On Feb 16, 2014, at 2:20 PM, Ted Lemon <Ted(_dot_)Lemon(_at_)nominum(_dot_)com>
wrote:
Folks, as John Klensin said, the reason we do not say "spokesperson" is that
our leadership do not speak for us. We only speak as a group through the
consensus process. So the term "spokesperson" is simply inaccurate.
The term "leader" makes sense as a generic because there were a number of
organizations, with different leadership structures, some not involving the
same consensus process that exists in the IETF. So we couldn't for example
say "chair," because that term wouldn't apply to all the people who signed
the statement.
Agree that spokesperson is wrong. Spokespersons (spokespeople?) don't make or
participate in any decisions, whereas the IETF chair does.
"Leader" and "chair" are both fine. Yes, "chair" is meaningless in other
organizations, but in the days of the cold war, nobody fretted that
international accords were signed by an American "president", a British "Prime
Minister", a Russian "general secretary", and a Chinese "Chairman". Today when
foreign ministers from various countries meet, nobody complains about the
Americans sending a "secretary of state". The world adjusts to different names.
I don't see an issue here.
Yoav