Friday, May 26, 2006

Konglish

Damn it, Jim. I'm an English teacher, not a fashion consultant; however...

I know that this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, including my comments on bad signs; however, I think that I need to do something.

Next semester, I might tell my students that, if they wear anything that has English written on it, the English has to be correct or they have to tell me what is wrong with it (I could accept that). Perhaps I should threaten them with a big red felt pen.

Over the last two days, this is some of what I saw on clothes that the students thought looked cool. These are my English students for crying out loud. It makes me feel like a failure.
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It is the time
Where that guy?
OK! Let's go to HUM street!

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just a When I look at what
is a partan that meets only half way
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let there be twang
A GREAT CHOICE OF TSHIRT
GTR authentic American streetgear puts style into your life (Up to this point, I was thinking, "That's okay.")
We gire you the ultimate adratage of unique style and great quality
We gire you the superior offer of going to a party
movie or grocery store wearing something that no one else is wearing and looking great
Guarenteed
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PAPAYA SLING
FRESHABLE OF LITMUS JNS
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POLHAM
THEJUSTIFIABLE
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And the singing voice to you wonderful her
The life is fighting by new yorker

3 comments:

Beloved said...

As a fellow English teacher, that is depressing. I saw some bad ones when I taught in Korea, but I'd have to say these are some of the worst!

Anonymous said...

A nice collection of Konglish: I'd like to add "So much lives lovely as is lovely for us," or some other similar collection of words, and [on a woman's T-shirt that was popular in Dongdaemun last summer]: "I'm open. Push the door in."

Anyway, try not to worry too much about the Konglish expressions your students are wearing; they probably know it's all konglish, but perhaps they like the colors.

The Wanderer said...

I'd like to agree with you, Nathan, but I really DON'T think they know what's wrong with the English.