On covering up

I've always thought "Assimil" was a strange name for a line of language-learning products, smacking a little too much of rather too many nations' patronising immigration policies. Not to mention some of the attempts to make Australian aborigines disappear by integrating into colonial society.

I suppose we should be thankful, as at least the brand's English language learning records are said to have inspired Eugène Ionesco's masterpiece La Cantatrice chauve.

Ecoutez, répétez...

This isn't to say I was ungrateful at the loan of a Moroccan Arabic phrasebook--though I was a little puzzled at its omission of any explanation of the Arabic alphabet, not at all difficult to learn, as the main thing I ended up needing a little of the language for was reading street signs.

To its credit, one of the things the book is strong on is exhorting travellers to respect the basic niceties of the countries they wish to visit. One of these is appropriate dress, which generally means covering up, especially when visiting sites of religious significance.

Following this advice, I thought a slight change of costume might cause less offence in public, namely:

Do we all agree on this, or is anyone game to start another argument about the French ban on wearing the veil (sorry, on wearing "conspicuous religious symbols") in schools or while carrying out offices of public duty?

Be warned, anything you say may be misquoted out of all recognition, as the human is getting ready for another conference paper in February on humour and the Danish cartoons...