Sunday, October 22, 2006

Show 174 Tuesday 24 October


Watch today's show at YouTube

Intro

Hi, I’m Sarah. Welcome to The Daily English Show.
In Japan there’s a lot of English writing on products. And some of it’s perfect English and some of it’s a little strange or very strange.
Some people call this “Engrish”. The engrish.com site defines Engrish as: the humorous English mistakes that appear in Japanese advertising and product design.
I have a few examples to show you from products that I’ve bought.
This is from socks.
And this is from the cover of a free photo album.
There is a popular chain store in Japan called Tsutaya. And on the sign, underneath it, it says “Culture Convenience Club”. I thought that was a slogan but I was just looking on the net and I found out that actually Culture Convenience Club is the name of the parent company.
But anyway... it’s kind of strange English I think.
So I was wondering when you hear the name culture convenience club what kind of shop do you think it is?
Of course if you’re from Japan, you know, but if you’re not from Japan please leave a comment and tell me what kind of shop; you think it is.



STICK NEWS

Kia Ora, in Stick News today a 21-year-old man who punched an 81-year-old woman has been jailed for two years.

Last month this man was riding his bicycle in Tauranga, New Zealand. Witnesses said he was swerving and abusing motorists.
He crashed into the back of a car and fell of his bike. He wasn’t hurt, but he was so angry that he punched the driver of the car in the face.
She suffered a broken nose, two broken eye sockets and a fractured palate.
Newspapers labeled the attack road rage but the crown prosecutor said it was wrong to minimize the serious violence by calling it road rage. He said it was just simple street thuggery.
The man had 18 previous convictions.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 24th of October.
Kia Ora.



conversations with sarah
# 116 So the meaning isn't important?

Lisa and Sarah talk about strange English.
Step 1: Repeat Lisa’s lines.
Step 2: Read Lisa’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Lisa Why is there so much strange English on things in Japan?

Sarah I think it’s just for design.

Lisa So the meaning isn’t important?

Sarah Yeah. Have you seen the site engrish.com?

Lisa No, what’s that?

Sarah They have lots of photos of examples of strange English.

Lisa From Japan?

Sarah Yeah, most of it's from Japan, but there’s stuff from other countries too.



Notes

Music on the show used with permission from jamendo.com

Today's questionanswer music:
Artist: fukufuku
Album: self-aaa
Track: chemosynthesis
site
music at jamendo

Today's news

2 comments:

Iain Young said...

Great website Sarah. Hope you don't mind if I show it to my students in Korea.

tdes said...

Hi Iain,
Thanks : )
That would be great.
Sarah