[REBOL] Re: FORUM REBOL
From: jason:cunliffe:verizon at: 21-Sep-2002 11:57
> I have nothing against french, but I think that only (at least for most
> ppl) communication language acceptable is english. If you want your
> forum being multi-national - change it to English, or you will attract
> only French speaking audience ...
You are right, but obviously that's the idea..
It's a small catch-22. But It is surely still good news - better to have REBOL
community growing in France and elsewhere, even if it must be a regionalized
community in some respects.
The great news is that REBOL code is cross-platform and understandable to all,
especially if we make a nice way to have internationalized comment strings and
menus.
As you know the French are strongly into promoting their language. That means
that TV/Film for example are almost always dubbed into French, no subtitles
which can help one develop foreign language skills. When I went to live in
France, this made it easier to learn French because deeper immersion.
A very talented French programmer I worked with 2 years ago was ok at English
language text, but brilliant at reading it if it was technical
docs[programming]. But he could not write English and we almost always spoke in
English because he could not keep up conversationally. I know Koreans who also
can read fluently but not speak or write with the same skill. My French friend
regretted this situation, because he said it did affect his international job
options, Gerard said he felt his chilldren [college age] and many of their
friends also faced limited life/work/travel options because of diminished
English skills, and blamed the situation on cultural attitudes and National
policy, the media, schools etc.
He felt that it gets harder as one gets older to surmount these issues. Although
he followed English language newsgroups and mailing lists, he was exceedingly
quite about ever posting there. For all I know he's reading this.. I know he's
hip to REBOL and likes LOGIN magazine. [Salut Gerard!]
The Italians over age 35 tend to be in a worse predicament. The northern
Europeans are the best perhaps Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Sweden etc. And it
seems judging by Rebol, Czech too :-) As a native English speaker, it is so
impressive how other people can work in English, especially programmers. Kudos
to people like you who can do it so well.
I am blessed by the advantages my mother tongue, but also discourage from
developing stronger language skills. Being English makes one very lazy about
other languages.
./Jason
