NATION : Words of Welcome Off the Mark
What was intended to be a simple gesture of international friendship has turned into a source of embarrassment for Missouri highway and economic development officials.
The multilingual sign they erected outside St. Louis’ Lambert Airport to welcome foreign visitors was botched, in three of seven languages.
“Their intentions were definitely good, and I can understand how these things happen, but they should have consulted a dictionary,” said Antonio M. Molina of suburban University City.
Molina said the Spanish welcome--”Bienvendos a Missouri”--should have read “Bienvenidos a Missouri.” Molina should know--his father, the late Jose Molina, was the honorary vice consul from Spain.
The German and French salutations also were misspelled or grammatically incorrect. “Wilkommen in Missouri” should have read “Willkommen in Missouri.” The French version, “Bienvenue a Missouri,” should read “Bienvenue en Missouri.”
The greetings in Japanese, Chinese and Korean were perfect, however. And the sign-makers also got the English greeting right.
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