DC's Letter-Named Streets (I and Absent J)

DC's system for naming its streets is distinctive. Streets running east-west take letter names (A, B, C, etc.) and streets running north-south are numbered (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on). In addition, diagonal avenues are named after US states (for a guide to navigating DC streets, see here). Above, two ways of rendering I (Eye) Street in Foggy Bottom. I've seen many people write addresses referring to "Eye Street" rather than "I Street" - I suppose order to avoid any confusion with the numeral 1 (one).

Why is there no "J Street" in DC, you ask? I've heard people say it's because the I/J distinction was difficult to discern (or non-existent) in 18th-century typography. Others claim that DC lacks a "J Street" because Pierre L'Enfant (the Frenchman who planned the city) disliked Chief Justice John Jay - but this is apparently an urban legend.

"One Nation" Logo

A timely follow-up to yesterday's posting about flags: this sign for the "One Nation Working Together" March on DC. Today, October 2, 2010, marks the progressive, social justice answer to the Glenn Beck/FOX News rally that was in town a few weeks ago. Appropriately, the logo features a stylized American flag with the numeral "1" as the basis for a stylized "N" (for "nation").

(You can learn more about the march and the coalition of groups that make up the organization at this website).

"Formosa Betrayed" Poster

Poster for the political thriller "Formosa Betrayed" = 出賣的台灣. The verb 出賣 (chū mài) = to sell out or betray. Although the Chinese text uses the name "Taiwan" (台灣 in traditional script), the name in the English movie title is "Formosa," from the Portuguese name given to the island ("Ilha Formosa" = beautiful island). February 2010, Foggy Bottom.

Latino Culture Night Poster

A few days ago I noticed this poster for an event celebrating the Latin American cultures. I find it interesting that the title of the event ("Noche de Cultura") is in Spanish, even if not all Latin American countries use Spanish. Perhaps there's some irony in the fact that an event with the theme "transcending borders" uses a visual motif that relies upon borders and national flags...or maybe the little red ribbons (mountains? hills?) are reaching across borders? I tend to over-read these things.

Peace Pole Project (Multilingual Obelisks)

I've noticed these multilingual obelisks around town for a while but yesterday was the first time I actually stopped to take a close look at a few of them. Each pole bears a different message of peace on each side (typically "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in various languages).

Based on the shape of these objects, I had just assumed the poles were some sort of "DC thing" until I learned (online) that these are actually part of the Peace Pole Project, a larger movement to erect monuments like these worldwide.

From left to right: 1 = Monolingual pole, Foggy Bottom; 2 - 4 = Octolingual pole, William Penn House, Capitol Hill. In alphabetical order, the languages on the William Penn House pole are Arabic, Cherokee, Chinese (simplified), English, French, Hopi, Spanish (I'll leave it up to you to sort out which is which).

It's possible to custom order a peace pole on this website (including hexagonal ones!). See this website for more on the history of the peace pole project.

Eastern Bloc Posters and Photographs

More images from GW's Global Resources Center. Here, a Romanian poster bears the words "Goodbye Comrade." An informational pamphlet from this exhibit's 1999 manifestation has more on this particular poster.

Above, a German dissident poster, fall 1989. The chant "WIR sind das Volk" (WE are the people) eventually morphed into "Wir sind EIN Volk" (We are ONE people), expressing desire for the reunification of East and West.

Here, a Czech poster celebrates "Velvet Revolution" of November 1989; the subtitle apparently reads "it's already here."

The caption next to this poster in the exhibition reads "no caption necessary." Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

P.S. For related postings, see here and here.

Berlin Wall, Pieces of History

Global Resources Center, Gelman Library, George Washington University. An exit sign for the American sector of Berlin bears an inscription in four languages: English, Russian, French, and (in much smaller sized writing) German. English-language graffiti adds another layer of textual complexity.

P.S. The Global Resources Center at GW has organized a series of events to commemorate the Eastern Bloc revolutions of 1989. Other related DC resources: "Making the History of 1989," a website maintained by George Mason University in conjunction with the NEH, CHNM, and German Historical Institute; see also the German Embassy's "Freedom Without Walls" website and my previous post; see this posting too.

P.P.S. Here's a clean version of the sign above, from the display at the Newseum:

Different Languages, Different Audiences

November 2009. Signs in numerous languages (above) are appearing in stations throughout the Metro system; while all of them were produced by the DC Office of Human Rights, the text isn't equivalent in each one.

The French sign (Federal Triangle) addresses its reader in formal diction, employing the polite pronoun vous. "Saviez-vous que les agences gouvernementales du District de Columbia sont tenues de vous fournir leurs services dans votre langue gratuitement?" = Did you know that government agencies in DC are required to provide their services to you in your own language, free of charge?

The Spanish sign (Smithsonian) is much more direct, adopting the position of the person who actually requires certain services: "Es mi idioma; es mi derecho." = It's my language; it's my right.

For more on the French sign, see my very first blog posting.

P.S. For those who are interested, I also include the Spanish and Vietnamese signs (below).

P.S. The Vietnamese sign is in the Foggy Bottom station.