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Utterly Lost in Translation

Even more misadventures in English abroad

The third in the Lost in Translation series. When do I get the Nobel prize for services to linguistics?

Utterly Lost in Translation
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And still they come ... Favourites this time? The electrical wire cutters from China: ‘Before use, please read this instruction for god's sake'. The menu item in Italy: ‘Overcooked to the Chianti'. The pool sign in Greece: ‘Each swimmer before coming to the space of swimming pool owes to go to the bathroom for urination and then to have a bath of cleaness.' Important lessons for life, I trust you'll agree.

 

‘The world's worst English language blunders revealed ... some of the very best language howlers.' The Mirror

Content

London Bus

A London double decker bus can lean further from the vertical without falling over than a human can. What a great way of learning about centres of gravity. The reason a Routemaster can lean so far is that there's a great long strip of pig-iron welded to its base, keeping you top-deckers safe as you go round corners. If you want reassuring photographic evidence, click here