Blatant strange English a la Engrish.com can be some pretty amusing stuff. However, when it comes to Europe and strange examples of English the above is a pretty good one. There is actually a logical, read illogical, reason for it.

The huge banner pictured above can be found at Arlanda Airport (Stockholm's main international airport) and hangs above the SAS check-in counters. Pictured are famous Swedes who, supposedly, make Stockholm their home. While the first part of the message, "We hope you have enjoyed our hometown.", is fine and dandy (albeit a bit like asking if someone enjoyed their dinner at a restaurant), the second part is where the problem is. You are, in effect, being goodbyed and then helloed in the same statement.

This mistake is actually fairly common in Sweden, although it is kind of amazing to see it at the international airport on permanent display. Small shop owners in the more touristy parts of town can get away with a small hand written sign on the inside of their shop doors, but this, this is kind of embarrassing. But, as I said, it does deserve some clarification.

In the Swedish language there is a two word phrase, välkommen åter, which translates as the equivalent of "We hope to see you again" or simply "Please come again". However, it directly translates to "welcome back". If it weren't for the fact that the literal translation becomes the complete opposite of the intended meaning things would probably be ok. Case in point, when this is found upon leaving a shop you are essentially being welcomed back to the real world outside and not to the shop itself...in the future.

This is the part of the show where someone who is Swedish gets really upset and says something like, "Hey, Stockgnome, your Swedish isn't perfect either and you say some really stupid things occasionally because you directly translate from English. Maybe you should shut up." That's fine, maybe I should. But, the point is: I don't make huge signs for international airports in Swedish. Then again, what if I did? What if that was my job. I know what I would do before I placed an order for a really expensive gigantic sign that would be seen by thousands of people everyday - I would have someone who had Swedish as their first language read it first and tell me if it made sense.

Permalink    Labels: Stockholm, Wackiness, Confusion