[Theforum] Re: [Admin] Re: langs

[Martin Burns]

Warden, Matt wrote on 12/11/01 11:27 pm

>>[martin]More practical to only offer content in English? For
>>the reasons we've been identifying
>
><snip a whole bunch>
>
>You said that we've been publishing ONLY English articles because of
>practicality reasons. Then I asked about what has changed to make it more
>practical. I still don't have an answer.

Nothing has changed in the practicality. It's the counter argument
of "We believe we should be a global organisation, not a US one"
which has been growing in strength.

>I do NOT have a problem with publishing a German articles... as long as
>there's an English translation for the *majority* of our members to
>read. 

But that's a self-fulfilling prophesy. We (probably) have a
majority 1st language English membership because we've failed
to do anything else so far.

Is that A Good Thing? I don't think so. I think we really should
follow through on our stated belief of being global. Not "American,
but grudgingly allowing foreigners to play as long as they want
to use our culture to do it" (the One True Way of McDonalds),
but really global. Accepting and encouraging contribution from
all cultures equally.

>I think that suddenly changing (in a way that alienates them) 

If we were planning on doing this in a sudden, alienating way, then
this might be true. But we're not.

>what most benefits our current membership 

I'd be worried if our current membership were so mono-cultural
that they couldn't accept other cultures. I think they're more
mature than that, and would value those global perspectives.

>in the hopes that we invite more
>non-English-speaking members is a bad move. 


>Different languages should be
>an added feature ("Also in German").

Not if the article was originally in German. Then it would
be "Also in English" - assuming an English-speaker feels
a burning desire to translate it. If not, having an English
version can't be that important, eh?

I'm reminded of the George Mikes story I told a couple of weeks
ago here:
<http://lists.evolt.org/theforumarchive/Week-of-Mon-20011029/000228.html>

Cheers
Martin

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