[Foundation-l] Re: Crazy desires

[Jens Ropers]

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. It may 
be "hard fun" during that stage where you still have to look up words 
and google for colloquialisms to finally cop on to a double-entendre, 
but it's well worth it if you're asking me. I would have been quite 
annoyed if at that learning stage people had tried to talk 
"foreigner-speak" to me. That said, there's a place for everything and 
as far as more formal processes (e.g. official announcement emails) are 
concerned, a certain degree of unambiguity may be called for.

A newspeak-style reductionalism would be counterproductive. What is 
mandatory however, is that any and all discourse remain sufficiently 
''polite'', as well as ''open and accessible'' in terms of a 
''readiness to further explain'' more intricate phraseology to the 
uninitiated.

In short:
Using elaborate language is in itself not an issue we should worry 
about too much. Personal preferences vary; let's not take exception at 
them -- and if in any doubt at all: ask.
HOWEVER: Bad faith, superior airs and an unwillingness to explain 
things in a non-snobbish way are The Real Problem -- and taunting 
people on grounds of their limited knowledge of English is clearly 
beyond the pale.

-- ropers [[en:User:Ropers]]
     www.ropersonline.com