Question marks in console apps such as VI and nano

[simonb]

I just installed Knopix to HD and set the language to GB (UK english) in KDE. I found that whanever I use a console either in KDE or remotely via SSH all the menu options in nano or messages in VI appear as question marks i.e. "??????". Any text I type appears normal.

I have tried dpkg-reconfigure locales and setting the default language to english UK but no change in symptoms, even after reboot.

What's going on?

[Markus]

Haven't seen that before so I don't know if this will help but try:
dpkg-reconfigure console-common

[simonb]

OK, tried that. Selected British keyboard.

Still no change. If you are familiar with pico/nano, this is what I get at the bottom of the screen...

[ ????? ???? ]
^G ???????? ^O ???????? ^R ???. ???? ^Y ???.????. ^K ???????? ^C ???????
^X ????? ^J ???????????? ^W ????? ^V ????.????. ^U ????????? ^T ????????

and this is the welcome screen of vi...

Vim - ?????????? Vi
~
~ ??????: 6.2.149
~ ?????: Bram Moolenaar ?? ??.
~ Vim ?? ???????? ????????, ?? ?????? ?????? ??????????????? ??
~
~ ?????????? ??????? ? ??????!
~ :help iccf<Enter> ???????? ??????????
~
~ :q<Enter> ????? ? Vim
~ :help<Enter> ??? <F1> ???????? ????????
~ :help version6<Enter> ?????????? ??? Vim 6

The strange thing is that man pages render perfectly OK.