British "Exit" Signs

[+ Avalon]

Watching a British show (Coronation Street) I noticed that instead of an EXIT sign in the Court House, the sign said WAY OUT.

 

I hope that doesn't spread here to the US. I think it's dumbing down.

[+ azdr0710]

that verbiage has been very common over there forever.....pretty practical and efficient, I'd say........

 

http://www.londonbusblinds.com/prodimages/WAYOUT03%20Way%20Out%20Up%20Left.jpg

[rvwnsd]

Watching a British show (Coronation Street) I noticed that instead of an EXIT sign in the Court House, the sign said WAY OUT.

 

I hope that doesn't spread here to the US. I think it's dumbing down.

For many years, the Chicago Transit Authority denoted the way to a station exit using a sign that read "OUT" with an arrow pointing in the direction of the exit. It is a pretty efficient way of getting the message across.

[+ Avalon]

But doing away with EXIT signs is another nail in the coffin of the universality, commonality of the Latin language.

 

The USA has become a multi-lingual nation. The signs can not be in all the myriad of languages.

[MsGuy]

But doing away with EXIT signs is another nail in the coffin of the universality, commonality of the Latin language.

 

The USA has become a multi-lingual nation. The signs can not be in all the myriad of languages.

 

AVALON, THAT HAS GOT TO BE THE MOST EURO-CENTRIC STATEMENT I'VE READ IN QUITE A WHILE.

 

Trust me on this, English is the new lingua franca.

 

It's been a very long time since Latin exited stage left.

[+ Avalon]

AVALON, THAT HAS GOT TO BE THE MOST EURO-CENTRIC STATEMENT I'VE READ IN QUITE A WHILE.

 

Trust me on this, English is the new lingua franca.

 

It's been a very long time since Latin exited stage left.

 

https://www.omniglot.com/language/signs/entext.htm

[Rudynate]

But doing away with EXIT signs is another nail in the coffin of the universality, commonality of the Latin language.

 

The USA has become a multi-lingual nation. The signs can not be in all the myriad of languages.

 

 

Why not? One health club I used to go to had signage in 5 or 6 different languages. Didn't seem at all problematic.

[YoungAD]

Watching a British show (Coronation Street) I noticed that instead of an EXIT sign in the Court House, the sign said WAY OUT.

 

I hope that doesn't spread here to the US. I think it's dumbing down.

 

But doing away with EXIT signs is another nail in the coffin of the universality, commonality of the Latin language.

 

The USA has become a multi-lingual nation. The signs can not be in all the myriad of languages.

 

For someone so concerned with language, both of your posts are awkwardly written.

 

And self-serving.

[rvwnsd]

But doing away with EXIT signs is another nail in the coffin of the universality, commonality of the Latin language.

 

The USA has become a multi-lingual nation. The signs can not be in all the myriad of languages.

 

Why not? One health club I used to go to had signage in 5 or 6 different languages. Didn't seem at all problematic.

@Rudynate , your post reminded me that back in the 1970's the same Chicago Transit Authority referenced above had in-bus signage (such as "No Smoking" and " Move to the Rear" in several languages. If memory serves they were printed in English, Spanish, Polish, German, and Chinese. To this day the city has both English and Chinese signage in the historic Chinatown area on the Near South Side. I can't recall whether similar signage is present in "New Chinatown" on the North Side around Argyle and Broadway. Or should I say around

阿盖尔 和 百老汇

[Rudynate]

@Rudynate , your post reminded me that back in the 1970's the same Chicago Transit Authority referenced above had in-bus signage (such as "No Smoking" and " Move to the Rear" in several languages. If memory serves they were printed in English, Spanish, Polish, German, and Chinese. To this day the city has both English and Chinese signage in the historic Chinatown area on the Near South Side. I can't recall whether similar signage is present in "New Chinatown" on the North Side around Argyle and Broadway. Or should I say around

阿盖尔 和 百老汇

 

 

Exactly - what's the problem? Thinking that it's some sort of problem is just more xenophobia in disguise. Canada has two official languages. They seem to do fine. The EU has three official languages, they seem to do fine. Switzerland has four official languages. They seem to do just fine.

[bnm73]

Exactly - what's the problem?

 

Some people just need to have something to be unhappy about, or else they're not happy. I have a brother-in-law like that.

[cany10011]

I think the OP is just pointing it out...However, in some countries, they usually use pictograms (i.e., a man walking thru a door) than resort to words. I know in Montreal, they were having an issue with placing the french words in a larger font above the english ones. There were issues also recently with listing traffic signs only in french... what would tourists do? It would take a while for them to figure out that a one way street was closed or something if they resorted to google translate. Fortunately, i grew up in Canada and am fluent in both, but what about american tourists who visit Montreal?

[Rudynate]

Watching a British show (Coronation Street) I noticed that instead of an EXIT sign in the Court House, the sign said WAY OUT.

 

I hope that doesn't spread here to the US. I think it's dumbing down.

 

 

The US invented dumbing down. Our president has to have specially dumbed-down briefing books filled with pictures.

[+ Avalon]

The US invented dumbing down. Our president has to have specially dumbed-down briefing books filled with pictures.

 

I know you're joking. But I'm glad you admit that Trump is our President. Many refuse to accept that fact.

[bnm73]

I think the OP is just pointing it out...However, in some countries, they usually use pictograms (i.e., a man walking thru a door) than resort to words. I know in Montreal, they were having an issue with placing the french words in a larger font above the english ones. There were issues also recently with listing traffic signs only in french... what would tourists do? It would take a while for them to figure out that a one way street was closed or something if they resorted to google translate. Fortunately, i grew up in Canada and am fluent in both, but what about american tourists who visit Montreal?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't French the primary language of most Quebecois? (Quebecers? I'm unsure of the proper way to refer to people from Quebec.)

[cany10011]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't French the primary language of most Quebecois? (Quebecers? I'm unsure of the proper way to refer to people from Quebec.)

 

 

You are correct.. .but, it is a bilingual province.

[+ ProGay]

"At one point, P.T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. He posted signs indicating "This Way to the Egress." Not knowing that "Egress" was another word for "Exit," people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit — and ended up outside."

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnum%27s_American_Museum

[Rudynate]

I know you're joking. But I'm glad you admit that Trump is our President. Many refuse to accept that fact.

 

No I'm not joking. You know what journalists like to say about the electorate in the US - "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate."

[+ Avalon]

No I'm not joking. You know what journalists like to say about the electorate in the US - "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate."

 

"Our president has to have specially dumbed-down briefing books filled with pictures."

 

I was referring to Trump having special briefing books. I did not know that. Thanks!

[BabyBoomer]

"Our president has to have specially dumbed-down briefing books filled with pictures."

 

I was referring to Trump having special briefing books. I did not know that. Thanks!

 

Cool it with the politics. This is not the political forum.

 

~Boomer~

[+ Avalon]

Cool it with the politics. This is not the political forum.

 

~Boomer~

 

Apologies.

[Rudynate]

You are correct.. .but, it is a bilingual province.

 

But the entire nation has two official languages, French and English. To qualify for residence in Canada, you only have to be proficient in one of the two official languages.

[Rudynate]

I think the OP is just pointing it out...However, in some countries, they usually use pictograms (i.e., a man walking thru a door) than resort to words. I know in Montreal, they were having an issue with placing the french words in a larger font above the english ones. There were issues also recently with listing traffic signs only in french... what would tourists do? It would take a while for them to figure out that a one way street was closed or something if they resorted to google translate. Fortunately, i grew up in Canada and am fluent in both, but what about american tourists who visit Montreal?

 

 

Isn't using pictograms REALLY dumbing down? Or perhaps it's just very efficient.

[BasketBaller]

When Ireland got its independence from the UK, they tried hard to revive Irish as a spoken language, which the British had all but wiped out. Everyone studied it in school, signs were in Irish, etc. They eventually relented and put English, in smaller letters, under the Irish place names on road signs. I think the country has largely given up on this goal, but the signs are still bilingual.

 

(By the way no one in Ireland ever calls the language Gaelic when they're speaking English, that's just the Irish word for Irish.)

[+ Avalon]

I think the OP is just pointing it out...However, in some countries, they usually use pictograms (i.e., a man walking thru a door) than resort to words.

 

I think those pictograms might be considered sexist as the female one is often shown wearing a skirt.