What is Jenglish?

What is Jenglish (pronounced jing-lish)? It's all of the funny English in Japan that you see on signs, books, T-shirts, vending machines... it's everywhere. Some people here at JCMU call it "Japlish", some call it "Jenglish", but whatever it's called, it's funny. Why? Because it doesn't quite have that "native English speaker" nuance. Read a couple and you'll see what I mean. I know I shouldn't talk, because my Japanese language ability would cause me to write "funny sounding" Japanese to a native Japanese speaker, but it's still fun to laugh at the signs.

Food/Drink Containers

Lunchbox 01 - This one gets the award for "most nonsensical." Lunchbox 02 - Uh huh, sure it is. Pizza Box - My, what lovely syntax we have! Wonda Coffee - Are you refined enough?

Movies/Music/Media

VHS Rental Sticker - Really? I should definitely rent it, then! DVD Lens ... - DVD Dlive Dirty? You'le in ruck!

Signs

KIRIN Vending Machine - Interesting slogan. Sanjusangendo in Kyoto - Safty first!

Stationery

Stationery is probably the funniest. If you walk into a store and pick up a notebook or some paper, it will usually have a bunch of nonsense Jenglish on it. Sometimes the name of the notebook product is the nonsense itself. Stationery 01 - It's just plain old paper! Stationery 02 - This is the only printing on the cover. Stationery 03 - This is the only printing on the cover. Stationery 04 - This is one of my favorites. Stationery 05 - Apparently foolscap is indeed a word! Stationery 06 - It's just a notebook! Stationery 07 - A pack of blank paper cards. Stationery 08 - The bottom of a notebook. Stationery 09 - Another notebook. Stationery 10 - A peace sign? Camoflage? Huh?

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