“Japlish”

By Hana-chan of Hokkaido

Japlish is a mixture of Japanese and English. It was created by the Japanese as they were trying to write ads in English. However, American slang somewhat evaded the Japanese, so the end products of the ads are very amusing.

Although in Japan, most people speak Japanese, ads in English are copious and popular. However, most of the ads all have something “wrong” with them, such as a phrase Americans would never say, or have some grammar errors. Other ones just make no sense at all.

When the Japanese see an ad in Japlish, they think it’s English. This causes problems, because the Japanese might recite an ad to an American, and the American will have no clue what the Japanese person is talking about.

“Go soothingly on the grease road as there lurks

the skid demon!”

Slow. Slippery road ahead.

“Are more than half your teeth off ???”

Do you have dental problems ?

“The elevator is fixed for the next day. During that time we regret you will be

unbearable.”

Elevator out of order.

“We support your socks life !”-A shoe store’s motto

“Ladies have fits upstairs.”-A sign in a dressmaking

shop“Heads cutting for 1,500 yen. For bald men, 900 yen.”

-An ad for a barber shop“Happy your Heart”

-My shirt!“You want it, we had it.”

-An ad for an electronics store“The efficacy of this Beer is to give the health and especially the strength for Stomach. The flovour is so sweet and simple that not injure for much drink.”

-Saying on a beer bottle

Note…

Although Japlish is funny, do not think the Japanese are dumb people because they can’t get English correct. English is a difficult language to learn, especially American slang.

Just think, how many American people would be able to write thousands of ads IN Japanese WITH Japanese slang and get all the grammar and phrasing perfect?

Not very many.