好好学习，天天向上
This simple Chinese phrase, ubiquitous in elementary and middle schools across the nation, has become a cultural icon. Self-deprecating (as close as self-deprecation gets, as it is not really part of Chinese humor), this phrase makes fun of the inept English education in China through the following translation:
Good Good Study, Day Day Up.
Which is an approximate character-by character translation of the original phrase:
好 = Good
学习 = Study
天 = Day
向上 = Upwards
This literal English translation became part of the urban vernacular, used for both encouragement and mockery to students.
A more accurate translation would be:
Study well, make progress everyday.
By keeping the imperative tone, introducing no pronouns, and preserving the originally structure, this translation is much more fitting according to Weinberger’s standards. However, no perfect translation can ever replace the original phrase, whose popularity is so vast that it became a TV show title.
This is amazing–and a bit disconcerting (only kidding). I feel like this type of mistake in translation is one that happens frequently. While in some languages, the same word is repeated twice for emphasis, but not necessarily read as two separate words, in English this concept does not exist. So this “Good good study” naturally seems strange. I appreciate the subtly. And, in particular, the shortness of the translation you chose. I picked a very long passage, which I can imagine is a bit harder to follow. This is short and to the point. Awesomely done and articulated.