Rotated Neon Sign
Reader Matt Corks emails:
"Hi, Tian, long time listener, first time caller. I saw this sign in a bar last night here in Montréal called Le Drugstore, and wondered what your readers would think of it. The lit signs in the photo are two of several on the inside of a dance club called 'Le Drugstore'. They're just decorations. The others were in English, but I don't remember what they said, except that they were all outdoor advertisements probably bought second hand. Any idea what the first character might have been? Cheers."
Since the top character has been burnt out, I can't figure out what it suppose to mean. The three remaining characters are:
利 = gains, advantage, profit, merit
特 = special, unique, distinguished
蒙 = cover; ignorant; suffer; mongolia
My friend Angela comments that Montreal is called 蒙特利爾 in Chinese. So, the top character might very well be 尔, the simplified version of 爾, and the club might try to say Montreal in Chinese on the sign.
But, obviously the alignment of the characters have been reversed, Montreal is 蒙特利尔, not 尔利特蒙. The modern Chinese, Montreal also known as 滿地可 and 蒙特娄.
posted by tian at
12:19 PM
15 Comments:
Tian, I've just sent you an e-mail about this when Blogger is down. . . but now it's up again, so I'll post the same message here.
Montreal is called 蒙特利爾 in Chinese, at least this is the
Chinese name people use in Hong Kong. So, the top character might very well be 爾, and the club might try to say Montreal in Chinese on the sign. But, obviously, Montreal is 蒙特利爾, not 爾利特蒙.
I wonder where that club is in downtown. . . did I miss that sign
when I was in Montreal a few months ago. . .
Errr. . . I've just checked with my parents. They say that 蒙特利爾 is the old name. Chinese people nowadays call Montreal 滿地可. Not sure why the Chinese name has been changed.
the last word is the "爾" written in simplified Chinese
Angela,
The reason why you might not have come across it is because its in the heart of the gay village, located just east of downtown. The bar is actually located right on St. Catherine Street East, which cuts right through it. Supposedly, the place is big with lesbians.
In Portland, Oregon, Gay district is next to Chinatown. I have always laughed at one Chinese restaurant that is located on the Gay district and Chinatown border - Hung Far Low. Especially when the neon lights burnt out on the "tail" of the "cocktail" sign.
Oblivia,
I've just checked my Montreal guide. I think you are referring to the area known as "The Village". No, I didn't go to anywhere east of Berri-UQAM subway station. Only if I would walk along Rue Sainte-Catherine towards east side of the city, I wouldn't have miss it!!! Damn! I miss it big time!!!
I stayed at the hotel just right beside Chinatown, however. The Chinese food there is good.
Hahahahha! I saw the pics of Hung Far Low - classic!
Angela - Are you saying that the chinese food at the hotel is good? Are you talking about the Best Western there or the other fancier one? I'm very curious. I have to admit that the chinese food in Montreal is really not all that good, all around. And half the offerings in our Chinatown is Vietamese!
Oops? What did I write? I must be half asleep when I wrote my last response, Oblivia! :P
I stayed at Travelodge, which is at the corner of Boul René-Lévesque and Rue Saint-Laurent. I wanted to say that the food at Montreal Chinatown is good (I didn't say it was great). And you have to understand that my hometown is some small town in Canada, and there's hardly any real Chinese restaurants here! I don't have the chance to eat real Chnese food everyday.
look at natalie imbruglias foot:
http://www.vg.no/bilder/bildarkiv/1116101509.24446.jpg
= what?
Another error in the sign is 蒙 is turned 90 degrees counterclockwise.
I still occasionally see Montreal referred to as 蒙特利爾, 蒙特利澳, or simply 蒙特利. 滿地可 seems to be more common among Cantonese speakers.
The tattoo on Natalie Imbruglia's foot is:
勇気 【ゆうき】 (n) courage; bravery; valour; valor; nerve; boldness;
I know, all the gay districts are right next to Chinatown. Except for Los Angeles though.
Great site!
Is it possible that the sign is made up of four segments and they were taken apart and later reassembled incorrectly?
It seems unlikely that there would be a sign with the correct letters that was built in the wrong order; but I can easily see it being taken apart and put back wrong.
lol. maybe you should point that person with the tatoo querry to your bai ling post and tell her that bai ling's tatoo that peaks outta her undies is 'ai' which is what the kanji for 'love' really is.
Perhaps the reversed order is because some bloke wrote the characters from right to left, and then another bloke came along and thought they were left to right...
This still doesn't explain 蒙...
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