Browse Category
Errabic
28 posts
Real-world mistakes. Errabic (= Error + Arabic) archives translation fails, typos, and linguistic blunders so you can analyze the rule behind the mess.
Mitte Means Mitte
A campaign poster from Berlin’s Social Democrats renders Mitte in Arabic as المركز (al-markaz, "the center"). While linguistically accurate, it misses the geographic mark: by swapping a proper noun for a literal definition, a famous Berlin district effectively disappears.
Distinction Denied
A trading company in Istanbul aims for "Excellence" (al-Imtiyāz) but commits a classic orthographic error by forcing a Hamza onto a Form VIII verbal noun.
Extra Baggage
The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner is a marvel of modern engineering, but the Arabic script on this United Airlines flight carries a flaw. The altitude indicator adds a symbol where none should exist. Here is why Form VIII verbal nouns prefer to travel light.
Ruff Translation
Think that snarling Doberman is scary? Check out the Arabic grammar! We’re breaking down why this German warning sign is barking up the wrong tree with its broken script.
The Hamza Overcorrection
Trying to fix an Arabic typo can create a new one. On a Cairo street sign, a well-meant Hamza correction left one Hamza too many — turning a small spelling fix into a small spelling fight. Thanks to this sharp catch by Marnix Demesmaeker, let’s unpack the glottal-stop rules behind it.
Bild’s Broken Arabic
Even with an Arabic expert like Constantin Schreiber featured, Bild.de managed to publish a headline where the letters are disconnected and the reading direction is reversed.
The Ghost of the Company
A headline about the "New Egyptian Countryside" uses a feminine verb for a masculine noun. Is it a mistake, or is there a "ghost noun" haunting the sentence?
Diplomatic Disconnect
High-level diplomacy meets "English-first" grammar. The welcome banner for Chancellor Merz's visit creates a "Qatari Round Table" and leaves "The German" hanging - misspelled and grammatically segregated.
Unsteady Foundation
Even a major foundation isn't immune to spelling slips. The Ensar Vakfı HQ sign in Istanbul drops a crucial Hamza, shaking its linguistic ground.
Sick Hamza
Even grammar gets airsick. On this Emirates bag, one Hamza is missing and the other is sitting on a chair when it should be on the floor. We diagnose the "Sick Hamza".
