| jianshuo, firstly - thank you for your blog. It's extremely interesting. I'll be visiting Shanghai for the first time in a few weeks time, and it's great to be able to read about your experiences.
Secondly - I think you're being a little over sensitive about these English language problems on the metro signs. It would be good if the signs were all correct but I don't think that western people would think badly about the Shanghai transport authority or Chinese people if they saw these errors. I'm really looking forward to being a guest in your country, and it's good that there are some English directions. To comment on some of your examples: 'Danger, Jumping into tunnel is forbidden' The biggest problem with this is the use of the word 'Jumping'. I'm assuming that it's forbidden to enter the tunnel? The sign should therefore read 'Danger, Entering the tunnel is forbidden' ('into' is not required). 'Jumping' is slighty funny, as it is too specific and makes the reader think "is dancing into the tunnel OK?". 'Rail Transit Line 1' vs 'Metro Line 1'. Rail Transit line is perfectly OK, and is more formal English than Metro. Metro is a shortening of 'Metropolitan railway'. In this context, I think the sign is correct. 'Mind your head'. This is perfectly OK! I don't know where earthmilk comes from - but this is perfectly correct English. On the London underground there is sometimes a space between the train and the platform when the station is on a bend in the line - and the underground uses the sign 'Mind the gap' (this is such a famous sign, that you can buy T-shirts with this message on them in London). |
So Many Typos in Shanghai Metro - Part III