Are you a bean who has forgotton its pod (skin) ? Part 1

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Don't worry ! There's no hidden purpose in the title of the topic. Its more on literal translation which can be very funny or give a meaning which borders obscenity ! The above is a literal translation of a Malay idiom.

I remember reading a warning notice inscribed on the back of a mini-compo. It states clearly "Do not go inside ! No user....'' and so on which I couldn't remember. All it was trying to do was to warn users not to open the back of the cd-player as it might endanger you. 

Of course film subtitles can produce many gems. 'Fire!' --meaning to shoot , can produce translation of 'Api!". Of course there are many more and I invite readers to write in if you know more .

Can you imagine if Malay idioms are translated literally ! We'd probably get these--(leave it to you to guess the actual ones)----

1) ..don't drop my water-face

2)..leg-beat

3)..water-stone

4)quiet not quiet 

Oh--there are others ---any contributions? I remember a student of mine wrote this (seriously---I'm not joking....

'I wait wait no bus come but when one bus come two three bus come !'

I leave it to you to figure out what he was trying to say.

(Having said the above, I would like to make it clear, before anyone misunderstood me, that I am not laughing at the weaknesses of English learners. After all , I still make mistakes in the language too !)

I include something a friend sent me. Enjoy it !

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