Schenjian: Here is where those two other posters were discussed.

http://www.bilinguist.com/data/hy03/messages/115922.html

I know these "Chinglish" signs are always good for a laugh, but the important thing is to find solutions to them. We started an exercise here a few months ago, but discontinued it after the interest died off. Perhaps it is time to bring that back.

Everyone:Come fix these improperly worded phrases.New7/7:#3

http://www.rainlane.com/dispbbs.asp?BoardID=8&ID=10991

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

Schenjian,

I know you are very keen in learning English, but just talking about it will not get you anywhere. Language must be learn through practice. You should follow the example of everyone else here and start communicating in English. It does not matter if you make mistakes--I make a lot too. The important thing is to get use to using the language. If you keep using it, you will be so use to using English that next time you meet an English speaker, you will not think twice before talking to him in English.

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

No "the" for Nature, life, society, information...

This is not a Chinglish in the usual sense. In the last few months I have come across this same mistake in almost every single English essay written by Chinese students when "nature" is being referred to.

No "the" in front of Nature.

Incorrect: Let us be kind to the nature. Correct: Let us be kind to nature

Incorrect: We need to take care of the nature. Correct: We need to take care of nature.

This is one of those "don't ask me why, because I have no idea as to why." I just know there is no "the" in front of nature. I learn my English much like children learn their first language: by listening to what people say around me. I know the proper way is: "one with nature", "in harmony with nature", "let us be kind to nature", "let us look at the grandeur of nature" (no "the")

One can argue that since there is only "one nature," the definite article is not needed. However, there is only one universe, but we say "in tune with the universe." There is only one sky, but we refer to it as "the sky." So don't ask me why, just believe me that's the way it is.

My suspicion is that when we say "the nature" we mean "the essential characters". E.g."the nature of things","the nature of the universe." Perhaps that is why when we talk about nature, we do not put a "the" in front of it.(That is purely a conjecture in my part. Most probably it is wrong.)

Just in case you don't believe me, here are a few "natures" as found on the Internet: (Please bear in mind English is notorious for its "exceptions.")

An online magazine dedicated to nature and wildlife photography

CNN.com - TechnologyIncludes a top stories section, audio and video clips, along with news on science and nature.

Nature Photo IndexResources for nature and outdoor photography: links, books, galleries, magazines, images, and stories

The Notebaert Nature Museum :: HomeDedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of nature and environmental science

Western North Carolina Nature CenterLocated in Asheville, North Carolina. Comprehensive resource on nature and conservation topics in the region, including animals, native trees, ..

Other frequently made mistakes on student essays : "the life/society/information" for general reference.

Except for a specific reference : e.g. the life of a fool, the information of how to sew, the society of animal lovers,...there is no "the" for life, society and information. E.g. In life, nothing is free. It society, things are not as straightforward as we expect. We can pick up information through the Internet. (use "the information" only when you want to mean a "specific piece of information.)

Recently, I have encountered more and more examples of the incorrect use of "the" with "life", "death", "information", "mankind".... I think this warrant more examples on the subject.

Incorrect	Correct
We must accept the life and death as they are.	We must accept life and death as they are.
Much of the environmental damage are caused by the mankind.	Much of the environmental damage are caused by mankind.
Finally, George is ready to entire the society.	Finally, George is ready to retire society.
any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in the mankind (John Donne "No man is an Island")	any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind (John Donne "No man is an Island.")

Cases of specific references. Examples: Joe is a member of the society of amateur sleuths. The life of a poor student is certainly not easy. The death of my mother affected me deeply.

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

[转帖]From the Goubin Institute

The following is reprint from:

Source: http://www.guobininstitute.com/showmoresyntaxcheck.asp

中文表达	中式英语	标准英语	解释
请在给我两个小时！	Please allow me more two hours.	Please allow me two hours more.
看看镜子，多脏的一张脸啊！	What a dirty face ! Look at the mirror.	What a dirty face ! Look in the mirror.	Look in the mirror：看镜子
我没有房子可以住。	I have no house to live	I have no house to live in.	live: 生存，生活 live in :居住
你为什么那么说？	Why do you say like that？	Why do you say that？
你认识多少汉字？	How many Chinese letters do you know？	How many Chinese characters do you know ?	letter:字母 character：字
英语课上，我迟到了10分钟。	I was ten minutes late for the English lesson.	I was ten minutes late for the English class.	lesson: 课，课程 class:班级
家家有本难念的经	Every family cooking － pot has a black spot	Many families have skeletons in the closet. or Every family has its own source of shame.	Many families have skeletons in the closet.(许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑)
望着一片人山人海的听众， A先生发表一篇动人的演说	Looking out upon People mountain people sea , Mr. A delivered a touching speech.	Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.	人山人海the sea of faces
这位年轻的作家在文学界很活跃。	The young writer is quite active in literary circle.(wrong)	The young writer is quite active in literary circles. (right)	circle 作为“…界”讲，用复数形式，如political circles（政界），cultural circles(学术界）等。
她喜欢阅读有快乐结局的小说。	She likes to read novels with happy ends.(wrong)	She likes to read novels with happy endings. (right)	end用作名词是指时间或动作的末尾， 结束。故事，小说，电影，戏剧的结尾， 结局应该用endings
我在厨房里发生了意外，把所有的玻璃杯都打碎了。	I have had an unexpected accident in the kitchen and broke all the glasses. (wrong)	I have had an accident in the kitchen and broke all the glasses. (right)	accident指某个没有预料到的意外事故，所以不该再用unexpected来修饰。

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

专业生产者.

Very often we come across the translation for 专业生产者. as professional manufacturers: Go to google and look up "professional manufacturers." Take a look at the return results and tell me what you read--almost all of them are of Chinese origin. Why, because "professional manufacturer" is a direct word by word translation of 专业生产者.

The correct translation depends on what you are talking about. It could be: "we are a seasoned/experienced manufacturer," or "we are a manufacturer of specialized products." You can still use the word professional if you like, but it should be done this way: When it comes to manufacturing, we are professionals.

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

I found this posted at http://www.cyber-courier.com/cer/forum/viewtopic.php?t=231

Since our mission on this thread is to "collect and correct" Chinglish, let's go for a correction.

My version is : Sanitized disposable cups.  Other versions are welcome.

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

翻译，请斧正

Here is an interesting and educational post. The title is rather misleading "翻译，请斧正 ." As usual, it is being quoted in several places without a clear reference as to who is the original author. Fortunately, this time I was able to track down the source.

  This is another example showing the difference between English with few or no grammar mistakes, and fluent idiomatic English.

--

The following is taken from: http://www.iselong.com/7/8037.htm  (BTW: They usually have good stuff, but once in a while there are some incorrect ones.)

   一篇经过“斧正”的英语短文 　　作者：张宏(info@italian.org.cn)

刚才去一个英语学习论坛 (1)，看到nephewliang网友用英文写了一篇短文，大意是介绍他所在的办公室，然后请求其他网友“斧正”。果然没过多久，wing1978网友来了，举起大斧，给这篇短文“正了正”(笑)。我个人认为，这篇短文很有代表性，其中出现的一些错误，是国内英语初学者经常犯的，所以下面我想把这篇短文中有明显错误的一组句子挑出来，请各位看看原文是怎样写的(第一行)，斧手又是怎样“正”的(第二行)。为便于初学者理解，我对文字做了适当的修改和简化，因此下面的内容与帖子的内容略有出入。

　　①When entering into the office, you can find everything is kept in good order.

　　②Stepping into the office, you will find everything is in good order.

　　③进入办公室，可以发现一切都井井有条。

　　①The file keepers on the left are put of data in classified way.

　　②The file cabinets on the left are used to store classified data.

　　③左边的文件柜用来存放分类文件。

　　①The white bookcases on the right are full of instruction and manual of different kinds.

　　②The white bookcases on the right are full of manuals of various kinds.

　　③右边的白色书柜装满了各种各样的手册。

　　①The ivory-white desks, decorated with bonsais, are shining in the lighting.

　　②The ivory-white desks, decorated with bonsais, shine under the lights.

　　③装饰着盆景的乳白色办公桌闪闪发光。

　　①Two air-conditioners are installed respectively near the front door and the back door.

　　②Two air-conditioners are installed respectively near the front and back doors.

　　③两台空调分别安装在前门和后门。

　　①The engineering office provides a good place to the engineers of the engineering department.

　　②The office provides a good place for the members of the engineering department.

　　③这个办公室为工程部的工作人员提供了一个良好的办公场所。

　　①Because of no stable working place, they worked only in the workshops.

　　②The lack of office space forced them to work only in the workshops.

　　③办公室空间的狭小迫使他们只能在车间中工作。

　　①It was difficult to get together to have a meeting or to make discussion for all.

　　②It was difficult to get together to have a meeting or discussion.

　　③大家很难凑在一起开会或讨论。 (The post is truncated at this point, indicating that this particular post is a reprint of another post. Some where in the chain of reprints, a line was lost, and all the subsequent reprinters just blindly copied from one another.)

--

(1) As usual, the author refused to mention which 英语学习论坛. Mind you, I do that too, whenever I deliberately don't want people to know which one it is. That particular 英语学习论坛 is at sohu.com and the post in question is : http://club.learning.sohu.com/read_art_sub.php?b=english&a=34777&sl=0&allchildnum=3&f=

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

一次性杯子是否可译成：throw-away cups one-off cups

唉，看看这些chinglish的标志， 笑完之后觉得挺悲哀的。

Yes, sometimes they are called "throw-aways": throw-away cups, throw-away plates....

Many of so-called official list have them as "sanitary cups." However, "sanitary" does not necessarily mean "one use" or "throw away." It can either be "sanitized" or "for sanitary use."

It is good to have a goal to journey towards, but it is
the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula LeGuin

disposable cups