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Chinese Signs Debated in Richmond, Activists Petition for More English!

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by milquetoast, Mar 15, 2013.

  1. ppppp

    ppppp Guest

    i've seen this ad on buses all over the lower mainland. not just chinese areas
     
  2. lumix

    lumix Full Member

    The issue here is getting out of hand over the exclusive use of a certain language, if people objects to shops with signboards in chinese only, buses with ads in chinese, they may well object to newspapers in the chinese language in Canada, TV channels broadcasting in the chinese language in Canada etc.
     
    cheeseshredder likes this.
  3. milquetoast

    milquetoast Senior Member

    Note: I don't agree with sign regulations. I just want to stir the pot a little bit ;).

    How does everyone feel about restaurants that have specials advertised only in Chinese? If you eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants, you'll notice some places will have bright neon posters advertising menu items without an English translation. I can't read Chinese so I always wonder if I'd be charged more if I wasn't with anyone who could read the characters.

    There's also a restaurant in Vancouver called Nine Dishes where you have to write your order on a notepad - in Chinese. There's item codes, pictures and translations on their menu but apparently the owner makes people write the Chinese regardless.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. BertA

    BertA Guest

    If a business decides not to market to white people, it is their decision!
     
  5. Vivek Golikeri

    Vivek Golikeri Active Member

    Chinese is okay so long as the signage provides the amount of English reasonably needed by the average English-speaking Canadian. As for French, I would agree that it should be mandatory in neighborhoods which have large French-speaking populations.

    I stand in the middle on the multiculturalism issue. People have a right to show their culture so long as they don't force others to learn it. But when you deal with the public, make sure the nation's language is always included.
     
  6. Vivek Golikeri

    Vivek Golikeri Active Member

    Vehemently wrong. It's a civil rights violation, and calls for government intervention. If you target advertising to your own community because you feel others are not likely to be interested, that is rational self-interest. But if you make it needlessly hard for others to be involved, you need to leave Canada.
     
  7. Waiseelay

    Waiseelay New Member

    I am full chinese, raised by parents who immigrated here from Hong Kong; and I'll have to admit that there is some truth to that relating to about 90% of all chinese immigrants. Unfortunately it is true, most of the immigrants come to Canada to take advantage of the perks the country provides to live comfortably and raise their children. There are many immigrants (my parents alike) who has been living here since the late 70s and early 80s, yet can barely speak english properly. Since the Chinese community has such a dominant and successful presence, all the chinese immigrants aren't forced to integrate into real Canadian culture. We have chinese radio, chinese malls, doctors/dentists, T&T, etc, all the services and stores that serve our own with multiple connections that being a Canadian doesn't really mean anything. This is really general, and applies to most chinese people, but there are also many chinese immigrants who have integrated successfully into Canadian culture, and many involved in Canadian politics or in other ways contribute to the community.
     
  8. Vivek Golikeri

    Vivek Golikeri Active Member

    Waiseelay is very correct, and there is yet another twist to this ethnic nonsense. First generation ethnics sometimes try to shove the old culture and loyalties down the younger generation's throat, and discourage assimilation. Trust me, I often loathe the old people from India as much as I detest white racists.

    The second generation find themselves caught in the middle between two worlds, unable to belong properly to either. This "multiculturalism" business is a failure. Holland is officially ditching it, and I hope Ottawa finds the guts to do the same.
     
  9. Vivek Golikeri

    Vivek Golikeri Active Member

    Somebody asked what is so intimidating about Asian languages, and then pointed out a sign in French. I'll tell you what the difference is. Those other European languages are still written in our script, and English speakers can comprehend them. If we had a plethora of Russian signs in the Cyrillic script, which Canadians cannot decipher, ah! That would be annoying. Russians are as white European as they come. It isn't a racial thing. It is a comprehension thing.

    Yes, English and French are for government purposes, but when dealing with the public you should be intelligible to the public. If signs are only in Chinese or Punjabi, that makes it hard for regular Canadians to participate. First put signs in English, or in French if you are in a heavily French area. Then you can have signs in other scripts.
     

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