Brand/Product Names:
        * Companies often borrow words from another language to label a new product in their own country. Recently in Germany makers of knapsacks have started to refer to them as "Body Bags" - I can't see many people wanting to be seen in one of those!
        * IKEA once tried to sell a workbench called FARTFULL - not a hugely popular product for obvious reasons.
        * Both Clairol and the Irish alcoholic drink Irish Mist did not properly consider the German language when they launched their products there. Clairol's hair-curling iron "Mist Stick" and the drink "Irish Mist" both flopped - why? 'Mist' translates in German as "manure". Fancy a glass of Irish manure?
        * The Japanese seem to have a particular flair in naming products. The country has given us gems such as "homo soap" (a soap bar with a very niche target market), "coolpis" (a seemingly unappetizing fruit juice), "Germ bread" (fancy spreading your butter on that?) and "Shito Mix" (which even claims to be a "new improved shito").
        Signs/Information:
        Foreign hotels seem to make a habit of DIY translations:
        * "Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such a thing is please not to read notis." (in a Tokyo hotel) - but what if I have already read it?
        * "Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily." (in a hotel in Athens) -  at least they are organised!
        * "You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid." (in a Japanese hotel) -  as if the chambermaids don't have enough on their plates.
        * "Please do not bring solicitors into your room" (hotel in Thailand) -  instils confidence in any guest.
        * "Sweat Dreams" (hotel in Poland) -  guess the air-conditioning doesn't work.
        Instructions/Statements:
        Try and understand these:
        "Small animals nibble you the life? They give you the cockroach? XXX is with your services. But which are we?" (from a French pest control website)
        "This publication has dedicated the necklace of nature classical hybrid and is extensive in four tongues...to scholastic custom, whose production, that to full rhythm will be of menstrual lilt, satisfies the Italian market, for which we retain, might fully interest you it am because the commodity is economic." (an Italian company's mail shot)
        "Smuggle the razor blade (reference value around 400 g) on your muscle vertically, then drag your skin and shave back slowly." (from a packet of razor blades)
        "Push up bottom" (Greek stick of deodorant)
        Conclusion
        Although they give us some comedy value these examples of poor translations and language blunders raise a more serious point: if people and businesses are to be successful on the international stage they must be able to communicate well in foreign languages. Going back to the example of the man in the pub or in Warsaw on business, if he had a few phrases in Polish it would make the world of difference.
来源：英国网站

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