Signs of ignorance making a mockery of Jersey's history

From Cara Billot.

THE last time some educated English-speaking people wrote letters to the JEP upon the subject of road names, it caused me to write the narrative below for future use, and here it is, in full support following the article (JEP 8 January) with Senator Ozouf regarding the misuse of the French language for road names in Jersey, and your excellent editorial of the same date, and with particular reference to the naming of new developments therein.

There are so many road names which illustrate the classic stupidity of the general situation in Jersey where foreign people cannot understand our French heritage, nor can they understand the French language, grammar, and spelling.

Who are the dimwits who cannot check first the correct road names before the name plate is manufactured, and why can we not maintain the original road names from yesteryear?

Why did the management at the Jersey Post Office change all the road names in 1980, placing unnecessary and incorrect prefixes into the original road name?

There is no need for ‘Le Mont’ ‘La Rue’ or any ‘Le’ or ‘La’ or ‘de la’, etc, except where necessary to maintain the meaning of the name, ie, Rue du Pont, no ‘La’ necessary.

It took seven years for the correct road name for Grands Vaux to be erected at the bottom of Deloraine Road, and the JEC substation a few yards away still has the incorrect spelling on its name plate.

It is all very well insisting that foreigners must have a knowledge and understanding of the English language, but also the English speaking foreigners must have a knowledge and understanding of the French language, too.

Such blatant disregard for language and tradition is making a mockery of Jersey and its historical origins. Even the sale/purchase contracts for properties are now in English.

I was planning to get some photographs, but the original road name plates have been removed and new name plates installed with the wrong name, eg, in Trinity, Rue Becq has become La Rue du Becq, and Rue Bechet has become La Rue du Bechet.