In many ways the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a British creation. Amir Abdullah, later King, was established in a British Protectorate in 1923 and the country achieved full independence in 1946. So one might expect that although a Arab state it would have English as its second language. So it does. Up to a point When we were first here 13 years ago American English was steadily replacing British English. Door keepers at Hotels were even then insisting you had a good day despite all the early indications to the contrary. Street signs were lapsing into americanese- the one which irritated me most were the constant references to Down Town. What in earth was wrong with City Centre? It moved me to call on the Mayor of Amman, to remind him of the country's linguistic roots and to suggest that a British expert be retained by the municipality to transliterate the Arabic into correct English English ( Al Baker Street for Al Bakr Street being a typical misleading case- a US diplomat had asked me about Al Baker-a regular guy?) and to make sure that the language of Shakespeare-well ElizabethII at any rate be used on directional signs and other public instructional material. City Centre being a case in point.

He was most attentive and said he wiould see what he could do while pointing out most reasonably that we were fighting a losing battle given the fact that about ten times as many Jordanians went for higher education to the US as to the UK. But he agreed 'Downtown' had a mean vulgar ring to it City Centre that had class that did. After all Amman was a city not a God Dam Town. Hicksville! No Siree! (The Mayorhad spent some time in Brooklyn on a USAID cultural exchange programme)

Some months later I had a call from the Mayor's Office. I would like the new sign at the Third Circle. I dashed out all agog. Paul Revere in reverse: The British were coming back.

A dazzling new large notice greeted me. Down Town had gone: instead


CITY CENTER  ¶ 1:14 PM