Feb 26, 2008 19:13
Yesterday at work provided me with a very amusing sample of Engrish.
Mr. Naito had planned a lesson for the second years, where they would play a card game based on the new grammar point, "Will you...?/Shall I...?" A question was printed on one card, with an answer printed on another card. The goal of the game was to turn over each card, and try to get a matching question and answer. The student could only take the two matching cards if they could read the question and answer out loud in English. It's the same as Memory. When Mr. Naito asked me to read the questions and answers aloud in class, I had no problem. Most of the questions were fairly average, and made sense. Here's a typical example:
"Will you write me a letter?"
"OK. Can I have your address, please?"
or
"Will you buy me an ice cream?"
"Sorry, I can't. I don't have any money."
See? No problems. And then, we came to this little gem...
"Will you love me always?"
"Sorry, I can't. I love Tony and Mark, too."
And that's about where I lost it, and cracked up laughing in front of the class. I could not help it. Whether the speakers in this dialogue are a man and a woman, two men, or two women, it's hilarious. Technically, the grammar is correct, no spelling problems, and it illustrates the point. But the lack of sense is entirely Engrish. After I caught my breath, I explained to Hanako and the students why I was laughing, and they joined in on the joke.
Do you know what makes it even better? This activity came out of an official book, published for lessons in junior high English class. That just makes it even better. :P