This week in Shanghaiist
Shanghai Daily's recent article about the city starting a new phase in its campaign to wipe out those hilarious Chinglish signs reminded of something: this sign we snapped earlier this year at the Pearl Tower.
We had been meaning to go back to take better versions, but - if Shanghai Daily's right and student volunteers WILL be checking on public place translations from here on out - we're afraid they won't be there when we get back. It is the Pearl Tower, after all. While Shanghai doesn't always make sense, we'd think that'd be one of the first places they spell/grammar check.
So what isn't allowed at the Pearl Tower as of 2009?
- The ragamuffin, drunken people and psychotics
- smoking at non-appointed spots
- carrying tinder and exploder (banger, match, lighter), restricted cutter (kitchen knife, scissor, fruit knife, sword and so on) and metal-made electric appliance.
- carrying animals and the articles which disturb common sanitation (including the peculiar smell of effluvium!)
- carrying the articles which can destroy and pollute inner environment of the Tower.
- carrying dangerous germs, pets and other baleful biology. Forbid any articles from epidemic areas (Damn, so much for this ebola mask we were going to bring in)
- hanging streamer, slogan and any other prints in the Tower, including commerce, politics, religion and so on.
Oh yes, and...
- The cubage of liquid article which tourist carries can't exceed 100 milliliter. And the liquid article must be put at the appointed spot to accept examination. After confirmed, it can be carried into the Tower. The interloper carrying contraband will be punished seriously by police.
Got that, ragamuffin?
Photo by Jdog and E.Handsome
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There's nothing peculiar about the smell of my effluvium
ja, this has always been my favorite shanghai sign. Seems like the first thing to be weary about, is them dopey conquerors trying to burn it up with a beer in the urban hights.
Every once in a while I get asked advice on the best way to translate something, and I my answer is "I don't know, because we would never say it in the first place." The effluvium bit qualifies.
This gives me a great idea for a new product- Chinglish fridge poetry magnet sets. Just like regular poetry magnets, but I'd also throw in random SAT words ("interloper", "baleful", "ragamuffin", "effluvium") and lots of extra "the" magnets and unconjugated verbs.
I'm rich, biach!