Flags displaying English texts promoting the Eindhoven Marathon have led to mixed reactions.
The flags are meant to promote the Eindhoven marathon. They intend to show many marathon participants come from the international community in Eindhoven.
Instead, however, people from Eindhoven took to Twitter. The English texts cause reactions ranging from shame, to disgust and anger. Many feel the bad English does not represent Eindhoven and is degrading.
Sander Philipse shared pictures of the flags. “Run like it are your first steps in the world” is on one of these flags. Another one displays: “Finishing feels so much better when you have to gave it your all”.
Pictures of the flags caused quite a number of reactions. “I would have used some grammar checker,” tweets Martijn Olislaegers.
Another person reacts: “Someone from the communications department apparently had no time and called the intern: ‘Hey Maaike, your English is pretty good hey? Can you translate this asap?”
Peter Kentie responded to the tweets: “I contacted the organisation which is responsible for this “promotion”. These are motivation texts sent to the organisation by marathon participants.”
Whenever events take place, flags line streets throughout Eindhoven. Organisations are responsible for whatever texts are displayed on flags.
Marathon Eindhoven has not yet responded to the remarks about the flags.
Some of the Dutch Twitter reactions:
— Sander Philipse (@sanderphilipse) October 7, 2018
?????? Dit is niet representatief. Mijn stad omgggg
— ??????? ???? ?? ??????? (@YMBIBI) October 6, 2018
Haha, zo kut. “Cosy like a stone” was altijd nog wel leuk, maar dit is echt naar
— Daan Weijers (summer edition) (@daanweijers) October 7, 2018
Om je kapot te schamen
— Sonila (@latipaese) October 6, 2018
Really @gem_Eindhoven ?? Iemand van de afd communicatie had zeker geen tijd en heeft de stagiaire ingeschakeld: Hee Maaike, jouw Engels is best goed he? Vertaal jij dit ff?
— Betty?? (@Bettieke) October 7, 2018
Alle teksten zijn van de @marathonehv lopers zelf. Hun motivaties om deel te nemen.
— Peter Kentie (@peterkentie) October 7, 2018
Ik heb navraag gedaan bij de organisatie die deze ‘promotie’ doet: Het zijn ingezonden motivatie teksten van deelnemers..
Ik had er toch een grammatica check overheen gedaan…
— Martijn Olislaegers (@molislaegers) October 7, 2018
Dat is een photoshopje right? Dat *kan* gewoon niet echt zijn.
Source: Studio 040
Translator: Kate
