[quote=“economy ah”]I still don’t geddit. A two-word phrase in English ending in ‘up’ usually has a derogative or negative sense to it, i.e. cock-up, foul-up, bugger-up etc. Consequently one seldom sees anyone trying to use it to convey a positive impression. Purists would say that there can be no comparison as my examples are hyphenated. So how might it look in Chinese? 台灣長大的? Gosh, that doesn’t sound too good either. Nevermind. I will be there in a couple of weeks, and I am sure that all will look just the same.
Happy New Year from a snowy UK.[/quote]
Derogative? I will rise up to this challenge. I feel I need to stand up and be counted. I will try to back up my thesis with examples. So sit up straight and listen up. I can count up so many different ways to use up positively, you’ll have no choice but to buck up. Maybe you can get up on your feet and change up the way you think about this? Cheer up.
It’s actually the basic capitalization that gets to me. Slogans aren’t really supposed to be grammatical, but you still need to type them properly. “TAIWAN UP” would be fine, because you’re shouting the whole thing. “Taiwan Up!” would also be fine, for roughly the same reason. But “Taiwan UP” = "
Taiwan
UP!!!
", or “Taiwan you-pee”. Either WAY souNDS sillY.
And sorry, no, they don’t deserve a break if they’re posting it at the top of the second tallest building in the world for a fireworks show that the whole world will see. If Toronto’s CN Tower did something like write “加拿大加由” [sic], they’d deserve mockery.
So, it is already on the local news, how the netizens are criticizing this year’s slogan. They interviewed two foreigners and it starts good, with them asking what does that mean, telling the reporter that that phrase is considered Chinglish and that the common usage would be something along the lines of Go, Taiwan , go!
At the end one sincerely says that he’d rather have the Taiwan touch your heart thinghie.
As to hiring a foreigner to proofread, that is not the problem… By the way, the phrase was indeed published and publicized several days before it was put out there for the world to see…
ps.
BTW, has anyone got a pic of the ad they put in NY Square? They are very proud of all the crowds that saw it.
Yeah, I saw the story on TVBS this morning. They said foreigners were discussing it on the web. I think Maoman should call up TVBS and tell them that the said discussion is on Forumosa.com just to set the record straight and put in a plug for this site.
In terms of the embarrassment Taiwan’s officials cause for the country through their dim country bumpkin numptiness, I’d say the “UP yours, Taiwan” slogan is the least of their problems. So they’re revealed once again as ignorant hayseeds. So what’s new?
You know it, I know it, THEY even know it, the whole frigging WORLD knows it, and yet they continue blundering ever onward in their quest to be a laughing stock.
Business as usual, in other words.
I didn’t think anything was wrong with Taiwan UP. I remember R.E.M. once made an album called UP and their lyrics are full of grammar mistakes. But I’m not one to argue with highly-paid English teachers.
Not really my type of music, but maybe they should invite Shania over here and use her song Up! as Taiwan’s theme song for 2010. youtube.com/watch?v=-FMhUNSIxks
Nice tight a**e at 40 seconds. She’s adorable.
Some of the lyrics could be applicable for Taiwan:
It’s ‘bout as bad as it could be-Taiwan’s driving
Seems everybody’s buggin’ me-any laoban will agree
Even my skin is acting weird-Taiwan pollution’ll do that
I wish that I could grow a beard-male population
Then I could cover up my spots-male population who eat oily night market food
Just gotta learn to have a laugh-the best way to approach life here
Even something as simple as-fill in your favourite whinge (walking straight on the footpath…)
etc
Serious comment-a well meaning slogan that should have been avoided by asking a foreigner. Even better grammar: Taiwan, up! or TAIWAN UP! would have helped. Still, I hope Taiwan can get stronger and keep succeeding in many entrepreneurial areas in the coming years. I admire the general good-heartedness displayed on this island, even whilst I dislike certain things.
I don’t see movie ads plastered over the Sydney Harbour bridge during the fireworks. Do you?
How tawdry. Much like the Bravia ads from Taipei NYE 2009. I don’t have an anti American chip on my shoulder, I just point out idiocy in all forms and places when it irks me.
I personally have no beef with Taiwan UP as a slogan. I even had a very nice American rib eye steak tonight, though i did add herbs when I cooked it. I do still miss the wild grass flavour of Aussie desert beef.
My beef -pun intended- is with those in charge of teaching the lingua franca telling their students and the whole world that there is a reason to mangle language like that… It is not right, period. No one will understand you, and communication is the point of language.
Yes, in linguistics, you learn about the validity of language variations; however, they are not talking about grammar. :soapbox:
I’d like to pull this bit out everytime they come up with US English only. You can’t have it both ways!!!
I saw a report on this on Minshi this morning. The reporters went down to what look like Shida and interviewed an Italian and a group of Malaysians and asked them what they thought it meant. The blind leading the blind…
Actually, most reports have been quite negative about Taipei 101’s celebrations, from the glitches in the fireworks to this. Preping the way so next year they won’t have to spend in this anymore?
[quote=“Icon”]My beef -pun intended- is with those in charge of teaching the lingua franca telling their students and the whole world that there is a reason to mangle language like that… It is not right, period. No one will understand you, and communication is the point of language.[/quote]I totally agree. Communication should be the point, not the grammar. If those responsible had chosen a slogan or a motto and everyone would have grasped the same meaning after reading it, it would have been considered a success. “Taiwan UP”, however, leaves people scratching their heads wondering WTF? I hope the professor quoted at the top doesn’t actually feel this way and is only saying this as a face saving measure!
I seriously thought I was so drunk that I was seeing thing when I saw that. Spent the rest of the weekend giving the field goal sign proclaiming Taiwan UP!
By the way, the phrase was indeed published and publicized several days before it was put out there for the world to see…
:soapbox: