01 - Introduction and Preface

English as She is Spoke is a delightful 19th-century phrasebook that humorously captures the essence of lost-in-translation moments. Its creator, Pedro Carolino, seemingly had no grasp of English and crafted this comedic gem by translating Portuguese to French and then French to English using dictionaries. The result is a wonderfully absurd collection of phrases that defy logic and language conventions. Mark Twain famously praised this book, stating, Nobody can add to the absurdity of this book, nobody can imitate it successfully, nobody can hope to produce its fellow; it is perfect. - Summary by J A Carter