In the window of a Swedish furrier: Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin.
注釋:"所指"(reference)在語言學的語片分析中(discourse analysis)是一個很重要的概念。瑞典一家裘皮衣店櫥窗告示中的"their own skin"原指"裘皮商的自產皮革"。可是該告示中的人稱代詞"their",由于句子結構上的錯誤,所指就成了"ladies"。全句的意思就是:本店的女裝裘皮大衣,是用太太們自己的皮所制成的。
On the box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong: Guarantee to work throughout its useful life.
注釋:如果鐘表有"有用的一生"(useful life),那么可能也會有"無用的一生"。
Detour sign in a Kyushi, Japan stop: Drive sideways.
注釋:"Detour":"繞道而行"是公路修建場地常見的告示。該句用了"drive sideways"去表達"detour"的意思。然而,"drive sideways"對說英語的人來說,有"向一邊開(車)"的意思。車只能向前或向后開,怎么能"向一邊開"?
In a Swiss mountain inn: Special today - no ice cream.
注釋:"本店今日的特別事項是:沒有冰激凌供應。""壞事"聽起來像是件"好事"。
In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: We take your bags and send them in all directions.
注釋:哥本哈根一家機票票房的告示原意是想告訴乘客,他們去到哪里,行李就會運到哪里。但書寫文字給人們的意思卻是:我們拿走你的行李,然后送到四面八方去。
In a Norwegian cocktail lounge: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
注釋:"to have children"是"生孩子"的意思。挪威一雞尾酒廊的告示文字看起來是要求"太太們不要在酒吧里生孩子"(not to have children in the bar),令人感到十分荒唐。"不要帶孩子上酒吧"應該是"not to bring children to the bar"或者"not to leave children in the bar"。
At a Budapest Zoo: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.
注釋:布達佩斯一家動物園的告示給人的印象是:適合喂動物的食物,請喂給值班人員。