How is the wrong English collection Engrish? Wrong English collection Engrish review and website information

As globalization deepens, English, as an international language, is almost everywhere. However, due to cultural and linguistic differences between countries, some ridiculous mistakes are inevitable in the use of English. These mistakes not only confuse native English speakers, but also embarrass non-native speakers. The Engrish website is a platform dedicated to collecting these incorrect English usages. Its existence not only provides people with lighthearted jokes, but also makes us reflect on the importance of language learning.

Origin and Definition of the English Website

The Engrish website was founded in 2004 by Ben Zimmer, a man who is passionate about language and culture. The original intention of the website was to collect and display incorrect English used in advertising design, product packaging, signage, etc. in Asian countries, especially Japan and China. The word Engrish itself is a humorous treatment of "English", specifically referring to incorrect English usage with obvious cultural characteristics that occurs in non-English speaking countries.

The website defines Engrish as follows: "Engrish refers to the funny English mistakes that appear in Japanese advertising designs and product packaging." Over time, the concept of Engrish has gradually expanded to include not only Japan, but also other Asian countries, especially China. For this reason, the website has also opened a section called "Chinglish" to showcase typical mistakes in Chinese English.

English website operation model

The core content of the Engrish website mainly relies on photos and text descriptions uploaded by users. Users can find scenarios where incorrect English is used in daily life, take photos and upload them to the website with a short description. This crowdsourcing model makes the website's content very rich, covering almost all occasions, such as restaurant menus, tourist attraction signs, product packaging, billboards, etc.

The content of the website is classified into different categories, such as "Food and Beverages", "Clothing and Fashion", "Electronics", "Travel and Transportation", etc., which is convenient for users to browse and search. In addition, the website also has "Latest Uploads" and "Most Popular" sections, which show the latest content uploaded by users and the content with the highest number of likes.

Cultural Significance of Engrish Websites

The Engrish website is not just an entertainment platform, it also has certain cultural significance. First, it reflects the challenges that non-English speaking countries encounter in learning and using English in the context of globalization. As an international language, the importance of English is self-evident, but it is not easy for non-native speakers to master English grammar, vocabulary and expressions.

Secondly, the Engrish website shows the collision and integration of different cultures. The appearance of incorrect English is often caused by literal translation or cultural differences. For example, in Chinese, "加油" is a word of encouragement, but if it is literally translated as "add oil", it becomes meaningless in English. This cultural difference is not only interesting, but also reminds us to pay attention to the accuracy of language and cultural background in cross-cultural communication.

Finally, the Engrish website also provides a platform for English learners to reflect and learn. By browsing these examples of incorrect English, learners can better understand the correct use of English and avoid making similar mistakes in future use.

Typical Error Examples on English Websites

The incorrect English examples collected on the Engrish website are varied and cover various fields. The following are some typical incorrect English examples:

1. Menu translation error

In restaurant menus, incorrect translations are the most common. For example, a Japanese restaurant translated "fried chicken" as "fried chicken", but in Japanese, "fried chicken" is "唐揚げ" (karaage). If it is translated directly as "fried chicken", it will lose its original cultural connotation. For another example, a Chinese restaurant translated "Kung Pao Chicken" as "government abuse chicken". This literal translation is not only confusing, but also hilarious.

2. Errors in advertising slogans

The incorrect translations in advertising slogans are also hilarious. For example, the slogan of a Japanese cosmetics company is "make your skin as soft as a baby's bottom", but after being translated into English, it becomes "make your skin as soft as a baby's bottom". Although the meaning is similar, the expression is different. For another example, the slogan of a Chinese company is "we are the best", but after being translated into English, it becomes "we are the bestest". This grammatical error makes people laugh and cry.

3. Errors in product packaging

In product packaging, incorrect translations are also common. For example, a biscuit package produced by a Japanese company says "delicious and tasty", and this repetitive expression makes people feel redundant. Another example is a beverage package produced by a Chinese company that says "drink and enjoy". Although this literal translation is correct, it does not seem natural in English.

4. Errors on signage

Incorrect translations are common on signs at tourist attractions and public places. For example, a sign at a Chinese scenic spot reads "please do not climb the tree", but after being translated into English, it becomes "please do not climb the tree, or you will be punished", which makes people feel uncomfortable with this threatening expression. Another example is a sign at a Japanese hotel that reads "please do not smoke in the room", but after being translated into English, it becomes "please do not smoke in the room, or you will be fined", which also makes people feel unnatural.

Social Impact of English Websites

The existence of the Engrish website not only provides people with lighthearted jokes, but also has a certain impact on society. First, it reminds us of the importance of language learning in the context of globalization. As an international language, the importance of English is self-evident, but it is not easy for non-native speakers to master English grammar, vocabulary and expressions. By browsing these examples of incorrect English, learners can better understand the correct use of English and avoid making similar mistakes in future use.

Secondly, Engrish websites also promote cross-cultural communication. The appearance of incorrect English is often caused by literal translation or cultural differences. For example, in Chinese, "加油" is a word of encouragement, but if it is literally translated as "add oil", it becomes meaningless in English. This cultural difference is not only interesting, but also reminds us to pay attention to the accuracy of language and cultural background in cross-cultural communication.

Finally, the Engrish website also provides valuable materials for English teaching. By analyzing these cases of incorrect English, teachers can better understand the difficulties students encounter in the process of learning English and thus develop more targeted teaching strategies.

Future development of the English website

With the deepening of globalization, the future development prospects of Engrish website are broad. First, with the advancement of Internet technology, the functions of the website will be more complete. For example, artificial intelligence technology can be used to automatically identify and classify cases of incorrect English, improving the updating speed and accuracy of content. Secondly, as the number of users increases, the content of the website will be richer, covering more countries and languages. Finally, with the deepening of cross-cultural communication, the cultural significance of Engrish website will be more prominent, becoming a bridge connecting different cultures.

In short, Engrish is not only an entertainment platform, but also a cultural phenomenon. By collecting and displaying examples of incorrect English, it reminds us of the importance of language learning, promotes cross-cultural communication, and provides valuable materials for English teaching. With the deepening development of globalization, Engrish has a bright future and will continue to provide people with lighthearted jokes while promoting the exchange and integration of languages ​​and cultures.