If only there had been phones with cameras and Engrish.com during my first trip to Japan in 1979, as I sat across from an elderly lady on the subway who was toting a cloth bag with “fuck” written all over it. Had me smiling for the rest of the day. Even then you had to believe that the “designer” knew he was putting one over on the manufacturer.
That’s funny. And yeah, it certainly does make you wonder sometimes. There’s probably a company somewhere whose employees spend all day laughing and seeing what rudeness they can get away with next.
On my recent trip there, I saw a T-shirt prominently displayed in a department store with
WTF in big letters. Printed underneath was supposed to be an explanation, but it read
‘IVHAT THE FDOBE’ Doesn’t anyone check all this fdobing merchandise before it goes out?
To be honest, I’ve seen so many mistakes, whether it be on clothes, menus, advertisements etc., that I’ve come to the conclusion that simply nobody cares. A bit of English is seen as cool, and whether it makes any sense whatsoever seems to be utterly irrelevant.
When I taught English at a senmon gakko in Nagoya, the Japanese staff would often bring things to native speaker teachers to proof-read. More times than I can remember the item in question had already gone to the printers. I’m not sure what the point of this exercise was. Contrition? “See? We don’t really care since few of the incoming students can read English to begin with.” Bad timing?
Perhaps a mixture of the two. So much stuff is made, printed etc. with the most basic spelling mistakes. Errors that even a cursory glance at a dictionary would have sorted. So the don’t care attitude must play a big part.
ron says
Ha! That cap is hilarious!! I want one like that.
Lee says
Quite the fashion accessory, isn’t it? Suits him down to the ground too!
Jeffrey says
If only there had been phones with cameras and Engrish.com during my first trip to Japan in 1979, as I sat across from an elderly lady on the subway who was toting a cloth bag with “fuck” written all over it. Had me smiling for the rest of the day. Even then you had to believe that the “designer” knew he was putting one over on the manufacturer.
Lee says
That’s funny. And yeah, it certainly does make you wonder sometimes. There’s probably a company somewhere whose employees spend all day laughing and seeing what rudeness they can get away with next.
Hans ter Horst says
I’m dyslectic and the FCUK (French Connection UK) design on t-shirts and bags still throws me off 🙂
Lee says
I’m not surprised. Used to make me do a double take too when it first became popular.
June says
On my recent trip there, I saw a T-shirt prominently displayed in a department store with
WTF in big letters. Printed underneath was supposed to be an explanation, but it read
‘IVHAT THE FDOBE’ Doesn’t anyone check all this fdobing merchandise before it goes out?
Lee says
Haha, that takes some beating!
To be honest, I’ve seen so many mistakes, whether it be on clothes, menus, advertisements etc., that I’ve come to the conclusion that simply nobody cares. A bit of English is seen as cool, and whether it makes any sense whatsoever seems to be utterly irrelevant.
Jeffrey says
When I taught English at a senmon gakko in Nagoya, the Japanese staff would often bring things to native speaker teachers to proof-read. More times than I can remember the item in question had already gone to the printers. I’m not sure what the point of this exercise was. Contrition? “See? We don’t really care since few of the incoming students can read English to begin with.” Bad timing?
Lee says
Perhaps a mixture of the two. So much stuff is made, printed etc. with the most basic spelling mistakes. Errors that even a cursory glance at a dictionary would have sorted. So the don’t care attitude must play a big part.