By Linda Yu
China Daily, October 23, 2009

"Deformed Man Toilet" is just one of many lost-in-translation English signs that Shanghai is looking to get rid of as it readies to welcome 4 million foreign visitors to next year's expo.

In its latest effort the municipal government earlier this month released a new series of guidelines and more than 300 English translations based on international standards. Over the coming months, these will replace existing public signs that are inadvertently humorous or insensitive.

The move follows a similar action taken by Beijing prior to its hosting of the Olympics last year, and is one that is being given a thumbs-up by expats like Musebu Sichula from Zambia.

"The effort is good, especially coming from a place in China like Shanghai, which is interacting with the rest of the world," said the 33-year-old doctorate student who studies at the University of Shanghai Finance and Economics.

She remembers coming across a large rock in Shanghai with a sign below it that read "Caution, overhead hazard". She couldn't help but let out a laugh over what should have been translated as "Watch your head".

"I just thought it was so funny," said Sichula, who has studied Mandarin. "I read it in Chinese, and what it said in English was very, very different."

Still Shanghai's 'Chinglish' signs fare better compared to other parts of China and are getting harder to find these days, according to Alexis Mardapittas who has lived in the city for the past five years.

"It shows that Shanghai is getting ready to make the city work for visitors," said the 30-year-old Briton. "Communication is key when you're visiting a country where not everyone speaks the same language."

Mardapittas, the creative director of a Shanghai-based media marketing firm, characterized the city's attempt to correct improper English signs as a natural progression in its modernization.

"The way the city is choosing to change reflects the behavior of Chinese people," he said. "With more and more Chinese making the effort to learn English and shaping themselves towards a more international way of life, so is the city."

Yet with obvious mistakes like "Better City, Better Life" still existent, Shanghai has its work cut out, said Sean Tucker.

The 30-year-old American who recalls seeing the misspelling on a poster board near his downtown neighborhood said such carelessness is likely to leave newcomers unimpressed with the city.

Such was not the case, however, for first-time visitor Par Lindhe from Sweden.

The 29-year-old described Shanghai as nothing short of amazing. Though he had heard about the city's 'Chinglish' before arriving, he didn't see any during his week of exploring.

"So I can't say there's a dire need to fix up the English here," he said. "But I think Shanghai should collect all of its 'Chinglish' signs and establish a 'Chinglish' museum."

"That would be pretty funny and would probably bring in more revenue for the expo," he added.