If it weren't for that tower of Babel I wouldn't be so painfully aware of my mono-linguistic skills when traveling abroad. I'd love to learn another language but that ability vanished sometime when I was a kid and so I'm stuck with English. That said, most of the international organization meetings I'm involved in are conducted in English only because it is one of the few languages that a majority of folks from other countries have at least a passing ability to understand. Other than throwing huge resources at real-time translators like the UN does there really isn't another way. So it might be lowest common denominator, like ASCII or floppy disks, but it works. There are projects for making a digital Babel Fish but for the time being we have to rely on folks picking up the lingua franca.
CB Nicolai Svendsen wrote: > Hi, > > Oh, they probably do. You can't deny the English the most dominant, though. > ;) What most people demand is that you at least know a couple of phrases in > their native language if you're going to SPain for example, instead of being > a jackass about it, and sticking to speaking English. I still refer to it as > the American attitude, as much as I hate to judge Americans. It might be > practically international, but everyone doesn't grasp the language. It's just > called cooperation. Really, the point of this actually is that, since > something is localized, the manufacturer should at least make some speech > synthesis. The iPhone is a great example. > > Regards, > Nic > Skype: Kvalme > MSN Messenger: [email protected] > AIM: cincinster > yahoo Messenger: cin368 > Facebook Profile > My Twitter > > On Nov 17, 2009, at 1:10 AM, Scott Howell wrote: > > >> You know it's rather funny that you call this an American attitude because >> we have certain groups who feel that we should learn to speak their >> language, provide materials in their language, and generally change our >> culture to suit them. So, don't think it's an American attitude either. ;) >> On Nov 16, 2009, at 3:35 PM, James & Nash wrote: >> >> >>> Lol. The problem with some native English speakers is that because English >>> is spoken in many places they feel that they don't have to learn another >>> language - even when they go on vacation. >>> On 16 Nov 2009, at 19:49, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: >>> >>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> Sounds like a pretty American attitude. ;) >>>> >>>> It's hardly a requirement, though. English is silly. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Nic >>>> Skype: Kvalme >>>> MSN Messenger: [email protected] >>>> AIM: cincinster >>>> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >>>> Facebook Profile >>>> My Twitter >>>> >>>> On Nov 16, 2009, at 1:51 PM, Chuck Reichel wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hi Listers, >>>>> There is a easy solution to this situation. >>>>> Just learn english. >>>>> Talk soon >>>>> >>>>> On Nov 16, 2009, at 7:28 AM, James & Nash wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> You're right!!! >>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>>> From: "Krister Ekstrom" <[email protected]> >>>>>> To: <[email protected]> >>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 10:52 AM >>>>>> Subject: Re: question for non-native english speakers >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi, >>>>>> Ok, i'll probably get lynched by americans and other anglosaxen >>>>>> people on >>>>>> this list for saying this, but sometimes, the anglosaxen folks tend to >>>>>> forget that there's a world outside their language sphere. When a >>>>>> program or >>>>>> speech synth is "multi lingual" it often mean various dialects of >>>>>> english, >>>>>> spanish, german, french and so on but small odd languages like >>>>>> Swedish, >>>>>> Norwegian, Danish and so on are often forgotten. Too bad, but that's >>>>>> the way >>>>>> of the world, shrug. >>>>>> /Krister >>>>>> >>>>>> 15 nov 2009 kl. 21.05 skrev Donna Goodin: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> Wow, that's just amazing. Over the years I've worked with/known a >>>>>>> number of blind individuals in other countries who simply did not >>>>>>> have >>>>>>> access to the financial resources needed to purchase a PC and a >>>>>>> screen- >>>>>>> reader, and who, consequently, just went without. The Mac could be >>>>>>> such a great answer for people in that situation. I mean, granted, >>>>>>> buying an InfoVox voice is still cheaper than the PC with screen- >>>>>>> reader route, but still, even that cost would have been prohibitive >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> some of the people I am thinking of. It also deprives them of the >>>>>>> out- >>>>>>> of-the-box access that we English speakers have been enjoying so very >>>>>>> much. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Don't misunderstand, I'm not slamming Apple, I just think that their >>>>>>> inclusivity ought to include people outside the English-speaking >>>>>>> world. I think I'll join you in your hammering. :) >>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>> Donna >>>>>>> On Nov 15, 2009, at 2:48 PM, Anne Robertson wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hello Donna, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Nov 15, 2009, at 8:43 PM, Donna Goodin wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ah, licensing issues, I should have thought of that. Still, if >>>>>>>>> that's >>>>>>>>> the case, how is it that they can be included on the iphone? >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> According to Apple, they are licensed specifically for the iPhone >>>>>>>> and iPod Shuffle. I've been hammering Apple about this for at least >>>>>>>> four years but they're not budging. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The only concession to non-English speakers I got from Apple was the >>>>>>>> change from contracted to uncontracted Braille during installation. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Anne >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en >> -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- >> >> > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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