Saturday, April 26, 2008

Unique/funny signs (This week's Photo Hunt theme)







Ever since I moved to Hong Kong close to a year ago, I've been spotting signs that strike me as unique and/or funny -- sometimes due to the mangling of the English language that I suppose is to be expected of a society that is officially tri-lingual, at other times due to Hong Kong being more of a nanny state than I had hitherto realized that it can be, on some other occasions because of the strange juxtaposition of a sign and another piece of material culture, and on yet other occasions due to Hong Kongers displaying a distinct tendency towards the kawaii that rivals the Japanese.

Although I have been meaning for some time now to put up a whole entire photo-essay made up of pictures of these unique/funny signs, I've yet to do so -- partly because I keep on thinking that my collection of such photos remains far from complete. But this week's Photo Hunt gives me the opportunity to share a sample of the photos I've accumulated of these quintissentially Hong Kong as well as unique and/or funny signs -- and I hope that visitors to this blog will excuse the lateness of this particular post especially because they end up deriving a significant no small amount of interest in, and/or amusement from, its contents. :b

17 comments:

  1. These are great pictures. I always seem to laugh at the signs that are translated into English from another language they seem to be funnier.

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  2. I love signs like that :D
    Great collection!

    I have a bunch of those from Korea and am adding now new ones here in Kuwait - I just love them :D

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  3. These are great YTSL. You would think they would get them verified before they spend all that money to have the sign made.
    Have a great weekend.rwiqr

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  4. What great choices for the theme! LOL!

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  5. I'm happy I did not swim o my computer this evening LOL

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  6. You definitely captured some "unique" signs!

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  7. ytsl,

    A "nanny state"? Is that not worthy of another blog?

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  8. The signs are funny, lol ! mixing up two languages sounds always funny !

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  9. Hi Eaglehawk --

    Thanks! :)

    Hi Nicole --

    I can definitely imagine that there'd be a lot of funny signs to be found in Korea and Kuwait. :DDD

    Hi jmb --

    Must share that I've sometimes been tempted to go and offer my editing services to those establishments whose signs have incorrect English on them... ;b

    Hi Jenty --

    Glad my post got you laughing! :)

    Hi TorAa --

    I'm curious: Is "swim" the equivalent of "surf" in your language?

    Hi Claudia --

    Glad you think so! :)

    Hi sbk --

    Interesting suggestion. Let me think about it! :)

    Hi Carver and Sarge Charlie --

    Thanks! :)

    Hi Gattina --

    Am not sure about "always" but would agree with "sometimes"... ;b

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  10. Thanks for these signs. LOL.
    I'm now warned, when I will visit my daughter in H K later this year.

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  11. Hi again Toraa --

    Seems you liked the signs enough to visit twice! And yes, you've now been warned for when you visit your daughter in Hong Kong... :D

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  12. Those are good signs for the Photo Hunt this week!

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  13. Hi cats~goats~quotes --

    Glad you agree... and thanks for visiting at this late date. :)

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  14. I've seen so many funny English signs. It's never-ending and always a bit humorous.

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  15. Hi Willow --

    Saw another funny/unique sign (in English) in Hong Kong today. Am thinking of putting up my photo of it soon, so watch for it. :)

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