# Why do stop signs ALWAYS say "STOP" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2000, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486 "2000-10-19T01:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/41 "2010-12-27T05:00:35Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Every day, I feel like I know less and less about Judaism… At least it’s not the antisemitic branch that worships Haman. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/42 "2010-12-27T05:28:46Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > Japanese stop signs don’t use English and are triangular. They are red and white, though. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/43 "2010-12-28T01:25:03Z")
In Peru, they say “ALTO” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/44 "2010-12-28T01:40:37Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > At least it’s not the antisemitic branch that worships Haman. Does the Semitic branch worship Eggs? (The initial vowel is conjectural; the true tetrovammation is spelt alef gimel gimel schlemiel, and may represent the clothes-staining ability of egg-based dishes.) ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/45 "2010-12-28T02:21:59Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > In Peru, they say “ALTO” Actually, the ones I saw (as I mentioned above) say Pare. [Here’s a picture of one just en route to Colca Canyon.](http://img191.imageshack.us/i/peru956.jpg/) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/46 "2010-12-28T04:42:34Z")
Here is a stop sign in China, which contains no English. [Stop in Chinese](http://www.friedmanarchives.com/China/Web/Chapter23/Stop%20Sign%204x6%2072%20dpi.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/47 "2010-12-28T07:11:14Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > It actually contradicts no law since, odd as that seems, “stop” is a word that English borrowed from French. It became close to, but not quite, obsolete in French. Ultimately it does come from Latin and not any Germanic tongue. In my suburb, all the stop signs say “stop”. On Trantor? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/48 "2010-12-28T10:26:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Here is a stop sign in China, which contains no English. > > [Stop in Chinese](http://www.friedmanarchives.com/China/Web/Chapter23/Stop%20Sign%204x6%2072%20dpi.jpg) Lol, I wonder how they say “stop” in Chinese? “TING!” or something like it I bet. On an unrelated note, I always thought it odd that stop signs in Mexico say “TALL!” Eventually it occured to me that it might be related to the word “Halt” ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/49 "2010-12-28T11:29:31Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Actually, the ones I saw (as I mentioned above) say Pare. [Here’s a picture of one just en route to Colca Canyon.](http://img191.imageshack.us/i/peru956.jpg/) Yeah, I’ve seen those, too. Slipped my mind. Dammit, Peru, should I “alto” or “pare” - yeesh! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/50 "2010-12-28T12:14:11Z")
In the UK, stop signs are something of a rarity. They do exist, but we’re more into [giving way](http://www.youthworkinternational.com/custom/Give%20way.JPG) than outright stopping. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/51 "2010-12-28T16:51:17Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > Nope, they say STOP. (and it is my impression that ‘Stop’ is not perceived as a foreign-language word. We also use ‘stoppen’ as a verb.) They say STOP indeed. Incidentally, this used to be the correct German spelling of the word (if used as an imperative) until the 1990s spelling reform, the new rules of which would require the one-word imperative of “stoppen” to be spelt with a double P: STOPP. Luckily they haven’t bothered to change the signs. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/52 "2010-12-28T17:05:43Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > Japanese stop signs don’t use English and are triangular. I also remember that it was not uncommon to see 止まれ (_tomare_, an imperative form of the verb _tomaru_, “to stop”) [painted on the street](http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&aq=f&aqi=g1g-m1&oq=&gs_rfai=&q=%E6%AD%A2%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8C). > [@Raguleader](#): > > Lol, I wonder how they say “stop” in Chinese? “TING!” or something like it I bet. Well that’s not remotely racist at all. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/53 "2010-12-28T17:59:02Z")
In Istanbul, the stop signs said “DUR”. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/54 "2010-12-28T18:00:57Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > In the UK, stop signs are something of a rarity. They do exist, but we’re more into [giving way](http://www.youthworkinternational.com/custom/Give%20way.JPG) than outright stopping. Well, you’re British. “After you, sir!” “No, no, I insist! After _you_.” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/55 "2010-12-28T21:06:43Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Here is a stop sign in China, which contains no English. Huh. What’s the writing on it say? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/56 "2010-12-28T21:23:57Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Well that’s not remotely racist at all. :dubious: Sorry, just a language joke of questionable humor. The Chinese word for “Stop” really is “Ting” ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/57 "2010-12-28T22:07:32Z")
Ah, consider me whooshed, then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/58 "2010-12-28T23:25:58Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > In the UK, stop signs are something of a rarity. They do exist, but we’re more into [giving way](http://www.youthworkinternational.com/custom/Give%20way.JPG) than outright stopping. Well, the “Give Way” sign in the UK is, surely, more equivalent to American “Yield” sign (also a downward pointing triangle). It seems to me that, once upon a time, British STOP signs used to say “HALT”. Does anyone else remember this (or know when it stopped)? ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/59 "2011-01-18T13:05:30Z")
Cool to see one of my threads zombified. Not sure if one has been brought back to life before. Seems like all of Europe is standardized. At least, after living there for 3 years (after this thread was made), I never saw one that said anything other than Stop. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486/60 "2011-01-18T14:31:30Z")
[quote=“njtt, post:58, topic:37486”] Well, the “Give Way” sign in the UK is, surely, more equivalent to American “Yield” sign (also a downward pointing triangle). [quote] Yes, but they are used in places where the US would use stop signs. I can’t think of a single junction near where I live that has stop signs - they are either traffic-light controlled or simply “give way”. Of course, many junctions in the UK are turned into roundabouts, where giving way is implicit. > [@](#): > > It seems to me that, once upon a time, British STOP signs used to say “HALT”. Does anyone else remember this (or know when it stopped)? Originally it was the rather wordy HALT AT MAJOR ROAD AHEAD (pic of restored example [here](http://www.fingerpostsigns.com/vintage-halt-at-major-road-ahead-sign.php)). The new signs were brought in in 1964 ([Road signs in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_the_United_Kingdom)). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stop-signs-always-say-stop/37486.md?page=4)