FOREIGNERS’ ENGLISH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20536, 11 October 1928, Page 16

FOREIGNERS’ ENGLISH.

SOME QUAINT EXAMPLES. In the hall of a certain hotel at Geneva the other day (writes H. Challinor James, in the Daily Mail) a foreigner was volubly airing his opinion that the Briti&n are the worst linguists in Europe. Taking him tently on one side, I pointed to a huge, oormat, on which was printed in red letters, “ Your feet the mat must wipe or mud the carpet begets.” He said no m This little incident recalls innumerable examples I have seen of foreign maltreatment of our mother tongue. We may not be the world’s best in the matter of languages, but I defy anyone to find in England such grotesque solecisms as meet the eye everywhere abroad. There is a typical one at Swiss frontier stations, where notices announcing “ No calling out for trains ” are prominently displayed. It simply means that porters no longer give warning when trains are about to leave. In one hotel placards intimated that “Visitors coming late cannot be served before the previous dishes.” Some amends, however, were made by the management undertaking to do “ woshing and ciandering of all kinds at the usual charges.” Another hostel warned its guests that “.visitors going to bed at an unusual hour are reminded their neighbours expect them to be quiet as possible.’ Quite quiet, in fact. At another resort made famous by Mark Twain people anxious to see an Alpine sunrise used to rush outside wrapped in their bedclothes when the shepherd blew his horn. The custom quickly died out, however, after the manage posted up a notice saying: “ Misters and venerable voyagers and mesdames are earnestly requested not to take the clothes of the bed to see the sunrise foi the colour changes.” But perhaps the most priceless specimen of all was that to be seen in a Black Forest hotel. “ Put this prescription over your head that you may be quiet in the hotel. If you have any jewels give them to the manager. Afflictions on the personnel I pray to be confined to my person. Shoes and clothing will already appear on the door before going to sleep so that they can clean. The porter and the transport are not confined in the room. Support the button. One stroke for the maid . . . three for the varlet.”