BEIJING, China (AP) -- On the floor at Beijing's Capital Airport, a sign reads: "Careful Landslip Attention Security."
On a billboard, this mysterious message: "Shangri-La is in you mind, but your Buffalo is not."
In an elevator, parents are warned: "Please lead your child to tare the life."
Beijing officials have promised to crack down on bad English in preparation for the 2008 Olympics and they've asked the public to help police bad grammar and faulty syntax.
With 500,000 foreigners expected for the Olympics, taxi drivers who can't speak English -- or signs that mangle the language -- could be an embarrassment and distract from the $40 billion being poured into rebuilding the city for the games.
Liu Yang, who heads the "Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Program" for the city government, said 6,500 "standardized" English-language signs were put up last year on Beijing roads.
Liu said a language hotline may be set up for the games to encourage the public to report nonsense English. China's diplomatic missions abroad are assisting, Liu said, "and our people working in foreign companies are helping with correct usage."
Officials have also undertaken efforts to stamp out spitting and bad manners in the run-up to the games.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/04/19/china.olympics.ap/index.html
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