You can say that this is a long-delayed personal project. Pressing issues and concerns prevented me from posting something light (or “against the light”).
Since March 2006 when my wife and I bought a camera phone – first a Nokia 3220 which I replaced with the current Nokia 6070 I have now – I’ve been taking pictures of “funny signs” in my travels within and outside Metro Manila.
Taking a break from my hectic schedule, allow me to share some of them in chronological order.
When my wife and I spent the weekend at a popular resort in Pasig City in early May 2006, we were greeted by this. (Sorry for the low resolution.)
Rest assured that we complied, the nebulous term malaswa (indecent) notwithstanding.
Moving on, I gave an out-of-town lecture in September 2006 at a Catholic school in Bataan. The first sign below is self-explanatory, the second one is not.
Can you please tell me what is meant by the phrase “and tomorrow INSIDE”? I have an idea, but I’d like to hear yours.
Of course, we’re just getting warmed up for even funnier signs.
When my wife and I went to Palawan for a long-deserved vacation in October 2006, the jeep we hired had a sign that states:
I was tempted to ask my wife, “How the weather in Puerto Princesa?” It was fine, thank you very much. We even had lunch at the popular restaurant called Ka Lui’s. Don’t get me wrong; the sign at the entrance is grammatically correct, but don’t you think the diction is poor?
As expected, we moved around Palawan a lot. At one of its popular parks, I saw this very informative sign. It has a lot of facts and only one figure. Huh?
Coming back to Manila, I took the MRT sometime in November 2006. Guess what’s ban inside the Kamuning station?
Clearly, only one tin can is ban. It’s goods that you abide by the rules, right?
Anyway, airports have their share of funny signs, and I’m not just referring to the ban on “bomb jokes.” Read (and understand) the sign that greeted me at the Tagbilaran airport in December 2006.
It’s good that I teach and write for a leaving, otherwise I wouldn’t have spotted the error. The assumption is that those who disembark should still be living, right?
During one of those weekends at a popular mall in Cubao, my wife and I were tempted to buy ice cream, but not from this stall located on the basement.
My wife and I were afraid that the ice cream could create a ripple in my stomach, to paraphrase a popular actress, not once, but thrice!
The best way to conclude my first-ever “funny signs” post is something adult-oriented. Please note that this particular stall sells potatoes. This is what happens when the stall owner fails to replace the light bulbs.
I think this doesn’t help erase the reputation of Araneta Center in Cubao as a haven for (quick, what rhymes with restitution?), especially at night.
By the way, feel free to email pictures of funny signs you have stumbled upon. I’ll be more than happy to include them in future entries.
Would you want to read more “funny signs”? Your comments will be highly appreciated. Thanks!
I once wrote a blog post about bad English on signs.
Have you been to Market! Market! lately? There’s a sign there you should see. http://www.flickr.com/photos/noelledg/1250321008/
Reply: Thanks for your contribution. I will include this sign, as well as others on your Flickr account, in a future post. Nice website, by the way. It shows a totally different side of you (from my end), one that I didn’t know until now. I linked your website to mine under the “Journalists” category. The work you do for Living Asia makes you one, I think. Cheers!
Hey sir :-) Tarra here, a former student. I know why that Avanza carries that sign “Taxi lang po ito.” based on several conversations with cabbies. See the cab is an AUV, people tend to think it plies the road like an FX would na it has a fixed route. Drivers of those new Avanza cabs always get this question: “San routa mo bok?” Hence, that sign means “Hindi ito FX.” :-)
Reply: Thanks for your comment, and for the additional information on the “Taxi lang po ito” sign. I think it is funny for those like me who did not know until now the context in which the sign was made. Then again, I am tempted to ask: Why the use of the word lang (only)? Does this mean that taxi drivers in general have higher regard for FX drivers who ply regular routes? Is there a hierarchy in driving PUVs that we should know? Just curious. Cheers!
Nope, not about industry hierarchy or social order. I guess it just means that an FX holds more passengers than does a taxi. Imagine a conversation between a taxi driver and a passenger who thinks the Avanza is an FX after hailing it:
Pax: “Bok, san byahe mo?”
Driver: “Taxi lang po ito.”
I think the analysis should only go as far :-)
Hahahahaha!!! Kay galing nito!! Ngayon ko lang ito nakita. :) Galing mo, Kuya! :)
I actually admire you with the way you interrelate those pinoy-made signs which you fondly call as FUNNY PINOY SIGNS..either with how you formulate humors out of these. But, one thing i am not really sure of is how you unintentionally try to humiliate, in one point or another, our fellow Pinoys with your act of making fun of them.. Is this really the kind of thing which brings you more reputation as a writer or as an educator from one of the most prestigious universities in the country?
Reply: Thank you for your constructive criticism. I can’t blame you if you feel that way, as making fun of grammatical mistakes can sometimes be taken personally by the people responsible for them. The intention of my “Funny Signs” project is to teach the basics of grammar, syntax and diction in English and Filipino by looking at bad examples. It’s just like one of my approaches in teaching Web authoring where students know the “good” by looking at the “bad.” Rest assured that I try my best to be very careful in writing my comments on the funny signs I encounter, which partly explains why I refrain from mentioning where exactly I saw such signs. Your comment is very useful because it motivates me to be even more careful. All the best!
ah, sir..
in this world of notorious and grammatically-challenged pinoy signs, how would you recognize the difference between “funny Pinoy signs” and “alarming Pinoy signs”?
Reply: Very interesting question! I guess the immediate answer is: Should we make any distinction? The funny could be alarming, and vice versa. Another point to consider is that what’s funny or alarming for you may not be funny or alarming for others. All the best!
well for me sir, if you’re going to ask me the same question, these so-called “funny Pinoy signs” do really make room for indeed “alarming” signs of our country’s deteriorating competency as an English-speaking nation. I think this manifestation deserves a much wider and deeper scoop of understanding as to how ignorance and illiteracy invades into the limelight of our society.
By the way, thank you very much sir for entertaining my comments. It’s been a pleasure! Good day and God bless.
Reply: I agree with you. It’s really alarming that our educational system fails to address proficiency not just in English but also in Filipino. This may be a bit weird but I promote the use of “predictive text” in SMS. I encourage my students to do it in “texting” me. Condensing one’s message in 160 characters or less (in a grammatical manner at that) is a good exercise in using one’s language, don’t you think? All the best!
Wow what a great website. My name is Ken, first time blogger and funny signs enthusiast. I’ve put up the site, http://www.sablay.net, featuring mostly funny grammatical errors, shop fronts, viral vids etc all in one place. I’m just wondering if you can allow me to use some of the funny signs you have on your site. I will make sure you are properly acknowledged as well. Thanks po sir. Please advise na lang. Thanks again and don’t forget to check out http://www.sablay.net. God Bless.
Reply: Sure. Be my guest. Congratulations on your site. All the best!