(June 27, 2016 at 6:10 pm)abaris Wrote:(June 27, 2016 at 6:05 pm)dom.donald Wrote: My point was that Britain handles matters differently. Which, it could be argued, doesn't encourage integration, which, it could be argued, adds to the kinds of sentiments that were whipped up by the leave campaigners, which, it could be argued, led to the terrible decision to leave the EU.
What's the difference between handing out a leaflet and asking for an interpreter in terms of intergration? Both start with the premise that you don't speak the language and have to learn it to adapt and become a member of society.
There always will be some cashing in on anby issue to transport their own agenda. That's not a british speciality. I lay the main fault at the doorstep of Cameron and cronies, who failed to communicate what the EU is all about to their own population. Otherwise there wouldn't have been a surge in searches for EU and what it is in the day following the referendum.
Quite a big difference, psychologically. One message is: you can get by perfectly fine without even needing a modicum of English. The other message is: you can get by if you want to speak to us in person, if you want to go through the hassle of organising an interpreter, but if you want to understand any written communication (and in Germany there is copious amounts, every single day), then you're going to have to learn some German if you want to get by. No sign posts in Turkish in Germany.
Mind you, here in NZ, many things are in Chinese and English. In fact, if you want to get by in Auckland you'll need a modicum of Chinese : Xie xie.