Southaven, MS—
FAST FACTS:- Signs targeting specific ethnic groups would need English translation on the sign
- City cites safety and dispatch concerns
- Also cites need for clear understanding of a business' purpose
dennis.turner@wreg.com
(Southaven, MS 9/23/2009) Signs in foreign languages are often seen around stores and businesses, but would you understand them and know what they mean?
City leaders in Southaven want to make sure you do, and they're working on a city ordinance to require it.
Most people didn't even know we had many Hispanics in Memphis, until WREG broke the story of their large-scale immigration here for mostly construction jobs more than 21 years ago.
Since then their numbers have grown and so have businesses which cater to them, in their own language only.
Pedro Roman owns one of those businesses and knows a successful business talks to its customers.
Roman does it mostly through advertising in the store window. "It's really important for them because they need to see what we're really selling. " said Roman who runs Emilio's restaurant and grocery.
But a proposed ordinance in Southaven would make business owners like Roman translate everything on every sign into English.
Why's that important? Read the following paragraph closely.
"Porque necessitan una ley para los letreros en Ingles? Porque todo el mundo necessitan entender el nombre del negocio y que pasa alli'"
TRANSLATION: "Why do they need a law for signs in English? Because everyone needs to understand the name of the business and what goes on there."
If you had to read the translation to understand, then that proves Southaven's point.
Planning Director Whitney Choat says it's a safety concern, "We've seen cases in other cities where dispatch times for police or 911 calls come in and there's been confusion."
She also says the city needs to know what kind of business operates under signs like this to know if they're legal for the area's zoning laws.
Unfortunately a relatively small number of the city's employees speak anything other than English.
But business owners say putting up new bilingual signs costs money they don't have in these tight times.
They argue anybody calling 911 can use a business address or locate a nearby landmark, like a gas station.
But city leaders seem insistent on at least considering the idea at their next board meeting.
They say everyone should understand everything a business has to offer.
But some business owners say that's just not their market and shouldn't be their responsibility. Who are we catering to? Latinos. They speak Spanish," said Roman.
The Southaven Board of Aldermen will consider the ordinance at their October 6th board meeting.
