http://www.engrish.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/03/thank-you-for-understanding.jpg

http://www.engrish.com/2011/03/failure-to-understand-japanese-is-no-excuse/feed/

Here are some common pitfalls when creating signage. Watch out for them!

• 1. Incompleteness and wordiness

These are opposite problems, but a. This sign may have meant to use English as a "decoration" but says nothing to the non-Japanese reader. http://www.engrish.com/2011/03/failure-to-understand-japanese-is-no-excuse/ Notice…thank you for understanding b. Overpoliteness and Wordiness http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/03/dumping-from-a-balcony.jpg

c. Long sentences http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2014/06/because-there-is-situation.jpg http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/04/step-forward-to-be-dangerous.jpg

• 2. Syntax-based mistranslation

Syntax is one of the biggest problems with translation. a. Addition of subject

It as subject: It notes it gets wet and it slipsそれはそれが濡れて、それがスリップすることに注意しますhttp://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/04/it-gets-wet-and-it-slips.jpg I as subject: I am prohibited from eating and drinking 私はここで食べたり飲んだりできません http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/10/prohibited-from-eating-and-drinking.jpg

b. Addition of object It as object : A man cannot put it in from here. “IT” 男はここからそれを入れない http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2014/09/female-exclusive-use.jpg Me as object :

c. Reversal of word order Find chinese example

• 3. Grammar-based mistranslation

a. Parts of speech

b. articles エレベータートイレはこちらhttp://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/elevator-toilet.jpg c. verb tenses and causation Please do not let it play only in small children http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/01/let-it-play-in-small-children.jpg Don’t play dog http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/03/dont-play-dog-in-park.jpg 犬をしないでください Please cause me trouble http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/06/please-cause-me-trouble.jpg 私を困らせてください

4. Word-meaning mistranslation Many words may have two or more meanings, and be mistranslated in the other meaning. Here are two examples. a. abunai http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/10/horsefly-do-not-enter.jpg In this picture, the word "abunai" has two meanings, one translating as "dangerous" and the other as " no horsefly"　Back translation, oddly enough, produces アヒルは入りません b. agaranai http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/do-not-get-nervous.jpg Do not get nervous is one way to translate 上がらないで　but it means 心配しないで in Japanese. Here, back translation produces ベッドで靴のように緊張しないでください

5. Spelling Spelling problems that result in different words will easily become evident with back-translation, as follows: http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/do-not-dumb-here.jpg ここでは愚かではない。ここではダム区域ではない It is easy to understand that this was not the original meaning of the message.

On the other hand, minor spelling errors will often be automatically corrected and go unnoticed. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/01/bending-machine.jpg Back translation catches “bending machine”ご注文の際は、曲げ機から食事券を購入してください but automatically corrects minor spelling errors such as "pleae" and "oder"

逆翻訳 (日本を緑色にしましょう...消防長を焼かないでください) a. Keep Japan green…don’t burn the fire chief http://www.engrish.com/2005/05/keep-japan-green/

There is…. a. Please call the staff when there is puppy and kitten that likes it それが好きな子犬や子猫がいる場合は、スタッフに電話してください

a. http://www.engrish.com/2011/03/failure-to-understand-japanese-is-no-excuse/ Notice…thank you for understanding

a. Keep Japan green…don’t burn the fire chief http://www.engrish.com/2005/05/keep-japan-green/ 3. Meaning problems 逆翻訳 a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/10/horsefly-do-not-enter.jpg In this picture, the word "abunai" has two meanings, one translating as "dangerous" and the other as " no horsefly"　Back translation, oddly enough, produces アヒルは入りません

b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/do-not-get-nervous.jpg

Most spelling problems will easily become evident with back-translation, as follows: a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/01/bending-machine.jpg Back translation catches “bending machine”ご注文の際は、曲げ機から食事券を購入してください but automatically corrects minor spelling errors such as "pleae" and "oder" b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/do-not-dumb-here.jpg ここでは愚かではない。ここではダム区域ではない

a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/03/dumping-from-a-balcony.jpg Here is a classic example of too much information. The only important part is “Do not throw things from the balcony.” Such overpoliteness and wordiness should be avoided in the preediting stage.

a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/01/bending-machine.jpg ご注文の際は、曲げ機から食事券を購入してください However, google automatically corrects minor spelling errors such as "pleae" and "oder"

b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/do-not-dumb-here.jpg ご注文の際は、曲げ機から食事券を購入してください

There are two major substitutes provided by automatic translation sites for a lack of subject: "It" (それ）and I (私）. These can also often be caught by back-translation. a. “I” http://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment/

d. Passing through is prohibition通過は禁止ですhttp://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment/

Do not get nervous is one way to translate 上がらないで　but it means 心配しないで in Japanese. Here, back translation produces ベッドで靴のように緊張しないでください

For most spelling problems, back-translation will easily make the mistake evident, as follows:

a. Passing through is prohibition http://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment/

In this picture, the word "abunai" has two meanings, one translating as "dangerous" and the other as "horsefly" Unfortunately, back translation does not help here.

Do not get nervous is one way to translate 上がらないで　but it means 心配しないで in Japanese. Here, back translation produces

a. Passing through is prohibition http://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment.jpg

http://www.engrish.com/2011/03/failure-to-understand-japanese-is-no-excuse/ Notice…thank you for understanding -- does not mean anything in English

a. Keep Japan green…don’t burn the fire chief http://www.engrish.com/2005/05/keep-japan-green/

Problems with signage 1. Incompleteness Think of what others see a. http://www.engrish.com/2011/03/failure-to-understand-japanese-is-no-excuse/ Notice…thank you for understanding 2. Syntax problems 逆翻訳 (日本を緑色にしましょう...消防長を焼かないでください) a. Keep Japan green…don’t burn the fire chief http://www.engrish.com/2005/05/keep-japan-green/ 3. Meaning problems double check a. Passing through is prohibition http://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment/ b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/10/horsefly-do-not-enter.jpg c. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/do-not-get-nervous.jpg 4. Spelling problems a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/01/bending-machine.jpg b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/do-not-dumb-here.jpg 5. Overpoliteness and Wordiness a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/05/extraordinary-telephone.jpg b. http://www.engrish.com//wp-content/uploads/2009/02/wash-during-washing.jpg c. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2012/03/dumping-from-a-balcony.jpg

Automatic translation 1. Lack of subject a. “I” Passing through is prohibition通過は禁止ですhttp://www.engrish.com/2011/01/coca-cola-is-a-proud-sponsor-of-the-eighteenth-amendment/ b. 私はここで食べたり飲んだりできませんhttp://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/10/prohibited-from-eating-and-drinking.jpg c. “IT” 男はここからそれを入れない http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2014/09/female-exclusive-use.jpg 2. Long sentences a. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2014/06/because-there-is-situation.jpg b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/04/step-forward-to-be-dangerous.jpg 3. Problems with articles a. エレベータートイレはこちらhttp://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/11/elevator-toilet.jpg b. http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/puppy-kitten-that-likes-it.jpg 4. There is…. a. Please call the staff when there is puppy and kitten that likes it それが好きな子犬や子猫がいる場合は、スタッフに電話してくださいhttp://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/06/puppy-kitten-that-likes-it.jpg b. ブラックシープの後ろに残っていることはありませんか？　http://www.engrish.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/04/behind-toilet-door.jpg 5. Transitive verbs and Causation a. Please do not let it play only in small children http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/01/let-it-play-in-small-children.jpg b. Don’t play dog http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2013/03/dont-play-dog-in-park.jpg 犬をしないでください c. Please cause me trouble http://www.engrish.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/06/please-cause-me-trouble.jpg 私を困らせてください

THE LIMITS OF BACK-TRANSLATION 1. PASSING THROUGH IS PROHIBITION 通過は禁止です 2. Please do not let it play only in small children小さな子供にしか遊べないようにしてください