- People in glass houses shouldn’t throw bricks
- Want an authoritative source? Why a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
- Want people to take you seriously? Again, a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
- A native-speaking proofreader is your best option for avoiding redundancy
- A native speaker’s pronunciation, however, may NOT always be your best option
- In what universe does this make sense?
- This leads to my final segue about why a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
A couple of recent articles have caught my eye. They’re great reminders of why a native-speaking proofreader is your best option—always. You can use all the AI tools you want, but they’ll leave you with mistakes. A competent native-speaking proofreader is your best option for natural, error-free copy.
The first article was about awkward English translations of Korean food in Europe. It lamented poor translations of Korean dishes in Korean restaurants in Germany.
In one case, the restaurant mistakenly wrote 김치찜 (Kimchi Jjim) as Kimchi wishlist. In another, they wrote 김치찌개 (Kimchi Jjigae) Kim Chi G. Gay. These are obviously mistranslations that need correction. But there are two issues here.
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw bricks
First, Koreans should look closer to home before criticizing English translations abroad. The article refers to “inaccurately labeled menus.” It also mentions the Korean Cultural Center “distributed booklets detailing the correct names.”
I wonder if they’re distributing that booklet within Korea. I’ve posted several examples of humorous and “creative” English on Korean menus—in Korea. In this post, I share several examples, including:
- Grilled Spicy Folk (should be Pork)
- Prappuccino (should be Frappuccino)
- Hot cream crap salad (should be crab)
- Jack & Cock (should be Coke)
Before complaining about poor English translations of Korean food globally, here’s an idea. Try doing better in Korea with your English menus.
The second issue is that the suggested correct spellings are rather awkward. The article claims the translation of 김치찜 should be Kimchijjim or “Kimchi Stew.” But Kimchijjim is rather difficult to read. Additionally, it’s usually translated as Braised Kimchi. The article also states that 김치찌개 should be written as Kimchijjigaae. Again, this is rather difficult to read, and this dish is more commonly translated as Kimchi Stew.
These translations appear to be coming from a site called Hansik (which means Korean food). The Hansik Promotion Institute (Korean Food Promotion Institute) runs it. According to the site, it is “a public institution under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs established for the purpose.” No, you didn’t misread that, and no, I didn’t edit it.
Want an authoritative source? Why a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
To promote Korean food globally, you may want to start with an error-free site. This single screenshot contains three glaring errors. Two are related to the incorrect use of capital letters. The last is an incomplete sentence (it doesn’t state the purpose).
As far as I can tell, this site is attempting to be the definitive resource for everything related to Korean food. This includes translation and naming conventions. The first issue is that 김치찜 doesn’t appear in the database. Good start. The second is writing all the names of the dishes as one word.
I’ll be the first to admit that translating Korean to English isn’t easy. Romanizing Korean is no picnic either. Check out this post on how difficult it can be to write Korean names in English. But writing the transliterations of these dishes as one word is a horrible idea. Especially when the site confusingly refers to them as “Latina.” If you look at the first entry, you can see what I’m talking about.
- 간장게장정식 → Ganjanggejangjeongsik
It just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? I wonder if it would be easier to read like this:
- Ganjang Gyejang Jeongsik
If you’re wondering what this dish actually is, it might be tough to fit on your signboard.
- Soy Sauce Marinated Crab Served with Rice and Side Dishes
That is an accurate translation of the dish, but I wouldn’t call it the name of the dish. Perhaps “Soy Sauce Marinated Crab (Meal)” would be better.
The entry four rows down is also interesting. Instead of “explaining” the dish 김밥, the “Latina” is Gimbap, and the English is Gimbap. There’s no explanation of what gimbap is. Those familiar with Korean cuisine may know what it is. But those unfamiliar with Korean food may find “Korean Rice Roll” more informative.
Want people to take you seriously? Again, a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
BTW, I believe that they use “Latina” to represent “Latin”, but I’m unsure why they’ve tacked an “a” on at the end. I believe the term they’re actually looking for is “Romanization.”
It’s obvious no one had a native English-speaking proofreader review the site. The above screenshot is but one example. My best guess is that it has been translated (poorly) with AI. Further evidence is the decision to write all the Romanizations of the dishes as one word. That may be acceptable for short words. But as demonstrated above, it can become very unwieldy with longer dish names. A competent native English-speaking proofreader never would’ve agreed to that.
I applaud the attempt to create a standardized, definitive resource for the translations of Korean dishes. But such a project requires consultation with a native English-speaking proofreader. It is folly to think that non-native English speakers know best. Speaking of which….
A native-speaking proofreader is your best option for avoiding redundancy
Have you seen this post from The Language Nerds? I always smile when it pops up in my feed.
That’s why an article about a decision by the Seoul government caught my eye. Despite no formal complaints or confusion, they decided a change was necessary. In their infinite wisdom, they decided that several famous landmarks be written as:
- Hangang River
- Hallasan Mountain
- Yongdampokpo Falls
The problem? In a word, tautology. “Gang” means river, “san” means mountain, and “pokpo” means falls. So,…
- Han River River
- Halla Mountain Mountain
- Yongdam Falls Falls
Even when this obvious issue was pointed out, officials doubled down. They claimed
“While such literal translations are possible, the city government clarified that the rule aims to reduce foreigners’ confusion by promoting the river’s accurate English name.”
It is obvious that
- No native English-speaking proofreaders were consulted on this decision
- Or, if they were, their opinions were ignored entirely
At least the final line of the article offered some hope. “The Korea JoongAng Daily editorial board has decided to maintain the use of the Han River terminology according to our style guide.”
Finally, allow me to interpret the second last line of the article.
“The city government will make various efforts to ensure the correct English version of the Hangang River is widely adopted.”
Translation:
The Seoul government will waste copious amounts of time, effort, and money trying to push through this unnecessary and ridiculous change because, as non-native English speakers, we know what’s best for tourists.
And this brings us to a related pet peeve of mine…
A native speaker’s pronunciation, however, may NOT always be your best option
Which ass clown decided on the current English pronunciations of the Seoul subway stations? Previously, the English subway station announcements were recorded by a native English speaker. But they used the Korean pronunciation of the stops.
Here’s a quick lesson for those who don’t speak Korean. Remember the 2012 hit “Gangnam Style?” 강남역 (Gangnam Station) was pronounced “gahng nahm” in the English announcements. That’s how it’s pronounced in Korean. It’s a much softer “a” sound, similar to the “a” in “father” as opposed to in “man.”
But now, though still recorded by a native English speaker (perhaps the same one), they pronounce the station names like someone without knowledge of Korean pronunciation. So they pronounce Gangnam as Gang Nam. They pronounce “gang” like the English word “gang”, not the Korean pronunciation of “gahng”. The same goes for “nam” (rather than “nahm”).
This is akin to the London Underground recording the names of the stops with American pronunciations to make it easier for tourists. Absolutely ridiculous.
In what universe does this make sense?
Again, I’m sure someone with no understanding of English thought this was a good idea and would help tourists. But what happens when those tourists get in a cab and use that pronunciation, and the cab driver is baffled? Doesn’t every subway car in Seoul have several electronic monitors displaying the station name in Korean and English?
Many people consider the Seoul subway system very easy to navigate. Ever heard the expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” I wonder if the Japanese and Chinese announcements use standard Korean pronunciation. Or have they been adapted for Chinese and Japanese pronunciations of Korean?
When I’m done railing against city slogans, if I can find the time, I may switch things up. Perhaps I’ll start railing against these horrid-sounding subway station announcements. They are so jarring that even though I fully expect them when I ride the subway, they’re like nails on a chalkboard.
This leads to my final segue about why a native-speaking proofreader is your best option
I’m planning something to kick off the new year. The scourge of the “Grand Open” sign in Korea has long bothered me. They’re so ubiquitous. A native English speaker once told me in a chat that they’d seen so many “Grand Open” signs they couldn’t remember the correct expression!
Of course, I can’t do this alone. I’m going to need your help. But keep your eyes peeled on my social media in January. I’m sure with your help and support, we can raise awareness of this issue and start making a change!
Wherever you may be and whatever holidays you may or may not celebrate, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As I wrote about in my last blog, I’m truly grateful for all the support you’ve given me. I look forward to providing you with more great content in 2025!
See you next year!
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