Tuesday, August 07, 2007

I can't wait for Beijing 2008!

We went to Collingwood library after work to pick up some books on hold. While Terese was picking up her books I had a quick browse at the Chinese DVDs and one of them got me quite intrigued.

Its a DVD documentary on the giant stone Buddha carved out from the mountain at Leshan and I think it was made and produced in China as well. I'm a sucker for documentaries and of Discovery Channel stuff so I was keen to borrow it.

But I was worried that they may not have English subtitle because I don't understand Mandarin nor Cantonese well enough. I was looking at the back of the DVD to see if it has subtitles when I made up my mind not to borrow it irregardless of whether it has subtitles or not.

Even if it has English subtitle I feel that I might not be able to understand it either. Have a read of what they wrote in English, most of the grammars are wrong and spellings as well. Plus most sentences don't even make sense. I can't wait for Beijing 2008!

6 comments:

CRIZ LAI said...

I get your point there. I remember one subtitle from a DVD entitled Madagascar which I bought in Penang. In the cartoon, it was said as "We gonna miss you". In the subtitle, it was written as "We see you in Malaysia". So much difference wor...it did not even rhyme.

Serenity said...

ha ha! i usually laugh myself silly when i read the English translation on China made products, etc. it seems the Chinese Govt. had to re-do most of their billboards & signs before Beijing 2008...plenty of those funny translations "hanging" around the City. i bet there will be lots of lost/laughing foreigners there next year ;)

Simple American said...

I watch some Chinese movies and I have no clue what is happening. But the subtitles are amusing and I don't care.

clement said...

where did they learn their english? Google translator??? ha ha

Helen said...

The Chinese will find real pro when big international event take place. Chinese mar... love face.

Wuching said...

criz lai: i never bother turning on the subtitle whenever i watch uncle ho's dvd coz u know it'll never make sense!

serenity: in a way its kind of sad that visitors to china always have a good laugh at their english..do they ever know ppl are laughing at them?

SA: u may not mind but as a chinese descent, i'm ashame for them!

clement: who knows? how they are that bad i cannot comprehend

helen: i'm sure they will, sibeh kiasu!