ietf
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Two official work languages is smarter (was Re: IETF working language

2014-03-09 15:27:43

On 9 Mar, 2014, at 19:46, Abdussalam Baryun 
<abdussalambaryun(_at_)gmail(_dot_)com> wrote:

... and then hope to open the subject of two languages again to see the 
results. 

There is a quote that seems to be associated with multiple people and so I 
guess there is more than a grain of common truth in it:

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken 
place."

or

"The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred."

Anyway those who know me know that I have spent a significant part of my career 
in multi-lingual environments and a large part of my life living in a country, 
Belgium, that has its own language problem.  I have spent a lot of time working 
with translators and interpreters, preparing documents for translation and 
speaking through interpreters, reading translated documents and listening 
through interpreters. So way too much personal experience.

Language is only a part of the communication problem and not even the most 
important part. It is much more about a desire and willingness to communicate. 
It is more about the ability to communicate.

If people just want to communicate then there are options. Here I am thinking 
more of native speakers. Think of the wider audience. Keep your language simple 
and correct - maybe especially when the idea is difficult. International 
English is not quite the same as the English spoken in London or New York, for 
example, and never will be. 

So RFC 7154 and all that.

However if people really think it is important and really want to go down the 
formal language route then there is always the ITU.

Gordon

PS If we do need to choose two languages then, because I spent a long time in 
Belgium and despite Belgium having three official languages, I propose Dutch 
and French. ;-),
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>