Now Maybe He’ll Count to Dix Before Speaking
From Times Wire Reports
Twenty-one teachers and translators in Japan sued Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, saying he should pay $94,600 for saying, “French is a failed international language because it cannot be used to count numbers,” broadcaster NHK reported.
French is the official language in about three dozen countries and territories. Some French numbers can seem unwieldy -- 90, for example, translates as “four-twenty-ten.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
