PatrickLondon

There's a book called "Lost in Translation" that's full of amusing examples of misapplied "English":

"For the flattening of underwear with pleasure, please call the chambermaid", etc., etc.

I did once see a shop in Amsterdam called "Funny Trousers Salty Dog" (no, I have no idea).

But then, my mother once swore a waitress in Scotland offered her "Spaghetti Bolomayonnaise".

basingstoke2

There was once a Korean restaurant in Silver Spring, MD whose English side of the menu listed selections such as "3 ply pig meat" and "assorted marine products." Yum.

Dukey

I was under the impression that hyphenated terms were appropriate when the compound is being used as an adjective, etc. Am I wrong?

lemidi

Only in response to Dukey's question,
from www.getitwriteonline.com

"Keep in mind, though, that we never use a hyphen between an -ly adverb + adjective combination in front of a noun or pronoun. Here are examples with the -ly adverb + adjective constructions:

She was a highly motivated employee.

Some of the most critically acclaimed films of the year were not honored at the Academy Awards ceremony.

The person who just boarded our bus is a nationally known scientist."

Jake1

As others have pointed out, English is regularly mangled in non-English speaking countries as well.

Take a look at

http://engrish.com/

mda97

From travel_buzzing

"That said, I'll agree that I never saw as much poor English spelling and grammar for a natively English speaking country as in the U.S."

I'd like to believe this is because we have many residents in the US whose native language is not English. At least that's what I tell myself.

I used to hate as a child when my mother would correct my English, but thank goodness she did!

amsdon

I noticed this year in Madrid that the term "fashion" was used as an adjective to mean stylish or perhaps in fashion

"blah blah blah muy "fashion"

luv2cthings

Was this post meant for Fodorite Lounge?

PalenQ

Local diner trying to go upscale had a large sign in its window

CAPPUCINO

I wondered if they couldn't spell it right how they'd make it?

MarthaB

Dukey, here's the rule from <i>The Chicago Manual of Style</i>.

&quot;Compounds formed by an adverb ending in <i>ly</i> plus an adjective or participle (such as <i>largely irrelevant</i> or <i>smartly dressed</i are not hyphenated either before or after a noun, since ambiguity is virtually impossible.

I am guilty of over-hyphenating. Oops. There I go again!

StCirq

Yes, Dukey, you are wrong - unless you're British.

hausfrau

There was a hair salon near me in Stuttgart called &quot;Hairkiller.&quot; I always got a chuckle at it.

Yes, it's hip to use English words in Europe (well, maybe not in France, but in most other countries). But I think the US has to be the worst when it comes to making grammatical and spelling mistakes in public signage - in our own language, no less!

Lawchick

There's a cafe in Bonn called Dangleberries.

GreenDragon

In the tradition of engrish.com, here is an absolutely hilarious page I came across some time ago. It makes me laugh out loud even today!

http://www.rahoi.com/2006/03/may-i-take-your-order/

travel_buzzing

&gt;&gt;&gt;grammar for a natively English speaking country as in the U.S.&quot;

I'd like to believe this is because we have many residents in the US whose native language is not English. At least that's what I tell myself.&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

sorry i meant to say an officially English speaking country.
I had a feeling i shouldve corrected that in advance.

of course english is not the native language of North America. Spanish is more widely spoken, by any means.

jfcarli

Being a non native English speaker, I am quite sympathetic with English speaking natives as regards spelling.

English is probably one of the simplest languages as regards syntax. However it is VERY difficult to when it comes to spelling. It is certainly not a phonetical language.

I could point out as an example the &quot;ough&quot; group of letters. I have not really counted it myself but somewhere I read there are 11 different ways of pronouncing it.

On a different subject, the intromission of English words in foreign languages is way more occurring than the other way around.

In Brazil, this phenomenon is even more laughable when it comes to parents naming their children. There are such naming horrors that a child, once turned an adult, should be entitled to kill the parents who christened them with such horrendous names. Well... not quite

kenderina

I agree with you, jfcarli ! Some parents here in Spain should be fined for the names they call their children, there are even comical sketches about that !

bilboburgler

There is of course a number of native languages of North America and Spanish (and indeed English) is not one of them. The native language is that of natives not invaders.

RM67

I find it mildly amusing that so many people bemoaning the restauarnt for poor spelling/grammar think the only thing wrong with that phrase is the lack of a hyphen....

RM67

restaurant - lol!!!