“Wash after relief,” “don’t forget to carry your thing,” “financial affairs is everywhere long”—these are just a few of many amusing “Chinglish” translations that David Henry Hwang highlights in his Broadway comedy about getting lost in translation.
“Chinglish” tells the story of an American businessman (Gary Wilmes) going to Guiyang, China to strike a business deal with the city’s minister, played by Larry Lei Zhang. Most of the play is spoken in Mandarin with English subtitles, and its plot contains hilarious situations that come about when language and culture are misunderstood.
Check out this preview!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsLLFLMmw0g
And check out this example of real world Chinglish, photographed in Shanghai, China:
