It's a very specific response to the very specific illness of Ebola. The languages here are English, French, and Arabic (I have no idea why English appears in the Arabic). We don't often see French in our English landscape - perhaps only at airports, major tourist sites, and where there is a local French club? It's interesting that French as a colonial language of Africa intrudes at this place and time in our small town.
But the purpose of this poster is clear: the text tells people to STOP before they enter the surgery.
With the help of Google, I track the originator of the poster.
Apart from this sign, I can see no other language apart from English on display, neither inside the building, nor in the environs.
A few years ago (I could be fantasising about this memory), I am sure I could see different languages occupying public spaces, perhaps on signs or leaflets inside the waiting room. I have a distinct memory of a poster offering support should you need information in a variety of languages.
But today at the surgery, the absence of languages around me (apart from English), is noticeable. I wonder, perhaps I can request a translation service? Perhaps translation services have moved online? Perhaps there are multilingual handbooks which are not presented to me at the reception?
I'm not sure the lack of any other visual language apart from English is evidence of some organised restrictive language policy; perhaps my recollection of a more multilingual environment comes from a different time.
Am I looking at how local language visibility around me is shaped in part by national economics?
Under the Labour government in the UK (1997-2010) I'm sure there was simply more money put towards language options in public services, but as local health centres are encouraged to work as independent budget-holders, a central source of funds - and consequently of our multilingual visual environment in public services - has probably been withdrawn.
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