Re: english accents
I am afraid that I will have to side with both Dark and arqmeister in this predicament. While one might say that I am simply following the crowd or in this case, the moderation panel as it were, I can truthfully state that I rarely if ever speak to any of them, thus feel no obligation whatsoever to stand up for whatever they believe in. One might also say that I would stand up for their belief because I see moderation of this forum as a privelage, I can say in complete honesty that while I am honored to have been considered for this position I still see it as a job, a job that only pays when the members of this forum appreciate my contribution. Anything less than that simply makes this another responsibility I have in life which I agreed to take on because just like any other community, someone's gotta take out the trash. IN having accepted such a responsibility I have willingly and gladly combated the many robotic entities that have threatened to rid
us of the general flow that keeps this forum working properly, but it's not fun, nor is making a decision I know might hurt someone's feelings, especially if that someone is likely to come to me and continue the argument off the forum.
Regarding this issue, I find nothing whatsoever insulting against American English on this topic. I was born in the United states and schooled by American teachers who drilled such a neutral American accent into me that it allowed no room for anything else, such as the southern accent which I was subjected to many times as I live in the state of Texas, or the New England accent I heard regularly from friends I have living up in that general area.
And now for the real clincher; I am not of American descent. My parents are Mexicans and I jokingly mock my own race's English to their faces. Yes, I humorously engage in conversations with them in their own dialect, which on my tongue actually feels exceptionally st
range to me, but which they refuse to believe even exists because they feel comfortable speaking that way. IN turn, I've had people from Australia make fun of my accent in friendly Jest. Far be it from me to be mad at them for doing such a thing, since I find it rather funny to begin with, and since it's not hurting anyone.
As far as I can tell fastfinge, you are the only person who has thus taken issue with the comment presented here by Sebby, which supports Arq's argument that just because you say something doesn't necessarily make it true. You have a right to not see it as funny; I won't attempt to take that away from you, nor should any other moderator. Do not, however, make the mistake of assuming that you speak for a body of people because you have an opinion you feel strongly for; this is where I believe you are wrong. You've made your statements in such a way that makes me believe you are in fact casting judgem
ent without asking what the person you are casting judgement on is truly saying or what there intention might be in writing such a thing. Sebby has made it clear that his first comment, the one that seems to have set you off was pure sarcasm. Couldn't you let it go? Perhaps his views, such as this concept of really, really caring about syntax as he puts it might be rather extreme, but just as you have a right to see what he says as bigoted nonsense he has a right to his own comforts. What do you do when you call for support for a tech product or some other service you have and the person who is attending you is speaking English but not in a way you can understand it? You can be patient and simply deal, which might end up in some form of trouble in future because both of you spoke a certain way and weren't truly in agreement (trust me, I know from personal experience,) or you can politely ask to speak to someone else. Am I wrong? Will you call
that bigoted nonsense?
We are all attracted to different things; it's part of what makes us who we are. We can't quite resist that sort of tug inside ourselves to hang out with certain people or engage in particular activities that interest us. You don't normally find people who talk about technology engaged in a biblical debate, nor do you find people who are sports fanatics talking to fishermen. Their preferences are different, and while they might meet somewhere down the line owing to a mutual interest of sorts it is no discrimination if they don't wish to pursue such matters.
IN the case of English, I honestly can't for the life of me understand certain Australian or British accents, which has resulted in some frustration and sadness on my part because I have, no doubt, missed good humor from people who were capable of delivering it but who I simply could not comprehend because their accent was so strange to me. Is that
bigoted? What would you suggest I do about it? Should I slow them down? Tell them to switch over to something I will understand? Draw them out of their comfort zones? I don't think so. I have to politely understand that they are who they are and not discriminate against them for being who they are and accept that because they are who they are and I have no right to deny them their comforts, sadly, I will never get to know them as people.
The other side of the coin of course is that you do understand them but you don't like their English. What are you to do about it? Like and dislike are emotions. It's what you do with those emotions that make them harmful or good things, but standing alone they are nothing more or les than reflex, human nature. Asking someone not to like or dislike or to ignore any other emotion is like asking them to ignore breathing. My personal belief, rather than sitting around
with a group of people who speak a certain way I cannot tolerate or have already chosen I dislike and letting that dislike build into anger, I'll simply bow myself out of that circle before I make an even bigger fool of myself and blow up at them for who they are. Is that bigoted nonsense?
Mama used to say that if ya aint got nothing good to say bout someone, keep yer mouth shut. By the way, that wasn't my mama, so you'll have to find out who this lady is and let her know I agree with her whole heartedly. that's where the difference is between having an "innocent opinion" and being a discriminating twit truly is. Like emotions, everyone has oppinions; it's what you do with them that makes them harmful. Weather I would refer to an opinion as innocent or guilty is a different subject, perhaps for a different topic.
URL: http://forum.audiogames.n et/viewtopic.php?pid=177808#p177808
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