Monday, September 1, 2008   7:55 PM

This Vehicle is Done

Engrish on the Keikyu Line

Tsk tsk Keikyu Railway. You'd think that operating part of the line which runs between Tokyo's major airports would encourage you to do more than just run your translations through some automatic translator. I know you probably don't read my blog, but just to show I care, here's a saner suggestion:

"The air conditioning in this car is set to a higher temperature".

(Most railway companies provide at least one carriage on each train where the air conditioning is not quite as vicious for passengers who prefer it, though it's very rarely signposted in English come to think of it - usually there will be a sign in blue above the doors on reading 弱冷房車 jaku reibosha)


Posted in Engrish
Comments
I'm glad you wrote a saner translation. in consideration to our impending visit, I would have been seriously worried about the original translation. I have a problem with air con as you know so I for one would have avoided this carriage in case it was something really nasty.
I still don't quite understand the saner bit though. Does it mean there is LESS a/c or more? I guess it means the temp is higher as a result of less a/c?
Help!!!
Posted by: Mummy Penguin | 2008-09-03 15:49
It means there is less a/c, i.e. the temperature in this carriage will be a couple of degrees higher than normal, typically 28˚C as opposed to 26˚C.

Air conditioning is generally not a problem in winter here though, don't forget a warm woolly jumper!
Posted by: ThePenguin | 2008-09-04 22:48