Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Ve vant nein English !

Conservative members of the German Parliament have launched a bid to strengthen rules to prevent English words being used in signs at rail stations and other public places.

The members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which forms one half of the Coalition Government, have taken particular aim at German rail operator Deutsche Bahn.

In German stations, travellers are directed to a "Service Point" and can rent a bicycle from "Call a Bike", but the MPs say many Germans cannot understand the signs.

"We need a wider form of consumer protection based on the understanding of language," said a statement from lawmakers Julia Kloeckner, Laurenz Meyer, Erika Steinbach and Gitta Connemann.

The MPs said if consumers fail to understand the language used in signs, "they feel limited and can no longer participate" in daily life.

Deutsche Bahn rejected the criticism.

"We operate on an international level," a spokesman said.

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