Monday, December 31, 2007

More Random English from Random Loot

So one of the benefits of living in a place where many people come and go is that there is often free stuff to be had. When people return to their home countries, they usually try to sell the big stuff they acquired while here, like microwaves and such. Then they put the small stuff out on a table in some common space. That stuff is then free to whoever finds it first.
One of our best church members, Raylene, is leaving Korea soon, so she has started culling out her stuff. She has sold all of her larger items and is now moving stuff to the free tables. Last night we celebrated New Year's Eve with about a dozen people in the common room of the largest dormitory here. We had a great time playing games ("Nouns in a Bag" and Phase 10), and Sarah and I walked away with a bag full of loot from the free table: half a pack of hazelnut coffee, coffee filters, a pretty floweredy box, some other random stuff and some glass coffee mugs.
These coffee mugs are made in Korea and are called "Parka Glass." I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but it reminds me of a big furry coat - not exactly the image they're going for, I'm sure. Their motto under "Parka Glass" is: "Adding joy and delight to your everyday life." The grammar is OK, but the sentiment is characteristically overstated for English mottoes on Korean products. Moonpie packs promise to add luscious, scintillating pleasure and vibrant health to your life! But the description on the side panel of the box is where the English gets really random and fun:
Clear and clean taste
Parka glass

Clearly sometimes and clean sometimes
It makes your life different.
Parka glass, it is cleaner and clearer
by itself and elegant together
Feel happiness in your life with Parka glass.
More convenient and relaxed.

So I'm not sure it's such great salesmanship to say that their glass products are only clear and clean sometimes, but apparently since "it is cleaner and clearer," most other glass products must be dirty and unclear most of the time. I guess Parka's "sometimes" would be an improvement over that.
I have to admit, we do "feel happiness" in our life at least a little bit more because of Parka glass, but so far that's mostly because of the box.

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