Dangre

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Taken at Olaya St., Riyadh on a busy day last October.

41 thoughts on “Dangre”

  4. Fascinating….
    I keep wondering, how can you get that wrong?
    More obscure English, yes… but this is pretty basic?
    Perhaps it’s on purpose… To keep your attention to the sign!

  9. so what, i see many fetal mistakes in Arabic signs,
    why is it something when the mistake is damn English misspelling?
    , at least all the letters are there!!

  14. So what’s the big deal, I’m sure it’s an innocent mistake…So what are you telling us you don’t make any spelling errors, I seen you on CNN a while back, and you can’t even speak properly. …For God sake get over yourself…

  15. What a silly comment Anon. how childish to take it out on Achmed.
    I’ll explain it for you: This is an official notice, by an official government body. For a spelling mistake, and one in a most simple common word is just too weird for words!
    Just imagine how many people must have seen, and endorsed this sign, and nobody noticed this bizarre misspelling?

  19. Perhaps a skull and cross-bones would have been better? ooh wait…thats poison…

    Better yet, does anyone in the KSA govt use spell-check?

  21. yeah I gotta be honest with you guys, the English spelling in Saudi is horrendous. I figured someone should apply to the government as an official English spell-check editor. You can make a lot of money :)

  22. Anon, it isn’t crap.

    It’s a very simple word, even a grade school kid can spell it. The fact that it’s a government sign and a misspelled one at that is just appalling.

    Mistakes are more forgiven when spoken English is concerned, but in written language, it’s a definite no-no. Most of us here probably don’t speak English as a first language,so let’s take it easy on them. Even Americans and the British make mistakes.

  23. Being an English teacher, I’m not that surprised.
    After interrogating my students, I discovered that English is taught in high schools like most subjects…5 words to memorize from each chapter plus memorizing a paragraph already written by the teacher (spelling is not that important) and a few questions on grammar with their answers given to the students to stuff their heads with before the day of the exam… without explaining how the rule works.
    End result: Full grades in English with zero knowledge!
    By the way, according to my students, (because) is spelled like this: (Becomse)
    @Anon
    A blog is a blogger’s personal space. It’s up to the blogger to post whatever he or she wants…regardless of what message to communicate.

  24. lol, i see this all the time. not that i don’t make mistakes but things which are so obvious are misspelled, eg: the road from madina to mecca, the sign boards would be like “100km macca” than “20km to meccah” these are on the same roads, yet each sign has its own language.
    Anon, i think its an innocent mistake when its made once, but its repeated throughout the kingdom, shouldn’t the authorities pay some attention to this.

  25. Your right Coralbead.

    I saw many types of misspellings in bahrain when I lived there. I like to see some of the English speaking jokers take Arabic and see how well they do. :P

    anthrogeek10

  27. I sort of felt a pinch in Anthrogeek’s response. I agree, we shouldn’t ridicule that average person’s spelling. As an English teacher, I know it is MUCH more difficult to spell in english than in Arabic. Sometimes half the word is silent letter as in ‘enough’.

    I would never make fun of the average person because learning any language takes time and patience and thick skin to endure when people laugh at you when you attempt to speak their language….believe me I know.

    But nevertheless, a rich government like Saudi can afford to have signs throughout the country free from spelling mistakes. It isn’t asking for much.

  28. Cute. Al Riyadh Mall used to have a store called SATAN

    I figured out after some fright that they probably meant Satin but in Arabic pronounced Sa’ tan.

    WHile I have had many spellign mistakes in my life, if I were to actually invest money in a sign I would consult a dictionary first and run it by a few people for their opinions.

    Dangre der cud b gangerene

    It happens to da best of us!

  30. so what’s the problem here, last time I checked Saudis speak Arabic, who cares about a spelling mistake. saudis seem obsessed with speaking english. listening to a saudi speak english is hilarious btw

  31. other anon

    Some people would admire a person who is ABLE to speak a language other than his/her native one. Sexiness or cuteness is another observance when listening to another person speaking in a non native language. Well, for hilarious, that admittingly can happen but with Arabic speakers, I can honestly say I have never found them hilarious.

    I think it takes great courage to speak in a foreign language and exemplary confidence… two qualities worthy of admiration.

    Martin…nice blooper

  32. Other anon:

    Please do not belittle us as we speak English. English itself (like arabic) has a rich variety of regional accents. I have seen a New Zealander request a Scot to speak more slowly because the Scot’s variety of English was unintelligible to the New Zealander.

    As such, the fact that we work to learn and speak English should please, inasmuch as many fewer Anglophones dare to try to learn Arabic.

  33. The signs around Taif warn that the roads are “dangerouse,” which sounds a lot more fun than dangerous any day.

    From what I hear when I talk to Arabs about the signs in English, the signs in Arabic aren’t so well spelled either.

    Is this true?

    (Ahmed, you speak well.)

  36. they probably only realized it afterwards, and they just didnt feel like doin it all over again, and thought they could get away with it..

    Or someone dared the one responsible to do it..

  38. maybe they are trying to apply the British Eng. Vs. American Eng. they teach in government schools in the Saudia….. it’s Metre in London; Meter in Washington and the same applies to the rest of the words INCLUDING “Dangre” heheheh way funny brother Ahmed, thank you for the good laugh :D

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  40. Castro,

    Didn’t mean to be judgemental. :)

    “But nevertheless, a rich government like Saudi can afford to have signs throughout the country free from spelling mistakes. It isn’t asking for much.”

    I agree….
    anthrogeek10

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