[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Alan Gerstle <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I believe that the refusal of Americans to
take second-language learning seriously is at least a part of the problem. While
technophiles on all education levels are enthusiastic about learning new coding
languages and new software, at least those in the United States find it anathema to
study a second language long enough to become proficient in it. This creates not
only a divide, but a certain presumption that others should learn English.
Copying the CARDICIS list since it's related to culture and ICT, and I'm
also involved there...
I won't single out Americans and the American education system.
In "How To Become a Hacker", one of the things that Eric Raymond wrote
was 'learn functional English'
(http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html#skills4 ) which reeks a bit
of Anglophone hubris, poorly propped up by the tendency of Linus
Torvalds to comment in English. I view it mainly as an issue related to
the web as it originated in an Anglophone country; the United States.
FUNREDES (http://www.funredes.org ) has done studies demonstrating an
increase of content languages other than English.
What English does do, and has done, is allowed a common language for
commenting. Had the internet originated in the Amazon Basin, we'd
probably all be on the other side of the digital divide because of the
linguistic divide.
All of that said, the coming years will sneak linguistic changes on the
web into younger generations. We're already seeing it, but segregations
between language labels often act as blinders for the mavens of each
language. The internet may well begin to look like Isaac Newton's
notes... which he wrote in a variety of languages mixed together. I
daresay something like that will never be able to be taught in a school;
peers are the only answer. :-)
--
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Always looking for contracts!
http://www.knowprose.com/node/9786
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"Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo
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