Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 22:50:37 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Re: Language Protocols
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It's all a matter of commonality. Hell, how about a distant dialect of tibeten
monks. That would suffice....if all were doing it, otherwise, the Tower of Babel
would repeat itself.
John Rodgers
"88GL Driver
Lawrence Johnson wrote:
> Qïng nï dú zhège
>
> John, how about Mandarin? Would that be ok? There are more Mandarin speaking
> people than speak what you call English.
>
> Larry
>
> John Rodgers wrote:
>
> > I perceive the need for establishing a language protocol for this list.
> > I am, as are others, beginning to get e-mails in languages other than
> > English, and while that may be fine in some arenas, I don't thing it to
> > be appropriate here.
> >
> > At one time French was the international diplomatic language, and in
> > modern history it has become English, and most specifically American
> > English as opposed to the Kings English. The ICAO (International
> > Commercial Aviation Organization) which is the governing body for all
> > commercial airline operations world wide, adopted English as the
> > official standard language of aviation for obvious reasons. A very
> > dangerous situation would develop in the airways and on the airports if
> > everyone were speaking different languages, especially in international
> > flights. A veritable aviation Tower of Babel, so to speak.
> >
> > While it is not so critical here on this list, I feel it proper to set
> > some standard, some protocol, for the language to be used. I like to
> > hear from others who live in other countries or who speak a different
> > tongue, but it creates problems for many of us. One thing, for me
> > personally, I don't have time to track down a translator....person or
> > web site...every time I want to read an email in a different language.
> > As this list ages, it will be more and more affected by languages
> > differences, so I feel it time now to establish the protocols. Once
> > done, the information could be provided in the initial signup
> > information.
> >
> > A true story.
> >
> > I moved to Bethel, Alaska back in 1970. There were thousands of Eskimos
> > living in scattered villages along the coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim
> > River Delta, as well as up both riviers for some distance. When I first
> > arrived, like many "Gussuks", as the Eskimo people called the
> > non-natives in the area, I had thought " Hey, Eskimo country, this is
> > really great!!" and I went my un-informed way. Well, as time passed, I
> > made a lot of Eskimo friends, and learned a lot about languages.
> > Villagers from up river villages could not understand those from vilages
> > down river and vis-a-vis. Those on the coast couldn't understand those
> > that lived up river. Those on the Yukon couldn't understand those on the
> > Kuskokwim. Yet all spoke the same base language ....Yupik. The problem
> > was that every village had a unique dialect and the further apart the
> > villages were the greater the disparity between dialects, to the point
> > that within a distance of 150 miles people had real dificulty in
> > understanding each other. The solution came to be the common language of
> > English. The missionaries from the early years of Alaska settlement
> > introduced english,( how they did it is another story...to long for
> > here) and it became the common base language. It allowed all Eskimo
> > people to be able to speak between villages far distant, as well as in
> > other parts of the state. Their own dialects kept the Eskimo people
> > somewhat apart until they had a common language.
> >
> > Out in New Mexico there are many people that speak Spanish, with English
> > as a 2nd language. There are those that speak English with Spanish as a
> > second language. There are those that speak only English. There are
> > probably some that simply don't speak English. But the English is common
> > to most, so everybody gets by.
> >
> > Then there are the Spanish speakers that don't understand each other.
> > Why? Well, there is American Hispanic Spanish, and there is Mexican
> > National Spanish. Boy, does that ever confound things. I ran into that
> > one one day in a hardware store when a customer( Hispanic lady - grew up
> > in Espanola, NM north of Santa Fe) was speaking Spanish, and the Clerk
> > ( he was from Mexico) was speaking Spanish and were having a really
> > hard time communicating. Finally, in English, the lady said to the
> > clerk, "I'm sorry but I really don't understand that kind of Spanish
> > (Mexican), you need to speak in English or get someone else to help me.
> >
> > So I perceive some problems. To ensure language stability, and that
> > definitions never change, we could of course, opt for Latin, which never
> > changes, but that would be a bit much and it isn't a current language in
> > daily use.
> >
> > So, what to do?
> >
> > We need to ensure commonality here. There are much larger language
> > issues that are going to engulf us all eventually as the demographics of
> > American culture changes, but that is much bigger than we ever could
> > address here.
> >
> > For now, on this list, just some basic protocols appear to be in order.
> >
> > Just thoughts.
> >
> > I invite commentary! Flames!
> >
> > Flame proof overalls are on and zipped!
> >
> > John Rodgers
> > "88GL Driver
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