Contraceptive printing room
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Gianni Wan sent in this bizarre translation:
The Chinese characters read:
jìshēngyàojù shì 计生葯具室 ("contraceptives room")
I think that perhaps the room doubles as a room for contraceptives and a room for printing. There's no way, so far as I can tell, to get from jìshēngyàojù shì 计生葯具室 ("contraceptives room") to "printing room". Another possibility is that the English translations for a number of rooms got mixed up when the signs were printed, in which case we could expect to find other totally incongruous "translations" in the same building.
[Thanks to Fangyi Cheng and Rebecca Fu]
David Morris said,
June 20, 2014 @ 8:36 am
It's about reproduction, isn't it?
Ellen K. said,
June 20, 2014 @ 8:40 am
What would a room for contraceptives be?
NW said,
June 20, 2014 @ 9:40 am
A condorm.
Nathan said,
June 20, 2014 @ 9:48 am
What sort of building requires a "room for contraceptives"? Is this a hotel, restaurant, school, church, hospital, gym, or government office?
A condominium, perhaps?
Keith said,
June 20, 2014 @ 11:00 am
Maybe the printing is done with a rubber stamp?
Rubrick said,
June 20, 2014 @ 4:36 pm
I'm guessing inkjet printing….
Victor Mair said,
June 20, 2014 @ 4:37 pm
@Dear All
Thank you for your most clever comments. Once more you have reminded me why it is such a pleasure to write for Language Log. You guys are the best! Waking up here in Hong Kong to all of your great notes gave a rip-roaring, mirthful beginning to my day.
rootlesscosmo said,
June 20, 2014 @ 7:21 pm
Old joke: "Have you ever seen what's printed on a condom?' "No, what?" "Well, you have to unroll it all the way."
Dave Cragin said,
June 21, 2014 @ 8:10 pm
When I was in college, the Zoology department had a room wryly labeled "Non-Biological Reproduction" – It was the copy/xerox room.