Last Updated on December 7, 2017 by Red Nomad OZ
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages?
A: Trilingual!
Q: What do you call a person who speaks 2 languages?
A: Bilingual!!
Q: What do you call a person who speaks only 1 language?
A: An Australian!
Yes, embarrassing though it is to admit such a culturally insensitive reality, it’s true. For large portions of the Australian populace anyway.
But Public Toilet #37, scenically located just below Vlamingh Head on North West Cape near Western Australia’s Exmouth, is a one-toilet attempt to destroy our monolingual reputation once and for all.
Even though it’s pretty unlikely that Aussies are responsible for it!
Being a monolingual Aussie myself, I can’t confirm whether or not the other 5 languages are technically correct representations of the core message. It’s scarily possible the multilingual travellers who added the translations have, in fact, relied on the collective Australian inability to speak languages other than Australian English, and written insults or rude words.
They could be enjoying a cruel laugh at our expense right now …
I’ll never know! Unless YOU tell me!!
When you’re not improving your international vocabulary, the view east to historic Vlamingh Head Lighthouse OR west out to sea and potential whale sightings is just as impressive.
In fact, Exmouth’s unique position between the offshore Ningaloo Marine Park and outback Cape Range National Park puts the extraordinary landscapes of Northwest Cape high on the Western Australian ‘must see’ list.
Where else can the Ocean, Outback, whales, wildlife, wildflowers, beaches, mountain ranges, gorges, sand, rock and shipwrecks all be appreciated on one small – and amazingly diverse – neck of land?
A perfect match for the linguistic diversity in this little Aussie loo!
Want MORE?
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Exmouth, Coral Coast, Western Australia
LOL! Always love your dunnys. And I was going to say that of course you could substitute US Citizen for Australian in the riddle. Unless learning to speak Australian qualifies me as bilingual (after all, now I know what a dunny is!!) )))
Nice picture, thanks for sharing
you have so much beauty in your world my friend.
i totally enjoyed your landscape photos. love them all.
xx
You make drool with those landscapes. The ocean waters…..I watched a terrible movie filmed in Australia a long time ago known as the Pirate Movie. I remembered the backdrops being some of the most epic and sweeping. I really want to visit your world soon. As for monolingual….well it’s true in the US as well. Although I can speak several languages, I am the odd duck out:) But it’s true….English is now the universal language:)
@eileeninmd – There seems to be quite a few of us!!! I don’t feel so bad now …
@Our Photos – Thank you!! There are plenty more to come!!!
@Iris – Hahahaha, I suspect it is LONG gone, my friend!!
@TMWH – Like a few of the others, I can recognise most languages – but don’t understand what is being said!! I do actually see a lot of not-so-scenic loos … but I tend not to bother photographing those ones!!!
@FruitCake – Haha, yes!! Loos are the great levellers … so to speak!!!
@LONDONLULU – Haha, I’ve already adopted your theory!!! But while a pic certainly can paint 1000 words, I’ve found mine do better with a little translation!!
@John – Welcome back!!! And thanx once again for those kind words … as you can see I’m struggling a little at the moment and only just catching up with things now!
@Fun60 – HAha, you’re very welcome to join Andrew and I in our monolingualism (see my reply to him above)! I’ve always found admiring the view a great antidote for a world of pain …
@Leovi – This is what happens when I can’t turn your photos into abstract art like yours!!!
@River – Hahaha, that’s an EXCELLENT point!! Maybe the visitors were all from one bus tour??!! I can also recognise German – but that brings me no closer to understanding it!!!
@whiteangel – I think I’ll just trust that the writers knew what they were talking about!!!!
@Joop Zand – I have no trouble finding beautiful places in Australia!! Hope you can see them for yourself one day!
@Bob – Haha, just think what it would be like in the off-peak season!!!
@Sami – So THAT’S their cunning plan!!! Now I’ll NEVER know!!! Thanx for helping out anyway!
@Filip – That doesn’t surprise me – I’ve seen a few photos of Oman and there are definitely some similarities!
@Andrew – Well, now we’ve both come out as monolinguists, we’ll sit back & enjoy the scenery while everyone else works out the translations!!! Win-win!
@Rose – Are ANY of the OZ lighthouses personned these days?? I’m not sure I can think of any!! Like you, I LOVE them – but haven’t seen nearly enough! Will have to do something about that!!
If there is some special syndrome attributable to people who can’t see the landscape for the loo, I think I have it! Took me three goes to take in the scenery.
There’s something profound in the idea that a loo can unite so many different peoples with a shared sense of purpose.
I go with Sami here!
You havn´t found my contact, no? 😉
Beautiful photos!
Greetings, RW & SK
I know that the first translation is German, and the last one appears to be French. That’s where my knowledge of other languages stops, unfortunately. I know just enough to know that I don’t know a thing! I love your tours of the scenic facilities in your country–such beauty, about something not always so pretty…
I guess you can add me to the list of monolinguists. I love the beautiful scenery and your photos. Happy weekend!
Lovely at Exmouth, hope to return in the future. Like the loo!! Wouldn’t have a clue as to the translation, perhaps we could use Google Translate!
I’m sure some of your many followers will be able to translate for the rest of us monolinguists. What a place. You are right there is no where like it for the scenery.
Monolingual maybe but your landscape photography is eloquent as ever.
We also have that same language problem in the States! We’re probably the worst of all!:) Well, no matter, you speak the language of photography – a picture paints a 1000 words right?:)
That has to be the best loo view ever!
It strikes me as a little odd that everyone who has visited that loo had a black texta handy.
Sadly I only speak one language, but I usually recognise German when I hear it.
Very beautiful unspoiled beach, I love it!
The Yardie Creek Gorge remind me a bit of the landscape in Oman. Top picture.
Greetings,
Filip
Lovely photos Red. The German translation is correct, the French appears correct too, but I can’t read the whole thing, the handwriting being too tiny…
I have traveled extensively but I have never been anywhere with so much to see and so few people enjoying the view. Thank you so much for opening this window in my world.
G’day Red,
Can’t help you with the languages other than some colourful Australian 🙂 (only occasionally of course)
I LOVE it when you show a lighthouse – just love the things! Such a shame so few are manned these days, er or womanned……
Have a great weekend!
The sign in the loo is very amusing. I’m Australian, so don’t ask me about other languages. I love the gorge photo and how white the sand is.
Beautiful places and so many nice photo’s,
wish i could be there for a while.
Greetings, Joop