Op 26-11-13 22:42, Tim Delaney schreef: > On 27 November 2013 03:57, Antoon Pardon <antoon.par...@rece.vub.ac.be > <mailto:antoon.par...@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. -- Antoon Pardon -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
