FDR's Minimalist Monument (National Archives)

It's very easy to miss this simple monument on the north side of the National Archives. This memorial is dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and for a presidential monument this one is not very grand or informative.

As it turns out, that's exactly what FDR wanted. Note the second "explanatory" plaque that has been erected in front of this memorial (click to enlarge and read the text).

It seems funny that this plaque both honors and disrespects his wishes. FDR did get his modest form of commemoration - but the plaque itself goes beyond FDR's instructions, turning the president's humility into something worth of commemoration in its own right.

There is, of course, a huge and complex FDR Memorial on the National Mall - which, I suppose, adds to the irony (see here and here for more).

Paris: Landmarks, Monuments, Museums

More linguistically-interesting things I saw in Paris.

A monument to peace within view of the Eiffel Tower. I can't tell how well the word "peace" is rendered in all these languages but the Chinese (和平) is at least legible. Not the best execution but well-intentioned. (By the way, I didn't see English anywhere among these languages! Hmmm...)

Louis Braille, inventor of the raised system of dots for the blind, is entombed beneath the Panthéon. This is one of the rare monuments that actively encourages visitors to touch and interact with it: a  bust, electronically illuminated Braille inscriptions, and audio recordings.

A similar installment for the blind can be found in the Pompidou Center. Here the Braille inscription and a textured pattern allow the visitor to appreciate a work of visual art.

Inside the Louvre Museum there's a series of signs that lay down "les règles de l'art" [the rules of art], i.e. what you're forbidden to do inside (e.g. no touching artworks, no flash photography etc.). I like the humorous and non-verbal aspect of these signs:

And, finally, a trilingual notice in the Palace of Versailles:

Florence: Churches and Museums

Now for some more signs from Florence - these all come from churches or museums.

Ascending to the dome of the Duomo. I like the graffiti "conversations" that have ensued around this sign. Note someone has crossed out the name HUGO from the Spanish "Hugo y [and] Laura" and replaced it with LAURA ERIC underneath.

Some writing on the top of the dome of the Duomo. For some reason a lot of Korean and Chinese inscriptions. Nice little acrostic involving the names Alex and Andrew (center).

Writing on walls is, of course, an old practice. Here's a 17th century inscription on the way down.

Ten Commandments motif on the doors exiting the Duomo. You can just make out (most of) the Hebrew text of the first 5 commandments.

The translations inside the crypt of the Medici Chapel are mostly unremarkable - but it did strike me as odd how certain words were in bold. I suppose if you were in a hurry or something this could help you scan the text more efficiently.

Lastly, an idiosyncratic sign in the garden of the Franciscan monastery in Fiesole. The Latin NON EST TOTO SANCTIOR MONS (and Italian equivalent, underneath) mean "in the whole world there is no mountain more holy"). Curiously, the word "welcome" (benvenuto / benvenuta) is grammatically inflected in both its masculine and feminine forms (welcoming the male and female reader equally?). The icons for all the forbidden activities are cute.

White House Walk: Helen Keller

Near the White House is The Extra Mile "Points of Light" Walkway which commemorates figures who embody the spirit of service and volunteerism. The marker for Helen Keller provides her name in raised letters and (underneath) in Braille.

The use of Braille is unique to this marker. While all the other commemorative markers on this walk make use of raised letters and raised relief bust portraits, the use of those design motifs in this particular marker seem to have additional significance.

E Pluribus Unum, Arlington Memorials

E Pluribus Unum (Latin = "out of many, one"). The people interred at Arlington National Cemetery may come from many different origins, but all occupy a shared place of honor in the collective memory. Here, a rose garden monument bears the motto from the Seal of the United States.

Above, men from different backgrounds take neighboring grave plots: Gallagher is a surname of Irish origin (from Gaelic Ó Gallchóbhair); Cohen (‫כֹּהֵן‬) is a common Jewish surname.

For more Arlington cemetery tombstones, see here and here; see also the following posting.

Chinatown: Alleged Plot

Chinatown, 604 H Street NW. This plaque was erected by the 美京中美獅子分會 (DC Chinese-American Lions Club). I realize this site has historical value, but it really a good idea for an immigrant group to commemorate a plot against the president?

P.S. This site now houses a Chinese/Japanese fusion restaurant.

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:

Berlin Wall, 20 Years Later

Pieces of the Berlin Wall, NMAH, November 2009. The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. A few remnants of the wall now are scattered around DC. This NMAH display houses a few original fragments of the Berlin Wall within a concrete "replica" segment that bears the German word "Freiheit" (Freedom) as well as the English words "Torn Apart."

P.S. Large segments of the original Berlin Wall and a guard tower are on permanent display in the Newseum (see this online exhibit for more). DC is commemorating the Eastern Bloc revolutions of 1989 in a variety of ways; see my subsequent posts (here and here).

Translingual Name Convergence

Arlington National Cemetery, July 2009. Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault (b. Commerce, TX) led the "Flying Tigers" division against the Japanese in WWII. He later adopted the Chinese name Chen Na-De (陳纳德), a phonetic approximation of "Chennault" which appears on the reverse of his tombstone (right-hand photo, above).

It just so happened Chennault married a Beijing-born woman named 陳香梅 (Chen Xiang-mei), who was later known as Anna Chen Chennault. In this case the wife took her husband's name (Chennault), but one could equally say that the husband took his wife's (陳 = Chen).

Arlington Tombstone

Did he support pork-barrel spending? Arlington National Cemetery, July 2009.

P.S. From The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition (1989): bacon, v. 1890 Congress. Rec. Aug. 8887/1 "We consumed or sold our own pork, and we baconed it ourselves." In case you are interested, here's this congressman's official biography.

Here Lie Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan

This plaque in the National Cathedral indicates the spot where Helen Keller and her lifelong companion Anne Sullivan have their final resting place. The Braille inscription beneath the raised letters are well-worn. It's clear that many visitors have run their fingers over these lines. November 2009.

FDR Memorial: Braille, Inverted

Here's a detail of the FDR Memorial incorporating Braille as a design motif. Instead of raised bumps, there are small dips; my only explanation for this is that a Braille plate must have been inverted in the process of making these decorations.

I wonder if someone who knows Braille could actually read this inscription (like a sighted person trying to read text reflected backwards in a mirror?).

P.S. For more on this memorial, see this earlier posting.

Braille, Inaccessible (FDR Memorial)

The FDR Memorial acknowledges the disability status of this president in a variety of ways, including a statue depicting him seated in a wheelchair and (in the image above) Braille inscriptions incorporated as a design motif along some of the walls or posts. Unfortunately, some of these Braille inscriptions are placed so high up that most people (sighted or non-sighted) cannot even reach them.

Ah, the irony - sighted people may find these inscriptions beautiful, but ultimately illegible; meanwhile, those who might actually understand the inscriptions cannot access them.

Lincoln Memorial: Veterans Day, 2008

Lincoln Memorial, Veterans Day, 2008. People writing in many languages to congratulate newly-elected Pres. Obama. Note the many variants on the "¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!" slogan.

Supreme Court: Moses and Tablets

Supreme Court Frieze. Moses' beard covers up "thou shalt not" (לא) on each of these commandments so the text reads "murder" (תרצח), "commit adultery" (תנאף), and "steal" (תגנב).

P.S. For another take on the ten commandments, see this Torah ark.

Chinatown: Friendship Arch

Chinatown. This is the inscription on the "friendship gate" erected in 1986 when Marion Barry was Mayor - note the Sinification of his name, bottom right!

As far as I can tell the text is correct but the writing really could have been executed better.