Southaven MS ....Proposed Ordinance Would Mandate English Translation

[rsmith6621]

Southaven, MS - FAST FACTS:


* Signs targeting specific ethnic groups would need English translation on the sign
* City cites safety and dispatch concerns
* Also cites need for clear understanding of a businesses' purpose


[e-mail]
(Southaven, MS 9/23/2009) Signs in foreign languages are often seen around stores and businesses but would you understand them and know what they mean?

City leaders in Southaven want to make sure you do, and they're working on a city ordinance to require it.

Most people didn't even know we had many Hispanics in Memphis, until WREG broke the story of their large-scale immigration here for mostly construction jobs more than 21 years ago.

Since then their numbers have grown and so have businesses which cater to them, in their own language only.

Pedro Roman Owns one of those businesses and knows a successful business talks to its customers.

Roman does it mostly through advertising in the store window. "It's really important for them because they need to see what we're really selling. " said Roman who runs Emilio's restaurant and grocery.

But a proposed ordinance in Southaven would make business owners like Roman translate everything on every sign into English.

Why's that important? Read the following paragraph closely.

"Porque necessitan una ley para los letreros en Ingles? Porque todo el mundo necessitan entender el nombre del negocio y que pasa alli'"


http://www.wreg.com/wreg-spanish-signs,0,4346816.story?track=rss

[ddeclue]

1. Porque los racistas tengo miedo de los otros que les no lo entiendo.

And that's my best effort at gringo Spanish.

:)

[Louisiana1976]

2. Estoy de acuerdo.

[BlooInBloo]

4. y los odian tambien...

(tienen miedo, by the way)

Question: is "por la via" how to say "by the way"? Sounds to easy. lol!

[ddeclue]

6. Disculpe me por favor...tienen miedo no tengo miedo.

:)

[BlooInBloo]

7. No problemo. Hace muchos anos que yo he hablado espanol tambien...

Yo no recuerdo mucho. Sigh.

[Igel]

10. Hace muchos anos me dijeron que

"by the way" es "a prop'osito" (donde ' sustituye para un acento).

[BlooInBloo]

11. Ah muy bien - gracias! (Y tambien para la pronunciacion correcta.)

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Actually the dispatch concers are real

but I am betting that is just an excusa.

[ddeclue]

5. Not really - 911 systems know the location of any landline call.

The phone company sees to that.

This is just Mexican bashing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. As an emergency worker I can tell you

you can have all the tech in the world, you still need EMS et al to be able to read the signs.

But as I said, it is an excuse.

[ddeclue]

9. No not really - GPS is actually better than sign reading - especially in the dark.

I have two GPS units - one for aviation and the other built-in to my 2008 Dodge Charger. I have to tell you finding places has never been easier. In fact you could have the dispatcher download the destination into the responders' GPS units remotely so they don't screw it up in the excitement.