The word ‘Engrish’ is a slang term that describes poorly translated, inaccurate, ungrammatical, and nonsensical use of the English language by people who aren’t native speakers.
The term is mainly linked to translations done in Asian countries such as Japan and China. Originally, the term ‘Engrish’ appeared in the 1940s, referring to mispronounced English.
Broadly speaking, ‘Engrish’ mistakes can most often be found on items of clothing that have random and nonsensical English words or phrases for the sake of fashion, as well as on signs, menus, and advertisements.
There’s a lot of unintentional humor to be found here for anyone who’s either a native or near-native-level English speaker or knows the language even semi-decently. That being said, nobody’s poking fun at the translators themselves, just their funny translations.
Region-specific synonyms for ‘Engrish’ include ‘Japanglish’ (‘Japanese English’) and ‘Chinglish’ (‘Chinese English’); however, they can have negative connotations.
One of the reasons why translating text from Asian languages into English is so difficult is because there are linguistic differences in terms of phonology, lexicon, syntax, and discourse.
Meanwhile, other reasons for wildly weird mistranslations include issues with dictionaries, outdated or poor translation software, and incorrect English textbooks.
Other potential factors include poor English language education, misspellings, as well as simply sloppy translation work on the employee’s part.
You’re going to run into a lot of issues if you’re translating a text without any input from professional translators or editors with a native English background.
You’ll also have a hard time if you translate text word-for-word without considering things like context, connotation, culture, idioms, metaphors, humor, etc.
To put it simply, quality translations don’t happen in a bubble. They require intimate knowledge of another country’s culture, media, people, and society. There’s also the question of the type of education frameworks, tools, and support offered in countries to help people learn other languages.
Having access to awesome textbooks and being given the opportunity not only to consume foreign media but also to travel abroad and immerse yourself in the culture firsthand can be game-changers.
