What NOT to put on a T-shirt

Every now and then when I want a good laugh, I visit Engrish.com for some very funny attempts at English in the Far East.

Apparently this kind of pseudo-English is not confined to the Orient, though. I went to mincha at a local shul a few days ago, and was treated to a rather disturbing sight. One of the mispallelim was wearing a T-shirt with a slogan emlazoned, in large, bold white on black: "RAPER MEN".

After davening, I discreetly called him aside, and asked him if he understood much English. Nope. Clearly not. I explained to him in my best Hebrew what the slogan on his shirt meant. Oops. He won't be wearing that shirt again. (I decided not to photograph him for Engrish.com!)

What was it supposed to say? "Rapper men"? "Paper men"?

Moral of the story: don't wear garments with slogans in a language you don't understand!