Adam Jacot de Boinod gets lost in translation

• The Swedish vacuum cleaner company Electrolux told Americans that 'nothing sucks like an Electrolux'.

• Clairol messed up with their translation in Germany and made the mistake of trying to sell customers a manure stick instead of a mist stick for their hair.

• Coors told customers that their beer made people have diarrhoea. They meant to say it 'loosened you up'. 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

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Lost in translation . . .

WELCOME TO …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s Wide World of Language Mistakes

• In a German lift: Do not enter the lift backwards and only when lit up. 

• In a Norwegian lounge: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar. 

• For visitors to the Czech Republic: Take one of our horse-driven city tours: we guarantee no miscarriages. 

• In a German maternity ward: No children allowed in the maternity ward. 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK


Picture Credit: 54677546@N02/28917675201 Look via photopin.com

Adam Jacot de Boinod gets lost in translation

• Pepsi’s slogan ‘Come Alive with Pepsi’ was dropped in China after it was translated as Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave’. 

• When General Motors tried to market the Chevy Nova car in Central and South America, they overlooked the fact that No va means, ‘it doesn't go’ in Spanish. 

• When American Airlines wanted to advertise its leather first class seats in the Mexican market, it translated its ‘Fly In Leather’ campaign literally, which meant (vuela en cuero) Fly Naked in Spanish. 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK


Picture Credit: 39160147@N03/27256764966">Pepsi Emoji Displays, 5/2016, pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube #Pepsi #Emojis</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com

Welcome to …

Adam Jacot de Boinod’s

Wide World of Language Mistakes

• On a detour sign in Japan: Stop: Drive Sideways 

• In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: We take your bags and send them in all directions 

• Over the bathroom sink in a Mexican hotel: The water has been passed personally by the hotel manager 

• In a hotel room in Cambodia: Sorry for guests who have problem, and thank for guests who have no problem 

Adam Jacot de Boinod worked on the first series of BBC Television’s QI for Stephen Fry, and is the author of The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World – Penguin Books, £10.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK