Welcome to June! The middle month of 2025 has arrived, bringing with it warm summer breezes, the scent of sunscreen at the beach, and the sound of children’s laughter—echoing in many languages—at picnics. June is a month rich with celebrations. For example, consider the following:
- Hug Your Cat Day
- International Yarnbombing Day
- National Onion Ring Day
- National Waffle Iron Day.
This month, we celebrate important cultural events both locally and globally—like Juneteenth in the U.S., the Yukata Festival in Japan, where crowds gather in Himeji to honor a traditional cotton garment; and Día de San Pedro in Belize, a lively three-day festival honoring St. Peter. Whether domestic or international, understanding these celebrations requires more than just translation—it takes cultural insight and historical context to truly appreciate their meaning. That is why the following signs required a professional translation firm:
A sign on an automatic hand dryer in Tokyo:
"Please Do Not Operate with Wet Hands."
On a menu in Shanghai:
"Orange Juice. Lemon Juice. Strange Juice."
A notification in a Hong Kong hotel:
"It is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are person to do such thing is please not to read notis."
An Acapulco front desk notification:
"The manager has personally passed all the water served here."
Just like mixing up your words can turn “Let’s eat, Grandma” into “Let’s eat Grandma;” bad translations can totally wreck your message. Every month, we showcase funny translation fails—proof that knowing some of a language isn’t the same as being fluent. Your cousin who studied abroad isn’t a pro. AI programs and ChatGPT can make serious mistakes. Unless you're a native speaker, you wouldn't know.
At Auerbach International, our expert linguists get it right the first time—no accidental cannibalism involved.
For nearly 35 years, we’ve delivered fast, culturally spot-on translations with top-notch, personal service. Reach out by email or phone for a free quote!
And this final thought from Noel Coward: "I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me."
Best ~
Chris Hempel
Director of Client Success
www.auerbach-intl.com
chris@auerbach-intl.com
phone 415-592-0042 X125
mobile 818-445-4451
