[Foundation-l] Re: Crazy desires

[Christopher Mahan]

--- Jens Ropers <ropers at ropersonline.com> wrote:

> On 9 Nov 2004, at 23:20, Rich Holton wrote:
> 
> > --- Anthere <anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote: (in part)
> >
> >>
> >> I'd like that more people make the effort to use a
> >> simple english.
> >>
> >
> > This is a very reasonable request. Like many from the
> > US, I know only one language. It seems that the least
> > people like me can do is write in a simple style.
> >
> > However, I'm not really sure what sort of sentences
> > give the most trouble to speakers of other languages.
> > How careful do I need to be? Can I offend by being too
> > simple?
> >
> > I would really appreciate your comments.
> >
> > -Rich Holton (Rholton)
> 
> As a non-native speaker whose English language proficiency has 
> developed to a level that now exceeds the skillset of quite a few 
> native speakers, I have this to add:
> 
> IMHO this is NOT a matter that would be helped by using simple and 
> basic English throughout. A lot of non-native speakers are quite 
> motivated to learn, and especially the more esoteric linguistic
> quirks 
> can make discovering and using a language just so much more fun. 

Likewise english is a second language for me. French is first,
although neglected of late.

What I would like to add is that for non-natives, since english is
tiring to read, the quality of the writing is important.
 
It is also very important that the writing be succinct.

When people ramble on, doing stream-of-consciousness writing because
they're pissed, not only does it not add anything constructive to the
general discussion, it also makes it harder to find the good text.

I suggest this: write short paragraphs, in correct and collegial
english, and focus on only one subject per paragraph.

If you are unable to do that: learn how.






=====
Chris Mahan
818.943.1850 cell
chris_mahan at yahoo.com
chris.mahan at gmail.com
http://www.christophermahan.com/


		
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