Latest Chinglish Follies - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: SgtRock
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2013, 08:11:02 pm
content: Greetings EEVBees:--See link below for eBay item; Indoor Outdoor Digital Thermometer Hygrometer.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Indoor-Outdoor-Digital-Thermometer-Hygrometer-With-Dual-Sensors-Large-Screen-bfe-/271205191240?pt=US_Weather_Meters&hash=item3f2516ce48--Below are some of the Highlights of the Chinglish listing. I welcome anyone to attempt a translation of the first.1)"The instrument has one string to deduct location behind one's back prop up the board," --I am clueless.2)"Put the battery in accordance with instructions of straight negative pole. --I think I understand this one.3)"Press the MAX key and measure the highest temperature/humidity inside and outside the room of the environment at present. --I think I get this one as well."Happy for you to desoldering, please."Wun Hung Lo 1948 -Best RegardsClear Ether

author: kfitch42
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2013, 08:22:10 pm
content: Quote from: SgtRock on May 13, 2013, 08:11:02 pmIgnoring the rest, "prop up the board" probably refers to the "tilting bail" i.e. "stand"

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2013, 08:25:52 pm
content: Quote from: SgtRock on May 13, 2013, 08:11:02 pmThe instrument has onestringprobetodeductmeasurelocationweather(from "climate"?)behind one's back prop up the boardoutside?"Behind one's back prop up the board": I don't speak Chinese, but I'm a bit of a linguistics geek so maybe I can figure this one out. "One's" can also be "its", since Chinese doesn't always distinguish between pronouns which refer to humans and ones that do not. "Prop up" could be replaced by "support", which could be a verb, noun or adjective (another place where Chinese makes minimal distinction), and I'd also pull out "the" as probably used incorrectly. Therefore, "Behind its back support board". That's not too bad. I'd guess that would either mean "external to the device" (literally "behind the enclosure" or "behind the tilting bail"), or if a "support board" could be a wall, perhaps just "outdoors".Anybody here speak Chinese?

author: kfitch42
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2013, 08:32:34 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on May 13, 2013, 08:25:52 pmI suspect that even some who spoke Chinese would be at a loss. Too much lost in translation already.Google translate needs an 'undo' option. i.e. Give me some Chinese that would have been machine translated to this gibberish ... then a real translator might have a chance.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2013, 08:44:57 pm
content: I doubt there's as much lost as you think. Machine translators almost never discard information, and a fluent speaker would know what's a synonym or homonym for what in his language.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 05:44:08 am
content: Here is one I came across today on DX.comWho wants someInflaming Retarding Heat shrink tubesObviously this was supposed to be flame retardant, but the mistranslation made me chuckle.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 10:55:14 am
content: The AliExpress forums are great if you like this sort of humour.Examples:http://community.aliexpress.com/threads/9735-Would-you-same-to-wager-Apple-attain-am-iPhone-with-a-keyboardhttp://community.aliexpress.com/threads/28563-How-do-I-alter-my-concern-alarm

author: mikes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 11:09:53 am
content: The canonical one is Tongue of Frog:

author: kfitch42
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 02:41:33 pm
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on May 14, 2013, 05:44:08 amBest part is under features:Quote

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 03:18:25 pm
content: Quote from: SgtRock on May 13, 2013, 08:11:02 pmI speak Chinese but this took me quite a while to figure out! To the best of my ability I think the author is trying to say:The instrument has a stand (tilting bail) tucked away in the back that can support itI believe "string" here is the unit noun (like "sheet" in "a sheet of paper"), but it's a poor choice of word even in that sense because it usually refers to long skinny object such as, you guessed it, a stringI wouldn't use it to describe a tilting bail. "Deduct" when translated into the Chinese word has another meaning of "clip", "snap", "locked", etc., which would make more sense here.

author: daveshah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 07:45:07 pm
content: I think they're having a go at promoting their products with poetry now.QuoteFromhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATTEN-AT-858D-SMD-Hot-Air-Rework-Station-Solder-220V-/310539474247

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2013, 09:31:02 pm
content: Quote from: daveshah on May 14, 2013, 07:45:07 pmThe handle does look a bit plane-like if you look at it right...

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 06:14:10 pm
content: Best chinglish I have seen in a while:http://www.ebay.com/itm/131004865295QuoteThough since it is from Korea, would it be Korenglish?

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 06:15:39 pm
content: Tricycles are very popular in China. Or at least I saw them all over Taipei and the poor parts of Hong Kong. Stick a flat bed behind it, it's good for hauling groceries or kids if you can't afford a car or scooter.

author: PedroDaGr8
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 06:16:51 pm
content: Quote from: Phaedrus on July 07, 2014, 06:15:39 pmI guess its a motorized trike, otherwise where do you get the power. When I think of tricycle I think of this:

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 06:18:00 pm
content: What do you think this is, America? It's all pedal power, baby!

author: justanothercanuck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 07:49:29 pm
content: Quote from: Phaedrus on July 07, 2014, 06:18:00 pmWhat's that metal bar on the front for? A snowplow?

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2014, 09:33:46 pm
content: Quote from: iloveelectronics on May 14, 2013, 03:18:25 pmI have a feeling it is meant to go something like "The instrument has a probe for temperature and a tilting bale on the back to hold it up

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 01:29:56 am
content: Quote from: justanothercanuck on July 07, 2014, 07:49:29 pmNope, it is the equivalent of a cow catcher on an old steam locomotive.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 02:03:51 am
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on July 08, 2014, 01:29:56 amProbably. GO shopping and push everyone out of your way to get the sale items first.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 01:12:57 pm
content: from a chinese motor / blind controller:

author: justanothercanuck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 03:16:55 pm
content: I just pulled out the manual for my (scooter-style) e-bike, because I remembered it was in chinglish. I was flipping through it and it starts off talking about my e-bike, then goes into adjusting the seat and handlebars of a pedal bike. Uhh... wtf?

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 03:32:13 pm
content: Quote from: dexters_lab on July 08, 2014, 01:12:57 pmYep, my phone cable is badness

author: SirNick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 06:33:18 pm
content: Haha! "Power supply is conk out" I would love to write that as an error message for a device. Except that it would probably be a condition the excludes the possibility of producing an error message. Eh...

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 08:13:51 pm
content: I got these while on vacation in China a few years ago... I think my favorite is the "swimming Fool"

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2014, 09:17:51 pm
content: One that might help owners of at least 2 brands of older entry level DSO's.I haven't been able to find it again in recent manuals.A passage in the owners manual refered to the "humorous waveform"Eventually deciphered by a customer of mine as meaning:fundamental waveformOf course.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2014, 01:49:11 pm
content: I had a friend start a business offering Chinese companies offering to fix their shoddy websites loaded up with bad English. They were not interested. They know they make money from tight-arsed westerners, whether the English is good or bad.Incidentally, despite popular belief, there is no official language in Australia and there never has been. English is not our official language.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2014, 04:11:23 pm
content: You are lucky there, we have 11 here in South Africa.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2014, 05:42:41 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on July 10, 2014, 04:11:23 pmDoes this figure represent all that are used by the population, or just what's officially recognized by the government?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2014, 06:01:54 pm
content: Just the official ones..........

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2014, 05:37:14 am
content: Quote from: PedroDaGr8 on July 07, 2014, 06:16:51 pmDawwwwwwww.... that trike is cute no matter how you look at it. My grandpa got one just like it for my sister and it was one of her prized possessions. That is until dad tossed it out one day.. Big tears there were on that dark day.

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2015, 09:01:51 pm
content: I had to bring this thread back to life, because it gave me many chuckles and I hope I found something worthy to contribute.http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-BAOFENG-BF-888S-UHF-400-470MHz-5W-16CH-Ham-Two-Way-Radio-Walkie-Talkie-B0534-/271693034951?hash=item3f422ab5c7Note:1. Using rechargeable walkie-talkie for the first time, please charge for 16 hours.2. Turn off your computer before removing the battery.3. Please do not use hand to pick up the antenna, hold the antenna will affect the effective wireless intercom call range.4. Use the walkie/talkie, you should keep it vertical distance of 5.0 to 7.0cm, and keep your face.5. Please try to use while driving handsfree speaker and the closing words.6. Keep your intercom televisions, computer monitors and other screen to maintain a distance greater than 10cm, to avoid being magnetized.7. The interphone Do things together with other metal-containing Storage.8. Walkie-talkies may interfere with some hearing aids, with your hearing aid manufacturer to discuss alternatives.9. Try to place in the medical walkie-talkie off, so as not to affect the use of medical equipment.10. Do not use in airports and on aircraft. If so, prohibited driving the car to the side of the road and then.11. In potentially explosive areas must remain shut down, unless it is dedicated intercom dangerous areas (for example, Factory Mutual, CAS, or UL certified).

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2015, 11:12:54 pm
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on August 02, 2015, 09:56:26 pmFeel free to ignore this thread.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2015, 12:01:21 am
content: I guess the T bar in front is to hang the bike up OR be towed ? I see in the background ".tw" which is Taiwan and Taiwan is crowed and space limited, so hanging is my guess.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 03, 2015, 11:35:01 am
content: Quote from: mojo-chan on August 02, 2015, 09:56:26 pmWhy not? They are amusing... ??

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2015, 12:04:40 pm
content: Many of these examples are wonderfully colorful, which is not to say they couldn't be better composed. I don't think any of them could pass for actual haiku.You can use the same technology to improve your own product documents:http://translationparty.com