Menu English: "We serve Pork with fresh garbage!"

Foodie pal Marc recently sent us a book called Here Speeching American--A Very Strange Guide to English as It is Garbled Around the World, by Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras, Villard Books, NY.  The authors are quick to note that, yes, they do not speak Hindu well either, and that American travelers butcher the world's languages regularly.

Having said all that, they offer some funny tidbits,  such as  these menu examples translated into English by the locals:

                                 

Shrimps in Spit   

Bacon and Germs

Chicken Mouse in Tartlet

Appendix Salad ( Pork)

Toes with Butter and Jam

Children Sandwiches

Pork Condom Bleu

Deep Fried Peking Dumpings

Lobster Thermos

Horse-Rubbish Sauce

Boiled Tasteless Jam Pork Soup

Bon appetit!

 

Comments

[wendy]

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[Foodie]

Thanks, Todd---the Jell-o collection is spectacular. Jell-o molds were once the rage in these United States. I recall a hostess who served tomato aspic pushed from molds at every "important" dinner she threw.

[Todd]

Check this out for a hearty laugh or two:

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/spec.html

[Cynthia]

That makes sense.

[Foodie]

I figured "garbage" was intended to be "cabbage!"

[Cynthia]

I have even photographed hand-written menus in some countries, when the translation has become picturesque or humorous. What fascinates me, however, is when those same errors appear in menus in restaurants in the U.S. -- is it because they think the butchered English lends verisimiltude to their writing?

Regarding the "pork with fresh garbage," since the word "garbage" originally meant animal entrails, I wonder if that entry is more archaic than mangled -- something that comes with a side of liver? In Asia, I have often seen menus that lean heavily toward entrails. Just a thought.

Fortunately, the food is almost always better than the grammar.