>>A mailing list is about rapid and effective communication. Not all of those
>>in this list can communicate effectively in English. Given the number of
>
>If we break into groups over language......should we break into groups
>by process ( me vs you)? By gender (home alone again)?
The answers are no and no.
>
> I tried to make the point a few days back about intimidation. If I
>intimidate then imagine how language and other things work to keep the
>communication lines closed. This group has enough working against it with
>corporate gag rules,
>closed minds, and other assorted misconceptions.
Right. Good point. However, let's not nix a good idea before it's
explored. Intimidation and semantics of language aren't the point.
Understanding the language so that you have a *chance* to be
intimiated is the point, I believe.
>
>Anyone want to join me and my group? I'm the one holding the flagpole
>that says " Free communication done here".
Hold on Elaine. Your flag only has that missive printed in English.
Okay folks, how about this.
Someone fluent in English and another given language can volunteer to
serve as a translation and echo point. People wanting the contents of
this list summarized in that given language will notify that person of
that fact, and that person puts their email addresses in a language
list. This person can take fluffy messages (like this one) and
bit-bucket them. This person can take messages with actual content
and translate them, passing them on to the people on that language
list.
With enough volunteers, we can have echo points handling Italian,
Finnish, Japanese, French -- whatever languages are needed.
Unfortunately this less-than-perfect hierarchical solution subjects
the volunteer translator to some typing every time something important
is said on this group. It could add up to quite a lot of typing, but
it probably won't :-) It also subjects the people receiving the
translations to the moderations and summarizations of the volunteer
translator. Edited or not, at least the conversation can spread to
people that speak little or no English.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pierce Krouse, DTM Corp., Austin, TX I think animal testing is a terrible
pierce@dtm-corp.com idea; they get all nervous and give
http://www.dtm-corp.com/~pierce/ the wrong answers. (Fry and Laurie)
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