Perhaps you've seen the English letters “WC” in your city. They show public toilets. But do you know it is far from elegant (优雅的) English? In fact, foreigners from English-speaking countries rarely use the letters.

    Workers in our city are changing “WC” signs all over the city. The government is spending much money changing all the bad English on signs and restaurant menus. Many other places in China are following our steps.

    “WC, or water closet, is old-fashioned English. It sounds dirty to me,” says Charlie Shifflet, a young man from the US. The old sign will become “Gents/Men” and “Ladies/Women”.

    “I see lots of poor English in everyday life, and not only on signs,” he says. “I know what they mean. But they are Chinglish, not real English. For example, when someone says to me 'My hometown is Henan Province', I know he should say: 'My hometown is in Henan Province'. 'Hometown' is a smaller place in a province.” The common mistakes he picked up include “Not Entry”, which should be “No Entry”, “Direction of Airport” should be changed to “To the Airport”. And it is “room rate”, not “room price”. And remember to “Keep off the grass”, rather than “Care of the green”.