Quote:
Originally Posted by Moose
Okay guys, I'm one of the people whose taxes paid that bill. For what it's worth, I think, Jean Drapeau put Montreal on the map. I really feel it is sad that Olympic Debt is the legacy everyone remembers.
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Thank you Moose for that present day Montrealers view of Drapeau's legacy
I well remember the dire predictions that were made in the 60's about companies leaving Quebec (initially before the Levesque mob got into power) due to the over zealous stance of the Language Police (Shops were I believe fined if they refused to translate simple English language fascia boards)
That sort of ambience or lack of it led to the headquarters of many companies being relocated westwards
I have previously postulated on the subject of Quebec (with particular reference to the insistence in Canada that stop signs have to be bilingual in my "soapbox" submission at
http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showpost.p...8&postcount=12
In that outburst I had expressed my incredulity at finding during a skiing holiday in Bulgaria that with not only a different language but a considerably different alphabet they seemed to be content at using the single English word "STOP'"
Now I have found an exception
Mind you other countries and languages are equally to be criticised regarding stop signs
not least the Irish
But to be scrupulously fair I found this on website
http://www.bigroadblues.com/forum/vi...p?f=27&t=10500
Who says Quebec is not bilingual?
a stop sign in French and Cree
I mentioned Ireland and I have to say that in my experience the Welsh rarely waste an opportunity to conjure up unreadable Welsh language signs.However I was quite unable to find a picture of a true welsh Language stop sign
Instead I will recount my discovery near Cardiff of the twin signboards on the two walls either side of the main entrance to RAF St. Athan where on one side it said exactly that in English but on the other side I was amused to see the presumed Welsh translation " RAF S. Tathan
Hoiwever in trying to find an image of that I found
http://www.stathanvillage.co.uk/html/history.html
which indicates that it was the English who Anglicised the orginal Welsh village name of Saint Tathan by moving the full stop, period!!!
One thing I learnt on a wiki was
"The unique eight-sided shape of the sign allows drivers facing the back of the sign to identify that oncoming drivers have a stop sign and prevent confusion with other traffic signs"