What compels people in China to protest in English when no English speaking government has any say about their transportation policy? Anybody got any ideas on this?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Why are All the Protest Signs in English
This is something I've noticed, but why is it, regardless of the country they're in and the language they speak, the signs protesters use are always in English? This is just the latest example in China.
What compels people in China to protest in English when no English speaking government has any say about their transportation policy? Anybody got any ideas on this?
What compels people in China to protest in English when no English speaking government has any say about their transportation policy? Anybody got any ideas on this?
Two things... International media exposure and the fact that all over the world, people, especially young people speak a mix of their language and English phrases (some more than others).
ReplyDeleteI sometimes talk at home, in Romanian, and I let out the occasional "I guess".
That's because most media characters out there speak English (in the movies, on the Internet, etc.) and so whatever's cool, it's cool in English.
Well... It may be in order to get the attention of overseas and third-generation Chinese people.
ReplyDeleteOr it's easier for the regional media to translate to/from English rather than a half-dozen other languages.
Allow me to suggest a more sinister thought -
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because protesters across the world believe everything evil in the world comes from the USA?
Isn't everything bad in the world America's fault?
BTW, IABF... It's ALL Bob's fault
Bob
English is the language of the world now. Its become entrenched in every educational system because people believe they need to speak english to make money so the world is bilingual. More specificaly, english is the language of the business world. And if your going to protest something effectively, your message spreads farthest if it's in english, and tactically bares more economic teeth to it's target.
ReplyDeleteIt may be the 'Pity Me' approach; there is a view that English-speaking nations are rather free with aid, and the attempt to reach out to the opressed may drive this approach.
ReplyDeleteTwo thoughts:
ReplyDelete"Self" selected sample: international media only shows the english signs because outside of china/Indonesia/west bugscuffle that will play to the maximum audience. (Or simply you are seeing english speaking media and they focus onthe 1 sign out of 10,000 that are IN english.)
Related:
The protestors know that advertising their cause in , oh, Tibetan basically affects no one who doesn't already live there and are trying to embarass their local government with a little outside exposure.
It's Propaganda! These protests are probably filmed in a Hollywood Lot and made to look like they're in another Country. That way, the Media can control OUR LIVES !
ReplyDelete