Although I should likely not admit this...I enjoy visiting www.engrish.com. I have a good chuckle at the silly mistakes foreign advertisers make. It always leaves me to wonder though why they believe English advertising is so 'it' in the first place?
On a recent trip to Seoul I noticed how many signs had some degree of English in them (often with tragic results) and for no apparent reason. This is a trend all over Asia, particularly so in China - as engrish.com so well documents.
The use of English in marketing has become the badge of 'forward thinking' for Asian businesses. This strikes me as ironic seeing as half of what we purchase in English-speaking countries is Asian made. It seems they are threatening their own cultures by 'Englishizing' everything.
Now you might say I am the last person who should speak as the creator of Englishlink. This is true. However, I personally love experiencing these wonderful places. So I ask, can cultures master English whilst protecting themselves for the onsaught of Americanization which seems to accompany its growth ?
After reading those signs in Seoul, I certainly hope so.
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