shànghǎi speakers of Chinglish are regularly reminded: ‘Don’t expectoration everywhere. Don’t attaint public property. Don’t destroy virescence. Don’t random through street. Don’t say four-letter word.’ Welcome to the compelling world of Chinglish.

A shop sign advertises itself as ‘OC SLOOT YTUAEB & GNISSERDRIAH’, which at first glance resembles some kind of outlandish code. Reading from right to left exposes the true gist, although the lettering is not mirror-writing; each letter faces the right way, but in a reverse sequence.

It’s all part of a growing linguistic empire, and with a potential 1.3 billion speakers, it’s a force to be reckoned with. It won’t be long before you have a small armoury of Chinglish phrases of your own. Before you know it, you’ll know without thinking that ‘Be Careful not to Be Stolen’ is a warning against thieves; that ‘Shoplifters Will Be Fined 10 Times’ means shoplifting is not a good idea in China; that ‘Don’t Stroke the Works’ (generally found in museums) means ‘No Touching’, and that ‘Slip Carefully’ means the floor could be wet.

Supporters of Chinglish see it as an English patois in its own right and worthy of protection. It’s easy to grow addicted to its quaint formality and back-to-front poetry. Chinglish, for very long life may you!

Rather wow the locals with some actual Mandarin? Download our Mandarin audio phrasebook from the iTunes store.

Comments

23 September 2009 1:17PM josebelmonte Report this comment
Mind your step.- I am not fluent English spoken; probably this will sound pretty much as Chinglish, but is not. You can say this is Boliviglish (mix between Spanish, English and a lost Bolivian tourist in China trying to read Chinglis) if you did not get it, do not worry, probably is my fault. But it will give you an idea how was for me trying to understand signs in Shanghai or Beijing. “Mind your step” was written in some stars at a museum; I did not get it for a very long time, until I rolled down the stars, bump my head and understand that I should "watch my steps".
26 September 2009 6:17PM gally53 Report this comment
People come from all over the world to become Texans and they speak all kinds of languages in addition to speaking English better than me! It makes Texas a cool place to live. I am fascinated by the many types of English. People of various cultural backgrounds make English their own and always have, and I find this very enlightening and entertaining! Now the third generation Moravians don't speak Czech but you can tell their culture by the way they use English and same with the descendents of the German settlers. And when I talk you can tell my culture got kicked out of Scotland over to Ireland and ended up in the Appalachia making whiskey and shooting critters to cook for supper. Then we kind of spread out from there including all over Texas. Yep, I'm a Redneck! My speech is not as full of quaint anachronisms as was my grandmother's but you can still tell. I think it is all so funny and so much fun. Hooray for Chinglish ~ welcome to the Family!
14 October 2009 9:04PM koolmoedee Report this comment
I'm waiting for the Lonely PLanet Chinglish phrasebook to help me navigate my next trip to China.
15 October 2009 1:57AM kunmingirl Report this comment
I don't think Chinglish is quite a patois of English - yet! I must say that my favorite sign is one we found in a hotel room: "Destroy six injurious insects". I love it because I still don't know just what this means - six individual insects? six types of insects are meant to experience total extinction? which six? any six I choose? some six kinds that all Chinese can identify but I can't? it's a leftover Maoist campaign like that of the flies? it's my responsibility to kill six - what??
15 October 2009 5:27PM vener Report this comment
I'm a native in china ,so next time anyone want to vist henan province in china ,I would like to keep you company and invite you to my home and enjoy my mother's fantastic meal,frankly speaking,I want to practice my english with you!!!
11 November 2009 3:09AM alpstyletravel Report this comment
Try to understand a little bit more about Chinese before you go to China, which will make you feel better in China. Do as Roman does.