When Sign Translations Go Badly Wrong

May 24, 2022 | Jack Muscutt

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Signs form an important, yet underrated, part of our daily lives. They direct us when we’re lost, warn us about potential dangers, and generally keep us informed about all sorts of things – from opening and closing times, to the rules and laws of the land.

These informational notices are often reproduced into multiple languages in different countries – but what happens when embarrassing translation errors occur? Brace yourself, as we take you through the ultimate hall of shame, featuring our shortlist of funny mistranslations and shockingly bad localization examples.

Brutally straight to the point

The correct translation of this Arabic sign should read: ‘Sale [of] Slaughtered Chicken’ – meaning they are not sold alive, but already killed, in accordance with Islamic law. However, the translator chose the above sentence, without knowing how to express the fact that the chickens have already been slaughtered!

A warning to all parents

This sign, believed to have been erected in India, should read: ‘Go Slow, Accident Prone Area’. However, the translator appears to have got their words mixed up – to disastrous consequences! The words ‘prone’ and ‘porn’ may sound similar to a non-native English speaker, but there is still no excuse for this.

Always remember the essentials

This unusual sign should have been translated as: ‘Just Reach Out Your Hands’ from the Spanish original language. But no, whoever translated this had other ideas, choosing to specifically remind us to bring along those all-important set of tools we were born with! Just remember to double-check that you have them with you the next time you use the restroom.

Don’t follow the rules

Talk about getting a sign badly wrong! The French to English translation should say: ‘Failure To Comply With The Rules Will Result In Exclusion’. Basically, follow the rules – or leave. Maybe at this particular swimming pool the rules don’t apply to the English speaking customers? If so, that’s very unfair on the French patrons.

Get ready for lift-off

This takes fast food to new heights! Diners at this restaurant in India may want to think again about ordering their food here, especially if they plan to eat around lunchtime – unless they fancy a bit of curry in a hurry! Again, this is a classic case of a translation error occurring when two words sound alike and are similarly spelled.

A sign with a problem

For many students around the world, expensive tuition fees might leave them feeling like they’ve had a bum deal. But judging by the name of the English academy written on this Indian sign, learners may want to reassess their schooling options before studying there! Punctuation (or lack of) is the problem here, with a missing apostrophe in Anu’s English Academy leading to much hilarity.

A very special rule

There is a lot to unpack from this sign, from the misspelling of ‘women’ to the dodgy sentence structure and use of words! It should roughly translate as: ‘Women/Ladies Only Area – Men Are Not Allowed To Enter’ – but this wasn’t the case, and as a result we get one of the worst cases of literal translations around! If only the Arabic to English translator knew what it really meant.

A drastic career change

A classic case of one word sounding like another. Rather than being ‘prosecuted’ and dealt with by the authorities, shoplifters at this place should be aware of the extreme consequences in store for them, if caught! Some may feel that this is an appropriate punishment for thieves, but currently the law does not require robbers to enter into such a career.

A mind numbing translation

This sign can be found in Thailand, and it looks as if all the words were just randomly thrown together! It should read: ‘Do Not Pick The Tips Of The Tea Leaves’. However, the Thai original text contains words with multiple meanings, so in this case, the translator appears to have searched for each term in the dictionary and then put them all together.

Careful where you walk

While this example is in Arabic, it’s a sign that can be found in numerous countries and in various languages across the world. In most instances, it makes sense, thanks to a correct grammatical structure. But here, the lack of a comma or exclamation mark to separate out the words makes it read like a very harsh indictment of those innocent, fun-loving children.

At Pangea Global, our main focus is to meet your translation and localization needs via our dedicated team of professionals who are on hand to help make your content sparkle. Does this sound good to you? Get in touch here.

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When Sign Translations Go Badly Wrong

Brutally straight to the point

A warning to all parents

Always remember the essentials

Don’t follow the rules

Get ready for lift-off

A sign with a problem

A very special rule

A drastic career change

A mind numbing translation

Careful where you walk

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