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Olympian task set for English

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City officials want to erase Chinese-style English from public places so foreigners will not be confused by Beijing's use of the language before the 2008 Olympics.

Native English should replace non-standard English, according to the Beijing Citizens' Foreign Languages Organisational Committee, the Beijing Morning Post reported yesterday.

This effort and a larger city-wide foreign language education project aim to ensure that foreign visitors can understand signs and talk with the locals.

The committee, which met on Tuesday, wants to change gaffes on public signs in airports, train stations and streets. It also aims to improve signs in English at museums, tourist sites, major hotels and exhibition halls.

Smaller places, such as public toilets, will be targeted later. Over the next two years the committee will consult volunteer experts to establish exactly what constitutes standard English.

Committee office manager Liu Yang said businesses would be encouraged to adopt better standards and firms displaying signs with bad English would have to replace them.

'This is a very big project,' Mr Liu said. 'It's going to be long term.'

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