I expect this kind of Chinglish to appear on shoddy restaurant menus, awkward street signs and even convoluted English translations of Chinese census slogans. But at a conference about language? It was too ironic.

Everywhere in Beijing, we see these half-English half-Chinese translations. I spoke to some professional translators, to ask why the heck they weren't doing their job around town. Apparently, the good translators are upset too. Their main gripe is how much bad translation work is out there.

One friend told me, "I can't tell you how many times a client has come to me with some translation that they tried to do themselves, only to realize it still wasn't English. Then I have to retranslate the translation."

Another translator complained: "There's always silly Chinglish around town. Things that are getting engraved in brass plates - just drag any foreigner in front of the sign and ask them if it makes sense, please!"

Making sense isn't a science, a mechanical process of putting Chinese words into a translation machine and getting English back. Real translation requires good writing skills and cultural awareness, for the person charged with transforming information from one language into another has to convey the right meanings. For that, you really need a native speaker, or at least a "sanity check" by someone who can tell you what sounds plain weird.

I know we'll get there slowly. As people realize that the image, branding and packaging of a product (or service, or social service) is as important as the substance behind it, they will start to perfect their translations. But sometimes, when I come across words that make me ask "Say what?" I wish that day were here now.