"The Lord said, Come let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." -- Genesis 11:7.
This quote from the Old Testament comes to mind when considering Taipei's newest street naming scheme. In the already legendary photograph, Mayor Ma Ying-jeou
The original problem with the street names was two-fold. A decision was never made regarding which of the established forms of romanization Taipei City was going to use to romanize the street names. In addition to the lack of a standardized choice of a romanization system, it was obvious that nobody spell-checked the signs after they were made.
The most popular misspelling was the "Shity Road" sign which, when I first arrived here, was a "must see" attraction. Like so many other historical landmarks in Taipei, it is gone now.
The common sense solution to this problem involves three steps. Step one, choose any well-established romanization system; be it Wade Giles, Pinyin or one of the others that are used worldwide. Step 2, have someone translate the street names into the chosen romanization system. Step 3 make sure all the signs are printed correctly.
That seems quite straightforward. But that was not the city government's solution. Its solution followed a much more convoluted course. I myself am not so concerned about how the streets of Taipei are named, but with the issue of how our government, at all levels, "problem solves."
Rather than go with the simple and straightforward solution, the city government turned to "the scholars," specifically Academia Sinica. What the learned folks there did was invent a system of romanization that is used nowhere else in the world.
On the one hand it gives Taipei "big face." I know of no other city in the world that has its own unique written language. On the other hand it doesn't do much for "uniformity."
Using the street sign case as a typical example I have deduced the "Fundamental Steps of Government Problem Solving." They are:
1. No simple solutions are allowed.
2. All solutions must be created within the minds of scholars who have no practical experience.
3. The solutions put forward by the scholars are then accepted without question, regardless of cost or feasibility.
4. Tax dollars are spent implementing scholars' solution.
5. A photo-op is created with the results.
Which brings us around to the above-mentioned photo which, like the proverb, says a thousand words. Mayor Ma points to a sign that is truly "babble." The sign is posted at the dividing line between Section 4 and Section 5 of what I, old man that I am, know as Chung Hsiao East Road, now rewritten by Academia Sinica as ZhongSiao East Road.
I now learn that it is 4th Blvd. The sign leaves a confusion whether has a west and east aspect to it or if the "W" and "E" are just to get you orientated.
The moral of the story is simple. Simple solutions are usually the best. As for me, I am glad I live in Sanchung City
Brian Kennedy is a member of the Board of Amnesty International Taiwan and of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.
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