Funny English
Whereas the English that you find in the international airports is understandable there is also a different variety of English seen on the streets or in the homes in Japan.
This is what is known as eJapanese Englishf and it is everywhere!
It can be most frustrating for foreigners as Japanese designers have just thrown some English words together to jazz up their product and the words have generally no meaning at all, sometimes the English can be unknowingly offensive as well. So that cute t-shirt that you were going to buy for yourself or the kids is quickly put back on the rack where it belongs.
By choosing not to buy Japanese-English t-shirts you are still not able to escape from the funny English for long. It can be found on street signage, on your menu when youfre eating out, and on your tissue boxes or school supplies. But please donft take it all too seriously because the English is not intentionally offensive or incorrect, someone has taken a long time thinking up the texts and most Japanese consumers just assume the English is correct. If all the foreigners in Japan wrote a wee note to the producers of these products to educate them then we may reach literal international understanding.
* A reader was kind enough to let me know of an interesting site that beautifully illustrates the above. Take a peek.
