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Mistranslation
These are real! In a hotel in Athens: "Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily." In a Paris hotel elevator: "Please leave your values at the front desk." In a Japanese hotel: "You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid." In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery: "You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday." On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: "Our wines leave you nothing to hope for." Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop: "Ladies may have a fit upstairs." In a Bangkok dry cleaner's: "Drop your trousers here for best results." In a Rhodes tailor shop: "Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation." Similarly, from the Soviet Weekly: "There will be a Moscow Exhibition of Arts by 15,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These were executed over the past two years." In a Rome laundry: "Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time." In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: "We take your bags and send them in all directions." On the door of a Moscow hotel room: "If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it." In the office of a Roman doctor: "Specialist in women and other diseases." In an Acapulco hotel: "The manager has personally passed all the water served here." In a Tokyo shop: "Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are best in the long run." Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance: "English well talking." "Here speeching American." Sign in a hotel corridor in Istanbul: "Please to evacuate in hall especially which is accompanied by rude noises." In a Tokyo bar: Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts. At a Budapest zoo: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty. In a Swiss mountain inn: Special today -- no ice cream. Detour sign in Kyushi, Japan: Stop: Drive Sideways. On the faucet in a Finnish washroom: To stop the drip, turn cock to right. In the window of a Swedish furrier: Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin. In a Czechoslovakian tourist agency: Take one of our horse-driven city tours -- we guarantee no miscarriages. In a Vienna hotel: In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter. Chinese Mistranslation : The name Coca-Cola in China was first rendered as Ke-kou-ke-la. Unfortunately, the Coke company did not discover until after thousands of signs had been printed that the phrase means "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax" depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 Chinese characters and found a close phonetic equivalent, ko-kou-ko-le, which can be loosely translated as "happiness in the mouth". When translated into Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off". In a Hong Kong supermarket: "For your convenience, we recommend courageous, efficient self-service". In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist: "Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists". On the box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong: "Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life". French Mistranslation : Hunt-Wesson introduced its Big John products in French Canada as Gros Jos before finding out that the phrase, in slang, means "big breasts". In this case, however, the name problem did not have a noticeable effect on sales. Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno mag. Italian Mistranslation : In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into Schweppes Toilet Water. Instructions on a packet of convenience food from Italy: "Besmear a backing pan, previously buttered with a good tomato sauce, and, after, dispose the cannelloni, lightly distanced between them in a only couch." . In a Rome laundry: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time. Italian/Italy: In a Rome laundry: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.. Japanese Mistranslation : The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, "Salem - Feeling Free," got translated in the Japanese market into "When smoking Salem, you feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty". Japan's second-largest tourist agency was mystified when it entered English-speaking markets and began receiving requests for unusual sex tours. Upon finding out why, the owners of Kinki Nippon Tourist Company changed its name. A warning to motorists in Tokyo: "When a passenger of the foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet at him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage, then tootle him with vigor." Panasonic developed a complete Japanese Web browser, and to make the system user-friendly, licensed the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as the "Internet guide." Panasonic eventually planned on a world version of the product. The day before the ads were to be released, Panasonic decided to delay the product launch indefinately. The reason: an American staff member at the internal product launch explained to the stunned and embarrassed Japanese what the ad's slogan, "Touch Woody - The Internet Pecker", might mean to English speakers. In a Tokyo hotel: Is forbitten to steal hotel toweles please. If you are not person to do such thing is please not to read this notice. In a Japanese hotel room: Please to bathe inside the tub. In a Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid. Diversion sign in Kyushi, Japan: Stop - Drive Sideways. English text on products made in Japan solely for Japanese consumers : Message printed on an eraser: "Mr. Friendly Quality Eraser. Mr. Friendly Arrived!! He always stay near you, and steals in your mind to lead you to a good situation.". On the bottom of the eraser is a further message: "We are ecologically minded. This package will self-destruct in Mother Earth." On Coke cans: "I FEEL COKE & SOUND SPECIAL". Text on a shopping bag picturing dancing elephants: "ELEPHANT FAMILY ARE HAPPY WITH US. THEIR HUMMING MAKES US FEEL HAPPY." Text on a shopping bag showing yachts on a blue sea: "SWITZERLAND: SEASIDE CITY". A range of products by a company called Cream Soda used to have the slogan: "Too fast to live, too young to happy".. Spanish Mistranslation : When General Motors introduced the Chevy Nova in South America, it was apparently unaware that "no va" means "it won't go". After the company figured out why it wasn't selling any cars, it renamed the car in its Spanish markets to the Caribe. When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say "It won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you". However, the company's mistakenly thought the Spanish word "embarazar" meant embarrass. Instead the ads said that "It wont leak in your pocket and make you pregnant". An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of the desired "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the shirts proclaimed "I Saw the Potato". Chicken-man Frank Perdue's slogan, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken", got terribly mangled in another Spanish translation. A photo of Perdue with one of his birds appeared on billboards all over Mexico with a caption that explained "It takes a hard man to make a chicken aroused". In an Acapulco hotel a sign read "The manager has personally passed all the water served here". Other Languages : Czechoslovakia: in a Czechoslovakian tourist agency: Take one of our horse-driven city tours - we guarantee no miscarriages. Denmark: in a Copenhagen airline ticket office: We take your bags and send them in all directions. German/Austria: a sign in a hotel catering to skiers read "Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the boots of ascension". German/Austria: on a Vienna hotel: In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter. British/England: in an effort to boost orange juice sales in predominantly continental breakfast eating England, a campaign was devised to extol the drink's eye-opening, pick-me-up qualities. Hence, slogan, "Orange juice. It gets your pecker up". German/Germany: in a Leipzig elevator: Do not enter the lift backwards, and only when lit up. German/Germany: a sign posted in Germany's Black Forest: It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose. Greek/Greece: in a hotel in Athens: Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily. Polish/Poland: on the menu of a Polish hotel: Salad a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten up in the country people's fashion. Portuguese/Brazil: Ford had a problem in Brazil when the Pinto flopped. The company found out that Pinto was Brazilian slang for "tiny male genitals". Ford pried all the nameplates off and substituted Corcel, which means horse. Romania: in a Bucharest hotel lobby: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable. Russian/Russia: on the door of a Moscow hotel room: If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it. Russian/Russia: a translated sentence from a Russian chess book: A lot of water has been passed under the bridge since this variation has been played. Serbia: in a Belgrade hotel elevator: To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order. Other Languages continued: Sweden: in the window of a Swedish furrier: Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin. Switzerland: in a Swiss menu: "Our wines leave you nothing to hope for". Switzerland: in a Swiss mountain inn: Special today - no ice cream. Taiwan: [Read more about this at Come Alive!9] the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead" Thailand: an ad for donkey rides asked "Would you like to ride on your own ass?". Thailand: in a Bangkok dry-cleaners: Drop your trousers here for best results. Thailand: in a Bangkok temple: It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man. Yugoslavia: a sign in a hotel read "The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid. Turn to her straightaway." Yugoslavia: in the Europa Hotel, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, you will find this message on every door: "Guests should announce the abandonment of theirs rooms before 12 o'clock, emptying the room at the latest until 14 o'clock, for the use of the room before 5 at the arrival or after the 16 o'clock at the departure, will be billed as one night more.". Unknown (South Africa? France? Australia?): in a Rhodes tailor's shop: Order your summers suit. Because in big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation. Mistranslated Song Lyrics: Fiona Apple - Sleep to dream Misheard Lyrics: This mindless body and this voice cannot be stopped So just buy your tv and wait Correct Lyrics: This mind, this body and this voice cannot be stifled By your deviant ways Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal Misheard Lyrics: Annie Oakley You're Oakley You okay, Auntie? or Karaoke, karaoke, karoke anti Correct Lyrics: Annie are you okay? You okay? You okay, Annie? A Perfect Circle - Judith "Judith" Misheard Lyrics: You smell like you killed someone Correct Lyrics: It's not like you killed someone Aerosmith - Jaded Misheard Lyrics: You think that's where it's at, but is that where it's suppose to be, You're getting it all over me Correct Lyrics: Your fingers where it's at, but is that where it's supposed to be, You're getting it all over me Alice in Chains - Heaven Beside You Misheard Lyrics: Like a cold ass winter chill Heaven beside you head over heels Correct Lyrics: Like the coldest winter chill Heaven beside you hell within Christina Aguilera - Genie in a bottle Misheard Lyrics: I am Genie Abo Dabo, baby Correct Lyrics: I'm a Genie in a bottle, baby Mistranslated Song Lyrics: The B-52's - Love Shack Misheard Lyrics: Wearin next to nothin, Cause it's hard as a nothin Correct Lyrics: Wearin next to nothin, cause its hot as an oven Backstreet Boys - I want it that way Misheard Lyrics: Ain't nothin' but a Fart, hey. Ain't nothin' but a Beef Steak Correct Lyrics: Ain't nothin' but a heartache Ain't nothin' but a mistake Sublime - Santeria Misheard Lyrics: Daddy's got a new porcupine Correct Lyrics: Daddy's got a new .45 Sugar Ray- Fly Misheard Lyrics: I just swallowed a fly Correct Lyrics: I just wanna fly Snoop Doggy Dog - Snoop Bounce Misheard Lyrics: Anal funk as funky as Doggy Dogg Correct Lyrics: Ain't no funk as funky as Doggy Dogg Salt N Pepa - Shoop Misheard Lyrics: Don't you know, I wanna shoot Betty Correct Lyrics: Don't you know, I wanna shoop, baby Mistranslated Song Lyrics: Santana - Evil Ways Misheard Lyrics: With Gene and John and, uh, Ono too Correct Lyrics: With Gene and Joan and who knows who Sir Mix Alot - Baby got back Misheard Lyrics: Baby want a piece of that butthole Correct Lyrics: Baby want a piece of that bubble Sir Mix Alot - Baby got back Misheard Lyrics: Ohhh rumplesmoothskin Correct Lyrics: Ohh all of that smooth skin 2Pac featuring Dre - California Love Misheard Lyrics: Kansas City, city of cotton Correct Lyrics: In the city, city of Compton Offspring - Pretty Fly (For a white Guy) At least you'll know you can always go on thinking Hey Correct Lyrics: At least you'll know you can always go on Ricki Lake Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train Misheard Lyrics: I'm going out with Ray and his crazy friends Correct Lyrics: I'm going off the rail on a crazy train Mistranslated Song Lyrics: Ricky Martin - She Bangs Misheard Lyrics: 'cause she looks like a flower but she stinks like a pig Correct Lyrics: 'cause she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee Alanis Morissette - Head over feet Misheard Lyrics: You're my best friend, best friend without a face Correct Lyrics: You're my best friend, best friend with benefits Metallica - Enter Sandman Misheard Lyrics: Hush Little Baby, don't say a word And never mind that noisy bird Correct Lyrics: Hush little baby, don't say a word And never mind that noise you heard Crazytown - Butterfly Misheard Lyrics: So sexy, almost Devo Correct Lyrics: So sexy, almost evil Sheryl Crow - All I wanna do Misheard Lyrics: All I wanna do, is hurt someone Correct Lyrics: All I wanna do, is have some fun M.C. Hammer - Too Legit Misheard Lyrics: Tuna fish, Tuna fish and chips or Do the jet, do the jet or Do the jerk, do the jerk at work! Correct Lyrics: Too legit, too legit to quit! Mistranslated Song Lyrics: Hole- Malibu Misheard Lyrics: And the sun goes down and washes him away or And the sun goes down, I walk into the waves or And the sun goes down, I watch you do the wave Correct Lyrics: And the sun goes down, I watch you slip away Dave Matthews Band - Crash into Me Misheard Lyrics: I'm the king of the castle, you're a fucking a**hole Correct Lyrics: I'm the king of the castle, you're the dirty rascal Dido - Thank you Misheard Lyrics: And I want to thank you for giving me the mistake of my life Correct Lyrics: And I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life Disturbed - Stupify Misheard Lyrics: Deep in my plate, deep in my bowl, I eat Spaghetti-O's! rock!!! Correct Lyrics: Look in my face, step in my soul, I begin to Stupify! Rock!! Dr Dre - Let Me Ride Misheard Lyrics: Bitches relax while I get my Papa Smurf on Correct Lyrics: Bitches relax while I get my proper swerve on Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence Misheard Lyrics: You can scratch your lover But that won't stop your itching Correct Lyrics: You can scratch all over But that won't stop your itching Mistranslated Song Lyrics: Michael Jackson - Heal the world Misheard Lyrics: Heal the world make it a better place For you and for me and the anti-human race Correct Lyrics: Heal the world make it a better place For you and for me and the entire human race Montell Jordan - This is how we do it Misheard Lyrics: And I'm never comin' back on an old-school track Correct Lyrics: I'll never come wack on an old-school track Limp Bizkit - Rollin Misheard Lyrics: Keep Bonin' Bonin' Bonin' Bonin' Correct Lyrics: Keep Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Linkin Park - One step closer Misheard Lyrics: I find the answers are so queer Correct Lyrics: I find the answers aren't so clear Lil Romeo - My baby Misheard Lyrics: Oh Romeo let's view this porno Correct Lyrics: Oh Romie, you're the cutest boy I know Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood Misheard Lyrics: I've got new socks, but not for long Correct Lyrics: I'm useless but not for long |
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++Elizabeth. 15. red hair. green eyes. ga. single. may 5. ++loves: friends, shopping, autumn, scotland, ireland, braveheart, scottish romance novels. ++hates: ketchup, things getting near my eyes, alarm clocks, spiders. |