menu Archives - Machigai Podcast: 英語の間違いを直そう

Which English language do you want?

X English languages Available. We have English menu.

Tim says:

This sounds funny, because there is only one English language. Of course, there are some dialects (方言) of it, but “English” is a language and there’s only one language by that name!

Also, these two sentences seem to be saying almost the same thing. The second sentence is clearer that it means an English menu, not an English newspaper or something else!

So let’s get rid of the first sentence, and just correct the grammar in the second one:

O We have an English menu.

周囲にある英語を見て、果たしてそれが正しい英語なのだろうかと感じる英語はありますか？「あの英語は絶対に間違っている」という英語の表記はありますか？看板の写真を撮って、Machigai.comに送りましょう！とんでもない英語だったら、このコーナーで出します！

No. 034 VIKING

今週のよくある英語の間違い：

「I ate at a viking」というと、相手がわからないでしょう
「they have a new menu」の意味は思っている通りじゃないです！
“L or R” answer (click here)

Co-host: Hitomi Fukazawa Machigai Theme: “Enter the Party,” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) L or R Theme : mpfree.org.uk ２００７年５月１日の再放送

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A menu card sandwich?

X Let us make your favorites from the menu cards!

Tim says:

Technically, this could be considered correct, but it could be understood in two different ways. It could mean that you should choose your favorite items that are printed on the menu cards — that’s the meaning that’s intended here.

However, because “make 〜 from 〜” 「～から〜を作る」, it could also mean that they will make the menu cards into sandwiches! I don’t think I’ll choose that. The taste is a little dry.

To avoid confusion, it’d be better if they wrote it this way:

O Let us make your favorite menu items!

A Tasteful Sign

X Good taste menu in this store.

Tim says:

“Menu” in English means a list of the food available, but it can mean all of the available food itself, too. (Each dish on the menu is a MENU ITEM.)

“Good taste” is not an adjective; it should be “good-tasting”. “In this store” is not a mistake, but it sounds rather childish. Here are some more natural ways to say this:

O We have a great-tasting menu.

O Everything on our menu tastes great!

By the way, if we say someone has good taste, it means 「その人はセンスがある。」 This sign reminded me of that meaning, rather than the food-related one!