Canada to firmly re-assess its status as a British colony

[dps]

But seriously almost everything I buy in Texas is in three languages.  But maybe we are classified as some sort of multi-language zone with so many Spanish speakers.

Most products you buy anywhere in the US are going to have at least English and Spanish labelling, and usually French as well--if you are buying products made by a major corporation.  Major corporations (almost by definition) do business everywhere in North America, more-or-less, so it's easier for them to just make everything tri-lingual than to print seperate packaging for different markets.  (Soft drinks are actually an exceptions to this, because unlike many companies that have only a few actual manufacturing plants that send their output all across the continent, soft drinks are mostly actually producted in local bottling plants that only serve a relatively small geographic area.)  This can actually be a barrier to entry into certain markets for smaller companies, though.

I wonder if I have a right to an English trial in Puerto Rico.

I think that the answer is "yes" if you're charged with a crime under US federal law, but "no" if charged under Puerto Rican territoral law.  I'm not sure about it either way, though.

[Ideologue]

But seriously almost everything I buy in Texas is in three languages.  But maybe we are classified as some sort of multi-language zone with so many Spanish speakers.

Most products you buy anywhere in the US are going to have at least English and Spanish labelling, and usually French as well--if you are buying products made by a major corporation.  Major corporations (almost by definition) do business everywhere in North America, more-or-less, so it's easier for them to just make everything tri-lingual than to print seperate packaging for different markets.  (Soft drinks are actually an exceptions to this, because unlike many companies that have only a few actual manufacturing plants that send their output all across the continent, soft drinks are mostly actually producted in local bottling plants that only serve a relatively small geographic area.)  This can actually be a barrier to entry into certain markets for smaller companies, though.

I wonder if I have a right to an English trial in Puerto Rico.

I think that the answer is "yes" if you're charged with a crime under US federal law, but "no" if charged under Puerto Rican territoral law.  I'm not sure about it either way, though.

In a federal court, the Court Interpreter Act entitles you to an interpreter if you can't speak the language of the court.

Edit: On the other hand, the P.R. district court appears to do all of its official business in English, so yeah.

I can't find anything in the Leyes de Puerto Rico regarding interpreters for defendants, although courts must provide witnesses an interpreter.

[dps]

But seriously almost everything I buy in Texas is in three languages.  But maybe we are classified as some sort of multi-language zone with so many Spanish speakers.

Most products you buy anywhere in the US are going to have at least English and Spanish labelling, and usually French as well--if you are buying products made by a major corporation.  Major corporations (almost by definition) do business everywhere in North America, more-or-less, so it's easier for them to just make everything tri-lingual than to print seperate packaging for different markets.  (Soft drinks are actually an exceptions to this, because unlike many companies that have only a few actual manufacturing plants that send their output all across the continent, soft drinks are mostly actually producted in local bottling plants that only serve a relatively small geographic area.)  This can actually be a barrier to entry into certain markets for smaller companies, though.

I wonder if I have a right to an English trial in Puerto Rico.

I think that the answer is "yes" if you're charged with a crime under US federal law, but "no" if charged under Puerto Rican territoral law.  I'm not sure about it either way, though.

In a federal court, the Court Interpreter Act entitles you to an interpreter if you can't speak the language of the court.

Edit: On the other hand, the P.R. district court appears to do all of its official business in English, so yeah.

I can't find anything in the Leyes de Puerto Rico regarding interpreters for defendants, although courts must provide witnesses an interpreter.

I'm pretty sure in almost any jurisdiction, you're entitled to an interpreter (how else could the court even get a plea out of a defendent?) but the original notion that Raz was responding to was about actually having the trial conducted in the language of the defendent, rather than merely having an interpreter.

[Ideologue]

I believe that's probably correct, and there's an executive order (applicable to states receiving federal monies) to that effect as well.

The whole trial?  I'm sure Puerto Rico commonwealth cases are held Spanish, then, yeah.  Although I believe the written records must be translated into English at some later point.

[jimmy olsen]

I think you are ignoring that no airline could expend the kind of resources Grallon would require in order to give full voice to the "myth".  Some degree of reasonableness is required which is the polar opposite of what happened in this case.

Air Canada is a good whipping boy because it has the most routes in Canada.  What would Grallon want instead - no airline flying Quebec routes?  That would be the alternative.

Every airline I've been on in East Asia the stewardesses spoke at least two languages, often three.

Why can't Air Canada do the same?

[Razgovory]

I'm pretty sure in almost any jurisdiction, you're entitled to an interpreter (how else could the court even get a plea out of a defendent?) but the original notion that Raz was responding to was about actually having the trial conducted in the language of the defendent, rather than merely having an interpreter.

You are correct sir.  I imagine that many of the judges down in Rico are bilingual, but probably not all.  I don't really understand why the Francophones have such a chip on their shoulder about this.  This all sounds like minor grievances.  If Canada defunded all the highways in Quebec or forced them to eat jellied Eel and spotted dick, I would think that is a legitimate beef.  The three terrible crimes discussed in this thread are the adding of "Royal" to military units, the removal of a painting, and the failure to be served a 7-up by someone speaking French.  It's like they are going around looking for things to offend them.

I think Canada is an excellent example why the US should not adopt an official language.

[Ideologue]

When I was a kid, I'd always wondered why so many products had warnings and such also transcribed in French.  At the time, I thought it was for people in Louisiana.

[garbon]

You are correct sir.  I imagine that many of the judges down in Rico are bilingual, but probably not all.  I don't really understand why the Francophones have such a chip on their shoulder about this.  This all sounds like minor grievances.  If Canada defunded all the highways in Quebec or forced them to eat jellied Eel and spotted dick, I would think that is a legitimate beef.  The three terrible crimes discussed in this thread are the adding of "Royal" to military units, the removal of a painting, and the failure to be served a 7-up by someone speaking French.  It's like they are going around looking for things to offend them.

I think Canada is an excellent example why the US should not adopt an official language.

I think on the language bit - is that if no one stands up for the French language in Canada, it will eventually fade out.  Clearly it would have been much easier for the 7-Up complainer to just order in English (as he knew it) - and if you follow along in the vein of convenience - there's very little reason to maintain French over the long haul. Infinitely more convenient to speak in a language that most everyone understands.  That has to be grating in a country like Canada where French is listed as an official language.  Make it too much of a hassle for people to speak one of the official languages - and why would they keep using it?

[Valmy]

I think on the language bit - is that if no one stands up for the French language in Canada, it will eventually fade out.  Clearly it would have been much easier for the 7-Up complainer to just order in English (as he knew it) - and if you follow along in the vein of convenience - there's very little reason to maintain French over the long haul. Infinitely more convenient to speak in a language that most everyone understands.  That has to be grating in a country like Canada where French is listed as an official language.  Make it too much of a hassle for people to speak one of the official languages - and why would they keep using it?

Yeah that is my read on the thinking of 7-Up guy.  He has an agenda, this is not a matter of him just having hurt feelings about soft drinks.

[Valmy]

When I was a kid, I'd always wondered why so many products had warnings and such also transcribed in French.  At the time, I thought it was for people in Louisiana.

Now you have come to realize Cajuns don't read.

[Berkut]

You are correct sir.  I imagine that many of the judges down in Rico are bilingual, but probably not all.  I don't really understand why the Francophones have such a chip on their shoulder about this.  This all sounds like minor grievances.  If Canada defunded all the highways in Quebec or forced them to eat jellied Eel and spotted dick, I would think that is a legitimate beef.  The three terrible crimes discussed in this thread are the adding of "Royal" to military units, the removal of a painting, and the failure to be served a 7-up by someone speaking French.  It's like they are going around looking for things to offend them.

I think Canada is an excellent example why the US should not adopt an official language.

I think on the language bit - is that if no one stands up for the French language in Canada, it will eventually fade out.  Clearly it would have been much easier for the 7-Up complainer to just order in English (as he knew it) - and if you follow along in the vein of convenience - there's very little reason to maintain French over the long haul. Infinitely more convenient to speak in a language that most everyone understands.  That has to be grating in a country like Canada where French is listed as an official language.  Make it too much of a hassle for people to speak one of the official languages - and why would they keep using it?

If you have to pass a law to convince people to speak some language, then the language is already dead. You are just trying to put it on life support.

And nobody is "making it a hassle", it might BE a hassle, but not taking active measures to accomodate soft drink orderers is not "making it a hassle", it is just not making it NOT a hassle.

[Berkut]

I think on the language bit - is that if no one stands up for the French language in Canada, it will eventually fade out.  Clearly it would have been much easier for the 7-Up complainer to just order in English (as he knew it) - and if you follow along in the vein of convenience - there's very little reason to maintain French over the long haul. Infinitely more convenient to speak in a language that most everyone understands.  That has to be grating in a country like Canada where French is listed as an official language.  Make it too much of a hassle for people to speak one of the official languages - and why would they keep using it?

Yeah that is my read on the thinking of 7-Up guy.  He has an agenda, this is not a matter of him just having hurt feelings about soft drinks.

The problem with stuff like this is that it just gives your opponents the change to trivialize your goals. It makes it easy to turn it from a real issue about the relative importance of a minority culture and their rights into "Oh man, that guy is suing because he could not order a 7-Up in French! This is so petty!"

[garbon]

If you have to pass a law to convince people to speak some language, then the language is already dead. You are just trying to put it on life support.

And nobody is "making it a hassle", it might BE a hassle, but not taking active measures to accomodate soft drink orderers is not "making it a hassle", it is just not making it NOT a hassle.

Oh I agree on that first statement, however, it is easy for me to as I'm not part of a dying culture.

On the second, this is just one of the many things he has complained about.  I believe one of the articles I saw had him winning a victory to get buses in Ottawa to have comments in French.  I don't agree with him that it is offensive - but if a country is going to say it has two languages, they should manage that.

[viper37]

but if a country is going to say it has two languages, they should manage that.

Yes.  Either they comply with the law, or they repel it.  Should be simple enough to understand to Canadians.  But it seems too hard for most of them, unfortunately.

[Valmy]

If you have to pass a law to convince people to speak some language, then the language is already dead.

You have to remind me when French was alive in Alberta and British Columbia.

I think the purpose of the law was to introduce it to places it does not naturally live than preserve it where it is dying out.  You know for national solidarity and all that good stuff.