On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:09:11 -0600, "spamfree"
wrote:

This is somewhat of a USA rant, but Europeans will understand. In
the USA, if a sign/ad includes the word bilingual, it always refers to
an ability to speak English & Spanish (and not European Spanish, but
Mexican / Central American Spanish).

Well, not always. In San Francisco it might mean Chinese and
English. In northern New England, French (Quebecois, that is) and
English.

But in Europe, bilingual would
simply refer to an ability to speak two languages; German & Italian,
Dutch & French, etc.

A sign that said only "Bilingual" in any language in Europe would
be thoroughly uninformative.

A European employment ad requiring bilingual
employees would always attract the query "Which two languages?"

Which is why they probably wouldn't say "bilingual", except,
perhaps in Belgium.

This USA policy completely annoys some of us because if we ask that
question, "Which two languages?", we are immediately termed racists,
but in reality we are merely literalists.

In most areas it would be a pretty dumb question, perhaps
intended to antagonize. As one who lives in a distinctly
bilingual area I rearely see signs on stores that say
"bilingual": they say something like "Hablamos espanol".

In any major city's Chinatown,
bilingual would more honestly refer to English & Chinese, and there are
neighborhoods in New York and Chicago where bilingual could easily
refer to English & Polish or English & Russian.

And do. But even in those areas a simple "bilingual" sign is
unlikely. Instead, the business is likely to state which
languages are spoken of to have signage in several languages
staing the services offered.



************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
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