English Gone Wrong: We Certainly Didn't Mean That!

If you are a native English speaker who has traveled extensively in foreign lands, you have certainly come across signs in English that forced you into mental gymnastics. The sentiment or idea expressed takes on double meanings far beyond what the writer intended.

Of course, the creator(s) of these signs meant no harm to the language or their own reputations, but simply wanted it known that their establishments were available to serve English speaking people. However, oddly, the first service the signs provided was amusement – likely very much needed after a few weeks traveling abroad.

The contents herein – including signage, advertisements, menus, and newspaper articles – were gathered by a variety of expats and transmitted to others over the years as some of the best (or worst) examples of English gone terribly wrong