Messages in foreign languages

Alex Neuman van der Hans alex at nkpanama.com
Wed Jun 15 02:31:52 IST 2005


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Scott Silva wrote:

>Alex Neuman said the following on 6/14/2005 2:27 PM:
>  
>
>>Matt Kettler wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Denis Beauchemin wrote:
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Hello,
>>>>
>>>>Is it just me who has problems with messages not in English?  I know I
>>>>don't write perfect English because my main language is French but at
>>>>least I always post in English.
>>>>
>>>>Why does it bother me?  Maybe because whenever I see something I can't
>>>>read I feel I cannot help the other person.  This list is so valuable to
>>>>people because so many people help others.  Whenever someone use a
>>>>foreign language, they can't get as much support because many people
>>>>don't speak that language.
>>>>  
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>True, although I generally figure that is the risk the poster takes.
>>>
>>>They're posting in a language outside the norm for the list, so
>>>they're taking a
>>>risk they might not get the help they need. But that's their problem,
>>>not mine.
>>>
>>>If they get help, great, if not, there's nothing I can do about it.
>>>Either way,
>>>it doesn't bother me.
>>>
>>>Sometimes if I see someone posting in a foreign language and getting
>>>no answers
>>>I'll point out the obvious and suggest they try translating.
>>>
>>>Otherwise I just ignore the messages I can't read with a shrug.
>>>
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>>>      
>>>
>>We *could* open a list in spanish if need be. I'd be glad to contribute.
>>
>>    
>>
>It is true that most of this list is at least comfortable with english,
>if not native to it.
>But running the message through a translator like
>babelfish.altavista.net doesn't help much.
>Maybe if people see a message in a language they are comfortable with,
>that is getting no answers, maybe they could add some translation and
>repost. Out of the goodness of their heart of course.
>
>
>  
>
I've noticed a few posts from central european users that look like 
they've been run through a machine translator, like AV. Usually sounds 
like gibberish, and they usually take a few posts to unravel. Server 
admins should definitely look into learning at least enough English to 
get their point across - although I know a few native English speakers 
who aren't too fluent when it comes to posting either ;)

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