Saudi Arabia bans English language

[super jumbe]

Saudi Arabian receptionists won?t answer your call in English anymore and reading timeframes and dates in business deals will require a calendar converter.

Arabic is now the exclusive language to be used in government and private agencies, while the Islamic Hijri calendar is the sole datebook in Saudi Arabia, reports the Gulf News.

The country?s Interior Ministry explained the move saying it's an attempt "to preserve? both the calendar and the language.

Previously, Saudi entities were allowed to ?occasionally? use Gregorian, or Western, dates providing there was a corresponding Hijri timeline.

But the Interior Ministry has apparently lost its patience with the so-called ?unnecessary? practice, which violated higher orders, says the Arabic daily, Al Watan.

Hijri is a lunar cycle calendar, commemorating the year of 622 CE, when Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to the city of Medina. According to this calendar, March 19, 2012 is Jumada Al-Akhir 28, 1433.

Link:
Saudi Arabia bans English language and Western calendar — RT




If you speak English you may be for a 50 cans on your backside?..

[Snowy79]

Good on them. It's about time Countries protected their own culture. We should do the same in the UK starting with all claims forms for benefits.

[gc1966]

gotta agree with snowy,if a country wants to protect and preserve both it's heritage and identity then why should they be allowed to do so.

[Shady]

gotta agree with snowy and gc,if a country wants to protect and preserve both it's heritage and identity then why should they be allowed to do so.

[super jumbe]

Come to think about we have been practising for some time hear in UK?..

No English no citizenship

No English no benefit

[Shady]

what???

weve been practising 'no english, no benefit' and 'no english no citizenship' have we? HAVE WE?

somebody better tell all the foreigners claiming benefits etc then

[Meat-Head]

what???

weve been practising 'no english, no benefit' and 'no english no citizenship' have we? HAVE WE?

somebody better tell all the foreigners claiming benefits etc then

WHOA, hang on.

There are members of DK that are NOT Inglish, their default software is something else.

AT least two are here in Ingland - they can claim benefits if they wish - there Inglish is better than some other members on here.

They alsowork. Therefore pay tax.

Must admit there are a lot of shite threads from them though

[badapple]

what???

weve been practising 'no english, no benefit' and 'no english no citizenship' have we? HAVE WE?

somebody better tell all the foreigners claiming benefits etc then

So what you are saying is... if you can speak English, you will be good for claiming benefits?

Some Peeps on here seem to think ONLY foreigners claim benefits. Only the foreigners are ever HIGHLIGHTED.

The reliaty is that there are MORE homegrown scroungers/benefit thiefs than foreigners.

we should FIRST get our own house in order before pointing our finger at others.

At least Saudis got the balls to actually do something to protect their culture. Good on them I say.

[Wolfpack]

Their is a difference between preserving your culture and doing business world wide. I am all for country's protecting their culture in forum of making new citizens being able to read and write in the language the country they are coming to. Saudi Arabia is going a step to far in making any country wanting to do business with them to speak and follow how thing are done over their. English is the universal business language so you don't need to know every single one in the world. English is spoken in more country's than any other in the world. The Funny thing is the UK and the USA will bend over backwards to please those Arabs cause they have oil. What a joke!

[valdrone]

In a way, this generates more income for interpreters and negotiators, thus improving certain sectors of their local economies.

[Hoppy01]

Their is a difference between preserving your culture and doing business world wide. I am all for country's protecting their culture in forum of making new citizens being able to read and write in the language the country they are coming to. Saudi Arabia is going a step to far in making any country wanting to do business with them to speak and follow how thing are done over their. English is the universal business language so you don't need to know every single one in the world. English is spoken in more country's than any other in the world. The Funny thing is the UK and the USA will bend over backwards to please those Arabs cause they have oil. What a joke!

Agreed fella, a think maybe the Saudis are taking it a step too far because they have an essential natural resource..

We go to a lot of trouble to interpret for people who come to Britain but most Europeans don't as they are taught multiple languages at school and don't require them.
We have a lot of Poles in our factory and most speak good English and French...
Am not saying we should do it for the benefit of immigrants but we should do it for the benefit of our kids.
In a world thats becoming more universal and smaller the next generation may want to leave the UK, knowing the language of the country they have chosen will be a big help...