I had promised myslf I wouldn’t waste your time digging up amusing mistranslations whilst in Japan. Even when the Engrish phrase is more disturbing than amusing – like the disconcertingly menacing company slogan: “Let’s enjoy your life” – I have spared you.
However, I have succumbed to a knob-gag (I am English – I can’t help myself). One might have thought that manufacturers of the gnarly looking SUV might have thought (ahem) long and hard, before calling it the “Bighorn Plaisir”.
I theng kew.  Â
I luff yew
It’s probably even ruder in Japanese…
More than the mistranslations, I love the literal translations that the Japanese do – it’s reads like the find the strangest things really appealing. In a Tokyo hotel gift shop, I saw a bottle, with a smart and stylishly-designed label, and sitting in amongst the expensive Sake, called simply ‘Low quality potato based strong alcohol’. Niiiiiiiiice.
Whilst out in one of the trendy areas, I saw a fantastic sign in the front window of a bar, written in curly funky script, which said:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOOD FOOD
MICROBREWED BEER
INTERESTING PEOPLE QUITE OFTEN
AVANT GARDE WOMENS TOILET
Now doesn’t that sound like a great place to visit? Avante-garde women’s toilet? I’d almost want to run the risk of deportation to see inside…
in honfleur, we were offered a lawyer salad (avocat, i presume). we thought of you.
I do love the bighorn.
I think Borat needs to buy that car. Do you remember, in the film, he goes to a car dealership and asked to be sold a car that has a pussy magnet in it? I’m sure the Bighorn Plaisir is a total pussy magnet, and has vibrating seats and faucets that leak raspberry flavored ky jelly.
Wow… I hate to think of the nasty car salesmen approaching me telling me that I should purchase, let along ride ‘Bighorn Plaisir’….
…is there any other kind of plaisir?
Let’s enjoy your life?????
Now that is sinister. Its the kind of thing a Mafia boss would be saying in a very quiet and polite way, whilst two huge gorrilla-men made their presence felt on either side of you, shortly before they marched you off the premises. Bighorn Plasir would certainly not be on your mind at a time like that….