Got a Doubt ! Wanting for your Help ! Plz make it ASAP !

Mark Lawrence breamoreboy at yahoo.co.uk
Wed Nov 27 05:06:30 EST 2013


On 27/11/2013 08:16, Antoon Pardon wrote:
> Op 26-11-13 22:42, Tim Delaney schreef:
>> On 27 November 2013 03:57, Antoon Pardon <antoon.pardon at rece.vub.ac.be
>> <mailto:antoon.pardon at rece.vub.ac.be>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>      So I can now ask my questions in dutch and expect others to try and
>>      understand me instead of me asking them in english? Or can I use
>>      literal translations of dutch idioms even if I suspect that such
>>      a literal translation could be misunderstood and even be insulting?
>>
>>
>> 1. No, because this is stated to be an English-speaking list/newsgroup.
>> It just doesn't specify what dialect of English.
>
> Well so much for this group being an international group with only one
> language allowed.
>
> However that second sentence doesn't make much sense to me. Modern
> languages contain a subset that is called the standard language. This
> is the subset that is generally taught. Especially to those for whom
> the language is foreign. So when you define a specific language to
> use on an international forum, it is strongly suggested that people
> limit themselves to the standard subset and don't use dialects since
> "dialect" AFAIU means it is outside this standard.
>
> Yes I accept that everyone deviates from this standard language and that
> it isn't always easy to know what is and what is not within the standard
> language and that we should allow each other some leeway. However there
> is a difference between saying standard usage is something to aspire to
> and then be tolerant for deviations on the one hand and saying any
> dialect is allowed on the other hand.
>
> So this being an international forum in which for a significant number
> of members english is not their first language, I think it would be
> prudent for those who have englisch as a mother tongue, to try and
> stick to standard english, so as not to burden the first group even
> more.
>
> Doing otherwise IMO doesn't show much respect for that first group, from
> whom is expected they adapt to a (for them) foreign language and then to
> learn that those for which english is their mother tongue don't feel an
> obligation to be helpful by limiting themselves to that part of the
> language that is most likely to be understood by the first group.
>
>> Participants are expected to attempt to be understandable in English,
>> but I personally expect responders to make an effort to work with
>> multiple dialects.
>
> Why do you expect from people who already had to learn a foreign
> language to familiarize themselves with dialects. The variations
> within the standard are already plentyful enough, that you shouldn't
> burden these peoples with dialects too.
>
> You seem to suggest that we can hardly expect from people for whom
> english is their mother tongue to do a serious effort in making
> themselves understandable to others by trying to express themselves
> in standard english.
>
> And that in what is accepted to be an international forum so in which
> we can expect a significant number of people for whom english is not
> their mother tongue.
>

You're in cloud cuckoo land.  And it's English, thank you very much.

-- 
Python is the second best programming language in the world.
But the best has yet to be invented.  Christian Tismer

Mark Lawrence




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