What’s Chinglish ?
-- Chinglish (slang) is a portmanteau of the words
Chinese and English and refers to either (a) English
interspersed with Chinese language errors common to
those Chinese persons who are learning English or (b)
Chinese interspersed with English, such as used by
westernized Chinese (e.g. American-born Chinese)
who are not fluent in Chinese and codeswitch English
words into speech when they can't think of the correct
Chinese word.
Example (1)
Horse Horse Tiger Tiger
What does it mean in Chinese?
What does it mean in English?
Example (2)



“Become Person’s
Thing?” (Adult Shop)
What does it mean in
Chinese?
What does it mean in
English?
Example (3)
■ we two who and who?

■ you don’t bird me, I don’t bird you

■ how are you? how old are you?
■ you me you me
■ You give me stop!
■ know is know, no know is no know
■ watch sister

■ dragon born dragon, chicken born chicken, mouse’s sons
can make hole!

■ American Chinese not enough
■ heart flower angry open
What do you feel after listening to
this conversation?

■Shiao-Ming:I am sorry!
Foreigner: I am sorry too!
Shiao-Ming:I am sorry three!
Foreigner :What are you sorry for?
Shiao-Ming:I am sorry five!
Chinglish, as the inaccurate use of the language
is known, has long been a source of
embarrassment for the authorities there.
 It is also a source of amusement to foreign
visitors.
Now:
 But Shanghai wants to spruce up its image. It is
expecting millions of visitors for the World Expo
fair.
 Student volunteers will check the English on
signs throughout the city.

Assignment:



Can you find out more examples about
“Chinglish”?
Take notes. –where do you get it? What is
it? How is it pronounced? And, what does
it mean?
And find out at least five examples and
their meanings.