Chinese even sneaky by language

[silicone skyline]

Nearly everyone has a mate with a tattoo in Chinese. Here's why you SHOULDN'T get one.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/chinese-classical-poem-was-brothel-ad-1058031.html

Chinese 'classical poem' was brothel ad
Science journal mistakenly uses flyer for Macau brothel to illustrate report on China
By Clifford Coonan in Beijing
Tuesday, 9 December 2008

A respected research institute wanted Chinese classical texts to adorn its journal, something beautiful and elegant, to illustrate a special report on China. Instead, it got a racy flyer extolling the lusty details of stripping housewives in a brothel.

Chinese characters look dramatic and beautiful, and have a powerful visual impact, but make sure you get the meaning of the characters straight before jumping right in.

There were red faces on the editorial board of one of Germany's top scientific institutions, the Max Planck Institute, after it ran the text of a handbill for a Macau strip club on the front page of its latest journal. Editors had hoped to find an elegant Chinese poem to grace the cover of a special issue, focusing on China, of the MaxPlanckForschung journal, but instead of poetry they ran a text effectively proclaiming "Hot Housewives in action!" on the front of the third-quarter edition. Their "enchanting and coquettish performance" was highly recommended.

The use of traditional Chinese characters and references to "the northern mainland" seem to indicate the text comes from Hong Kong or Macau, and it promises burlesque acts by pretty-as-jade housewives with hot bodies for the daytime visitor.

The Max Planck Institute was quick to acknowledge its error explaining that it had consulted a German sinologist prior to publication of the text. "To our sincere regret ... it has now emerged that the text contains deeper levels of meaning, which are not immediately accessible to a non-native speaker," the institute said in an apology. "By publishing this text we did in no way intend to cause any offence or embarrassment to our Chinese readers. "

But publication of the journal caused some anger among touchier internet users in China who felt the institute had done it on purpose to insult China, or that it was disrespectful to use Chinse as a decoration. But generally, the faux-pas sparked much amusement among Chinese readers.

On anti-cnn.com, a foreigner-baiting website set up after a commentator on the US broadcaster made anti-Chinese comments following the crackdown in Tibet in March, the reaction was mostly "evil fun". One wrote, "Next time, please find a smart Chinese graduate to check your translation", and another said they should try writing "I am illiterate".

The journal has since been updated online and its cover now carries the title of a book by the Swiss Jesuit, Johannes Schreck (1576–1630). The Jesuit text in question was "Illustrated Explanations of Strange Devices".

Chinese is a tonal language, which means words sounding the same can often have very different meanings depending on how they are spoken.

There are tales of drunken teenagers walking out of tattoo parlours with characters reading, "This is one ugly foreigner" or "A fool and his money are easily parted".

Another web-user wrote: "I recently met a German girl with a Chinese tattoo on her neck which in Chinese means 'prostitute'. I laughed so loud, I could hardly breathe."

[SABRE]

Can I have a one ton fun pun with fly lie ?

[Choccies]

I thought about getting a chinese symbol tattoo but figured I'd want another one an hour later..........

[The Ash Man]

I thought about getting a chinese symbol tattoo but figured I'd want another one an hour later..........

[mick]

I used to work for the Max Planck Institute back in the early 80s. I can imagine Herr Professor Direktor would not be amused. The expert who checked it must have been taking the piss I can never understand why anyone would get atatoo in a language that they can't and will never understand.

[therisingblues]

I can never understand why anyone would get atatoo in a language that they can't and will never understand.

Totally agree.

[Jimmy_041]

Do the chinese and japanese have tattoos in Engrish??

[Choccies]

Good question Jimmy... reminds of a guy I used to serve in the bank years ago. Had LOVE and HATE tattoed on the knuckles but obviously wasn't enough so he had BEER and WINE added under neath. So the left hand read 'LOVE BEER' and the right hand read 'HATE WINE'....

[Jimmy_041]

Good question Jimmy... reminds of a guy I used to serve in the bank years ago. Had LOVE and HATE tattoed on the knuckles but obviously wasn't enough so he had BEER and WINE added under neath. So the left hand read 'LOVE BEER' and the right hand read 'HATE WINE'....

[therisingblues]

Do the chinese and japanese have tattoos in Engrish??

I haven't seen any tattoos in Engrish in Japan. Tatt's here are almost always a sign of Yakuza, that scares people and most people don't want to be scary.
I have seen some unbelievable T-Shirts in Engrish, often they make no sense at all but people are just happy to be wearing something "sophisticated", ie: written in a language that most people don't understand. Then I sometimes see children under the age of ten wearing such treasures as "**** YOU" or "I AM A DIRTY ##### COME AND GET IT!"
Somehow doesn't match the little pink ribbons in the pigtails.