910. FUNNY ENGLISH SIGNS 🪧 Explained (Part 1)
Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson
Deep Dive
Why do some English signs create confusion or unintended humor?
Many signs are written with ambiguous or incorrect English, leading to double meanings or misunderstandings. This often happens due to poor translation or lack of clarity in the wording.
What does the sign 'We take your bags and send them in all directions' imply?
The sign suggests that airport staff carelessly throw luggage in random directions, which is not the intended meaning. It should clarify that bags are collected and sent to various destinations.
What is the unintended meaning of the sign 'Touching wires causes instant death. $200 fine.'?
The sign implies that even if you die instantly from touching the wires, you still have to pay a $200 fine, which is absurd and illogical.
What is the humorous misunderstanding in the sign 'Every 13 minutes, a home is burgled in London'?
The sign makes it sound like the same home is being burgled every 13 minutes, which is impossible. The intended meaning is that, on average, a home in London is burgled every 13 minutes.
What is the double meaning in the sign 'Family planning advice. Use rear entrance'?
The sign suggests that the family planning clinic is located at the back of the building, but it also implies a rude sexual meaning, as 'rear entrance' can refer to a specific sexual position.
What is the problem with the sign 'No trespassing without permission'?
The sign is redundant because trespassing inherently means entering without permission. It would be clearer to simply say 'No trespassing' or 'No entry without permission.'
What is the humorous misunderstanding in the sign 'Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar'?
The sign implies that women are giving birth in the bar, which is not the intended meaning. It should clarify that children are not allowed in the bar, not that women should avoid having children there.
What is the unintended meaning of the sign 'The manager has personally passed all the water served here'?
The sign suggests that the manager has urinated in the water, which is not the intended meaning. It should clarify that the manager has personally checked the water for safety.
What is the humorous misunderstanding in the sign 'If you want condition of warm air in your room, please control yourself'?
The sign implies that you should mentally control yourself to get warm air, rather than adjusting the thermostat. The intended meaning is that you can control the air conditioner yourself.
What is the unintended meaning of the sign 'To stop leak, turn cock to the right'?
The sign implies that you should turn your penis to the right to stop urinating, which is not the intended meaning. It should clarify that you should turn the tap to the right to stop the water leak.
- Copenhagen Airport sign: "We take your bags and send them in all directions."
- Improved version: "We collect your bags and can send them to all destinations."
- Episode focuses on analyzing funny signs, identifying intended and unintended meanings, and suggesting improvements.
Shownotes Transcript