French Language On Packaging

[Knoss]

ton is US and Imperial. tonne or metric ton is metric but not SI. Mega gram is the System International unit to be used.

1 ton = 2000 lb. = .884 Mg
1 tonne = Metric ton = 1.000Mg

www1.bipm.org

 

[iamcanadian]

The metric system vs Imperial is not about language. That is an independant method of controlling local market conditions to add trade barriers for commerce artificially.

Muck like Stalin did when he made the railroads in Russia slightly widder than in europe, so the trains had to stop at the borders and goods unloaded and reloaded for distribution in Russia.

Same goes for weights and measures which served to limit the free flow of goods between countries.

Languages are similar but a separate problem that goes more directly to cultural and ideological segregation, more like a racial rather than economic issue.

 

[Numure]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

Try French then. You will never learn it enough in your lifetime unless you lived with it as a child.

English is brasterdized and accepted choped up and mixed and matched and people converse just fine.

With French you will sound like an idiot conversing even after ten years of practice and those that speak it properly will look down on your errors and shortcommings.

Again the beauty of English is that no matter how bad you speak it, it is still acceptable and understandable. Frencaphones can't undestand each othe between French, Quebecois and any other. The dialecs are too different.

Wrong. We understand each other quite fine. At the same level as British/American/Australian anglophones would have difficulties understand each other.

 

[Curiosity]

My mother was French from France...

She also started schooling in England and spoke English very well.

When she came to Canada she insisted all of her children become bi-lingual. But when each of us started school, our French was unacceptable because it wasn't French/Canadian, and she stopped conversing in it around the house.

Anyone who mocks another's attempt at speaking a language should be ashamed of themselves. I admire so many people who have the courage to get out into the world using a language they are still learning....and are yet able to make their needs known in a foreign tongue....it takes guts.....

I still feel badly for the French experiment my mother wished for all of us...

I am glad I learned English as well because I never would master that confounding language if I had to learn it as an adult! It changes so often with current local language.... a year makes a huge difference in how we express ourselves... (and date ourselves).

 

[Knoss]

what is the best way to learn French in western Canada. I can undertand a little, I can almost read a newspaper, which is frustrating because I can read the headline and fist paragraph but then can't read the article after I know what it's about.

 

[Curiosity]

Knoss

Have a go at the French threads on this forum (and other forums)...

As you are probably familiar with what transpires for conversation in either English or French - you will soon find yourself understanding the gist of the post and topics....

This is conversational French - and it may not be grammatically correct - but for starters it's like learning in the home.

 

[iamcanadian]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

The metric system vs Imperial is not about language. That is an independant method of controlling local market conditions to add trade barriers for commerce artificially.

Muck like Stalin did when he made the railroads in Russia slightly widder than in europe, so the trains had to stop at the borders and goods unloaded and reloaded for distribution in Russia.

Same goes for weights and measures which served to limit the free flow of goods between countries.

Languages are similar but a separate problem that goes more directly to cultural and ideological segregation, more like a racial rather than economic issue.

Bump

 

[Knoss]

what if they made trains whoes wheels could be widened hydrualically.

 

[iamcanadian]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

what if they made trains whoes wheels could be widened hydrualically.

Hydraulics became big well after WW2. In Stalin's days that was a big obstacle to free trade and commerce to the area as everything was loaded and unloaded more by hand and labour intensive. This did more to cause poverty and lack of progress to Russia than anything else. Priotecting a culture has a big price as we are now seeing in Canada.

 

[Machjo]

Machjo

Wouldn't Chinese favor British English because of the Hong Kong domination by Britain?

Interesting that you should ask that. Don't forget how Hong Kong got dominated in the first place (the Opium Wars, the history of which the British themselves are ashamed), so needless to say, some Chinese, especially those from Hong Kong, resent the British for this and yes, they do associate the English language with Anglo ethnicity if you will. On the other hand, many don't feel that they have a choice under what they might perceive as the Anglo steam roller. So they learn it, and then rant about it (it is the language of peace after all!). As for choosing between British and US, however, the decision is mostly pragmatic; most choose US due to its economic clout, while some will choose British out of this idea that since English arose in England, then British English must be the true one.

 

[Machjo]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

ton is US and Imperial. tonne or metric ton is metric but not SI. Mega gram is the System International unit to be used.

1 ton = 2000 lb. = .884 Mg
1 tonne = Metric ton = 1.000Mg

www1.bipm.org

I'm aware of that; but most people don't follow that distinction. So if I'm aware most people don't follow it, then I'm still left wondering which is meant. You might argue that taht is not a problem with the language but rather usage. That's true if it's occasional. But once bad usage is widespread, even those who know the strict definition aren't sure anymore what others mean, always second guessing everyone else's knowlege of the language. At that stage, the meaning collapses.

 

[Machjo]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

Languages are similar but a separate problem that goes more directly to cultural and ideological segregation, more like a racial rather than economic issue.

That's somewhat simplified. I can learn and adapt to a new mystem of measurements relatively quickly, but I can't do the same with language. this means that as my language shrinks, my access to information, jobs, markets, etc, all shrink also. If my language expands, it's the opposite effect. Just consider how much money english speaking countries are making in the "English industry". It's now the most profitable industry int he UK, with the money going to universities, book, CD and other exports, and teachers getting jobs abroad. It runs in the billions of pounds anually!

Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand benefit from this as well. Meanwhile, nationas such as France, Germany and Japan (no point mentionning poorer countries where it would be even worse) experience a brain drain as a result, with the benefit going to the Englsih speaking countries. While British primary and middle schools focus on maths and science, otehr nations' students must also focus on English; major economic costs worldwide. Ever consider why many Nobel prises for science come from Englsih-speaking countries?

So with this kind of economic pressure, those who , after nine years of intensive study, have failed to learn English adequately, and realize how this will put them at a disadvantage over native speakers, and also realising the injustice caused by the fact that, while a native English-speaking monolingual can become an air traffic controller or pilot, yet anyone else must be bilingual, and realising the inherent injustice of this, might eventually choose to give up and turn to political solutions to try to balance things out. that's a natural human reaction.

 

[Knoss]

Of couorse if english becomes more predominent in Europe richer Asian countries and is taught in emerging Asian countries like India and China then it may lead to a universal standard. Most nations will become bi-lingual but the English language will become even more the standard that will be taught in every nation.

 

[iamcanadian]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

Of couorse if english becomes more predominent in Europe richer Asian countries and is taught in emerging Asian countries like India and China then it may lead to a universal standard. Most nations will become bi-lingual but the English language will become even more the standard that will be taught in every nation.

Which is a good thing if we what to eliminate prejudice and discrimination. But unfortunately some people get advantages from prejuduce and discrimination so they don't want it eliminated.

 

[Knoss]

Knoss wrote:
ton is US and Imperial. tonne or metric ton is metric but not SI. Mega gram is the System International unit to be used.

1 ton = 2000 lb. = .884 Mg
1 tonne = Metric ton = 1.000Mg

www1.bipm.org

I'm aware of that; but most people don't follow that distinction. So if I'm aware most people don't follow it, then I'm still left wondering which is meant. You might argue that taht is not a problem with the language but rather usage. That's true if it's occasional. But once bad usage is widespread, even those who know the strict definition aren't sure anymore what others mean, always second guessing everyone else's knowlege of the language. At that stage, the meaning collapses

good point, thats why I always try to use megagram, guess i never had to translate would be a pain
[/quote]

 

[Machjo]

Re: RE: French Language On Packaging

Of couorse if english becomes more predominent in Europe richer Asian countries and is taught in emerging Asian countries like India and China then it may lead to a universal standard. Most nations will become bi-lingual but the English language will become even more the standard that will be taught in every nation.

Well, in India, it merely gave rise to a new dialect (as if English doesn't have enough of those) and from what I can witniss in China, we're witnessing the rise of Chinglish here. Yet another dialect for the future?

 

[Machjo]

Knoss wrote:
ton is US and Imperial. tonne or metric ton is metric but not SI. Mega gram is the System International unit to be used.

1 ton = 2000 lb. = .884 Mg
1 tonne = Metric ton = 1.000Mg

www1.bipm.org

I'm aware of that; but most people don't follow that distinction. So if I'm aware most people don't follow it, then I'm still left wondering which is meant. You might argue that taht is not a problem with the language but rather usage. That's true if it's occasional. But once bad usage is widespread, even those who know the strict definition aren't sure anymore what others mean, always second guessing everyone else's knowlege of the language. At that stage, the meaning collapses

good point, thats why I always try to use megagram, guess i never had to translate would be a pain

[/quote]

Damned rights it is! :x

But if tonne or mega- are too hard to learn, all they need to do is learn the word metric and slap it in front for crying out loud! Is it really that difficult?

Sorry, just venting today.