Category: Word Play

Posted on

English Abroad

With the holiday season in full flight, we’ve been having a bit of fun looking at how English pops up in popular getaway spots. Let’s be honest: across much of Europe, English has become the unofficial “let’s meet in the middle” language. Whether you’re flicking through hotel info booklets, grabbing a tourist leaflet, or trying to decipher a menu, English is often the glue holding two non‑native speakers together.

And now that translation apps are everywhere, it’s easier than ever for people to whip up English content on the spot. Sometimes the results hit the nail on the head… and other times, well, they’re memorable for entirely different reasons. Word choice, word order, and context can leave the writer feeling metaphorically burned.

We’ve been shining a light on the good, the bad, and the gloriously baffling examples of holiday translations as part of our mission to champion quality language. One that genuinely made me laugh was: “Please leave your values at the front desk.” I’m fairly sure they meant valuables, but the message that came across was something else entirely. At another spot, a sign read: “In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel staff.” So close… yet not quite the reassuring guidance you’d hope for in an emergency.

Little gems like these are a valuable alert—pun absolutely intended—that correct word choice can take you from practicing to polished.

Posted on

What’s In a Word?

Quite a lot actually. Correctly chosen words make communication look clear and effortless. Cleverly chosen words (think puns, plays on words, idioms) even better. Incorrectly chosen words can be disastrous. Here are The Content Channel option 3 is not an option!

There are 6000 or so (rough estimate!) fairly common words that I personally rank amongst the most mischievous words of the English language; those with the same spelling or pronunciation but with different meanings (hononyms, homophones or homographs as they are otherwise known). If not careful, they could quickly find themselves in the aforementioned option 3! Their, there, hear, here, to, too, two…the list goes on! My favourite I heard recently was “You’re wet clothes”. The intention was of course “your wet clothes”, referring to someone’s  possessions, but no doubt the original inference could have left someone feeling like soggy trousers!

Correct choice of words and grammar can make or break clear communication. Correct choice of words and grammar can make or break brand reputation. Clever choice of words can be even better. I thought long and hard about my own branding. I like to think I live and breathe the very name sake of the Content Channel. Content, because creating material is a large part of what I do, but I’m also amongst the fortunate few who can say I’m genuinely very happy in my work too. The fact that it more or less works in French and English is a nod to where it all began too – my love of French! Channel, aside from its multiple methods of communication, is also a nod to connecting across the water. These days of course, our reach is much wider than that. But remembering where it all began…well that helps me channel my inner contentment. All puns intended!