Howlers

Seen on products on sale at my local TK Maxx:

Eau de Chambre for Room Spray (Bahoma, London) – the correct French term is Parfum d’Intérieur.

Candle du Soy (yes, this was supposed to be the French for Soy Candle (Factory Maison, Los Angeles) – the correct term is Bougie au Soja or Bougie à la Cire de Soja.

Gel du Bain for Bath Gel (Home and Body Company, California) – the correct French term is Gel pour le Bain.

Earlier I was browsing a lovely website for a reputable company selling French toiletries and, out of curiosity, I went to see their English version. I discovered that one of their product categories was Scents of Inside.

A literal translation, of course, of the French Parfums d'Intérieur. I expect someone on their staff volunteered to do the translation – ‘Oh, please, let me: I'm fluent in English. I spent a weekend in London ten years ago.’ – and they couldn't be bothered to employ a professional translator. Shame on them!


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@ Marks & Spencer

It’s Senteurs Blanches, not Senteurs Blanche, and Fleur d’Oranger, not Fleur d’Orangier - as hundreds of products in the Maison des Senteurs wrongly display on their labels. And, btw, it’s Maison des Senteurs, not Maison de Senteurs - as it says on the website.

How difficult is it to get this kind of thing right? Those products have been on sale for at least two years with stupid labels on. Shame on you!

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Marks & Spencer strikes again

Seen there in December 2013... this idiotic notice:



The word is 'Décolleté', of course. 

Again, how difficult is it to get this kind of thing right?