Phisherman wrote:

The city I live in, Fremont, CA., has over 60 languages and dialects
present. There wouldn't be any room for merchandise if they had to
provide signage for all. Big Grin. I don't even register on the other
language signs anymore. I see the ones I understand and that's about it.

Are all the Fremont street signs printed in 60 languages too? Or, is
it required to read English to get a driver's license?

ISTR that in So. Cal. about 30 years ago one could take the driver's
license test in any one of a whole list of languages. Isn't the whole
point of "iconic" (pictorial) street signs that one does not need to be
able to read any particular language?

One of the things that struck me when I returned to Australia after
living in California for a few years was that in Australian phone booths
the full instructions were in English on one side of the notice, while
on the other side was something like "For instructions in language
dial number" in ten or a dozen different languages, each language
having its own dedicated number.

The younger generation will normally become fluent in English as long as
the education system is working OK, and their kids probably will know
little or nothing of their grandparents' mother tongue. There's no need
for draconian measures to stamp out all but English.

Perce