Live from Japan!

I love that this one uses the japanese structure with the verb at the end of the sentence. The sign seems so formal.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the English on this sign, but I still thought it was pretty classic. I am always amazed at how many women ride the trains doing there whole makeup routine. They open their bags and take out large makeup mirrors and every product imaginable and proceed to spend a considerable amount of time “putting on their face.” I like that Tokyo is starting to act against this trend and kindly asking women to do their beauty treatments at home.

Somehow I just love that they say “conductress,” instead of “conductor.” Sounds so much cooler!

This one really isn’t Engrish. The English on these signs is actually delightfully perfect. Even still, I really liked the ways they chose to translate some of the ideas. Charming! Click on the photos to make them bigger and more clearly read what they have to say.

I love the way they say, “If you do so, we are not responsible for what will happen.” I think that I should start saying this more often. Could be fun!

I disagree! I don’t think that a woman’s power is terrible! Who prints such things on jackets for young girls??

This sign is from a yaki niku (fried meat) restaurant in Okinawa. It is an obvious reminder of one of the greatest difficulties for students learning language. Homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings) are difficult to explain and difficult to help students learn. Aside from memorization or repeated experience, there is simply no easy and systematic way to learn homophones.

Even though homophones are notoriously difficult, I am always a little surprised when a simple mistake like this is emblazoned in such a permanent way. A quick glance at “meet” in the dictionary and the creators of the sign would have realized that they had the wrong word. It is not a difficult problem to solve.

Sorry the blog has been a bit quiet over the past few days, we snuck away for a long weekend in Okinawa. It was fun, albeit a little cooler than I would have liked. I was expecting a tropical paradise, but they had a bit of a cold snap while we were there. Actually, it was warmer in Nagoya, near Gifu, than in Okinawa for much of our visit. Oh well, can’t win them all.

Anyways, much fun was still had. We really liked this one little burger joint that we stopped at. Good burgers and fun atmosphere, very close to the beach. And, as it turns out, they had some good Engrish too.

It’s true, they didn’t speak much English but they did give a service hard.

At our local 100-yen shop, they have a nicely sized baking needs section. My favorite thing about the section is that all of the items have very literal English translations. Some of the translations are helpful, some of them not-so-much.

Color Sugar – I would call these “jimmies” because that is what my grandma (a Milwaukee native called them). Does anyone else call them “jimmies?”

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This little gem, comes from a groovy little ’50s style american diner we found this weekend in Nagoya. I don’t know how long it is that women’s hearts wait. But this guy, he waits longer.

Also, apparently today is National Grammar Day. I found this out by way of Jill, who oddly seems to have posted about it in the wee hours of the morning on March the 3, not March the 4. I won’t give her too much of a hard time, however, as this is National Grammar Day, not National Calendar Day.

I am not even sure if I can officially celebrate this day, as I am not in the USA. I suppose there are also those who would rather I not participate, because I am becoming an anti-“grammar nazi”. I will, however, say a few things about grammar, and the world of english grammar here in japan. (As an english teacher, perhaps I am entitled?)

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