Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 16:49:29 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@HIWAAY.NET>
Subject: Language Protocols
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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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