No explanation necessary. Read on and wince:The National Immigration Agency selected a winning English-language slogan submitted by an 11-year-old fifth-grader from Keelung, reports said Tuesday.300 entries and that was the best they could do?
In order to strengthen its service image, the government’s immigration department conducted a search on the Internet from May 14 to June 30 for the best Chinese-language and English-language slogans.
Fifth-grade girl student Yu Chieh won the English part of the competition with “NIA care what you care!”
Jury members from inside and outside the NIA selected a shortlist of 20 from the more than 300 entries received. NIA Director-General Hsieh Li-kung said the competition attracted participants from as far away as Nepal, Indonesia, the United States, India and South Africa. Each slogan was accompanied by detailed explanations as to its significance, he said.
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Not only is it bad English, it is also transparently false; the NIA hive does not give a damn about what any particular person may want.
ReplyDeleteHowever, getting children to spout government lies is of course the most necessary aspect of an education system, without which we'd be seeing rising youth unemployment, rising violent crime and distorted capital markets. Oh hang on...
lol nice one
ReplyDeleteWhy does everything in Taiwan have to have a meaningless slogan?
ReplyDeleteNew Slogan: We Don't Want You Here To Dilute Our Master Race And Weaken The Nation.
ReplyDeleteTinglish or Minglish --
ReplyDeleteT = Taiwan
M = Mandarin
Taiwanese are not Chinese.
Thanks.
O-mi-ga-啦！ I am so happiness that NIA is care what I care. In the before, I am worry about is NIA don't care what I am care and seldom like me, but now I know that they are so funny and I interesting to discussing about the immigrate.
ReplyDeleteSorry, was that mean? 'Cause I mean it in the most loving way! I only make fun of places I love!
Jenna that was classic. I think I am going to laugh for a year!
ReplyDeletelol just say this the other day. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteGreat freaking blog by the way.
Best,
http://globalpaarisite.blogspot.com/
I suspect this has nothing to do with truth or falsity, and everything to do with the NIA's desire to kiss Premier Wu Den-yi's ass.
ReplyDeleteLast year Wu announced his platform of 'people's economics (shumin jingji 庶民經濟). Then later he rejected each department's implementation for this 'policy' and explained that the "spirit of people's economics is caring (guanxin 關心 about the needs of ordinary people).
This slogan was chosen because it was the one that most closely echoed Wu's policy.
This is a classic case of what the Chinese reger to a 'official culture' (官場文化).
It is certainly enough to make you puke, do some drugs, and join a gang in Taichung.
Reminds me of an email I received from my assistant once while we were having some confusing business issues.
ReplyDelete"What can we do? What should we do? What do be do?"
My response was, Laugh! What else can you do?
*** Anyone watching Taiwan's Little League team?
Great stuff!! The island should be proud.
Now let's hope that everyone is of legal age. Ha. But really, the kids are doing great and representing the island well. They're a class act.
I love the people in the stands with the yellow t-shirts and the large green island with TAIWAN printed.
ReplyDeleteThis is a classic case of what the Chinese reger to a 'official culture' (官場文化).
Hopefully, more and more Taiwanese people will realize that how much superior Taiwanese Culture is than Chinese Culture.
And I say that not because I'm Taiwanese.
Yu Chieh's slogan sounds more like, " ...'n ain't care nuthin' what ya care 'bout."
ReplyDeleteThe child won because she spoke the truth.
"Hopefully, more and more Taiwanese people will realize that how much superior Taiwanese Culture is than Chinese Culture."
ReplyDeleteJade ... while I believe I understand your sentiment, I must say I'd be uncomfortable stating that one culture is superior to another.
Regardless if it relates to religion, race and/or country of orign, we seem to hear this type of thing often these days and I've shared the thought myself on more than one occasion.
However, while I'm without question pro-Taiwanese, I think comments/opinions like this, open the flood gates to unnecessary pissing contests that lead to no where good and to the benefit of no one.
Largely, counter productive to the cause in my mind.
Unfortunately to some, "superiority" is measured in missiles.
So Sage, which do you think is better - the culture of say, Saudi Arabia, or the culture of Taiwan? Or are they in any sense equivalent?
ReplyDeleteMike ... I could safely comment on "which is better", the food in Saudi Arabia or the food in Taiwan.
ReplyDeleteDo I have a preference of food, yes. Do I personally have a preference in culture, of course.
But I can't comfortably judge and/or say that one "culture" is "better" than the other.
Not any more than I would judge one skin color to be superior to another.
Different, naturally. Can I find fault with a cultural belief or practice. Certainly.
As it relates to government ideologies, I have strong opinions.
But saying the Taiwanese culture is superior to the Chinese culture?
Beyond chuckles, in my opinion this is not very enlightened thinking.
What then, oh Sage, do you mean by the words "better" or "superior" if you will not use them to express preference for certain actions in certain contexts? Given that you, presumably, live in Taiwan and have therefore already expressed a preference for Taiwan over China, your meaning of "better" would seem to be somewhat... mystical.
ReplyDeleteWell Old Mike, it almost seems as though you're looking to pick a fight.
ReplyDeleteI believe my post was clear.
Frankly, the only thing that I find mystical in this exchange, if not juvenile, is your response/confusion.
Have you got a turd in your pocket or something?
How is your Chinese? Haven't you lived in Taiwan for years. Well, you'd better speak and write PERFECT Chinese or we will laugh at your Englinese as hard as you laugh at our Chinglish.
ReplyDeleteHow is your Chinese? Haven't you lived in Taiwan for years. Well, you'd better speak and write PERFECT Chinese or we will laugh at your Englinese as hard as you laugh at our Chinglish.
ReplyDeleteNo one expects perfect English in ordinary communications. I don't hold anyone to that standard, and neither do any of my readers.
But when something is adopted as official English it costs nothing for them to check to make sure it is grammatically acceptable.
That is the difference. Hope it is clear to you.
Your post in response to Jade wasn't at all clear, and the question I have asked you is designed to elicit clarification. Just answer the question.
ReplyDelete