ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Site related news, functions and modules => Topic started by: kensmith on October 22, 2012, 04:22:23 PM
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The Official Language of this Website is and always has been English but many do use their own language in comments, this has now got to stop.
I have often translated a comment so that all can understand what is being said and this has to be done by using Google but Google is not always 100% accurate in its translation and sometimes a translation has caused offence.
Recently in comments to a photograph which were given in a foreign language it was discovered that offensive and obscene words had been used, this is wrong, we should all be able to read a comment and understand what is being said.
I know from my long experience with this website that many can read and write the English language, probably in some cases better than I can, so from now on all communications with this website must be in English so that all may be able to read and understand what is being said.
This will include
Comments to Photographs
Comments in the Forum
Information given with an upload
Exchange of views between members
Any advice given with regard to a photograph.
Any other message that does not conform to the English Language.
As from now all comments made in a language other than English will be removed from the website, we have been very tolerant on this in the past but it now has to stop, it is grossly unfair that members should have to translate a message to be able to understand it on an English speaking Website.
Regards
Ken Smith
Webmaster
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You're right, Ken. I promise to abide by this.
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hi ken
better english then you,,,that,s EEEEEEEASY ,,I can abide by that :-)))
I am full y on your line with this !!!
brgds
capt ted
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Well spoken, goed gezegd, bien dit, bien dicho, gut gesagt, bem dito, ben detto, godt sagt, Bra sagt,vel m
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I will of course abide by the site rules.. but I still believe it is an insult to restrict users from using their native tongue. it is after all our members contributions that make this site what it is today! just my tuppence worth.
Keep up the good work Ken, you are much admired :)
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...but I still believe it is an insult to restrict users from using their native tongue.
Well, on the other hand, if the website itself is in English, why couldn't the users write in English as well? After all, the fact that we have signed up on ShipSpotting.com shows that we understand at least some English. When in Rome, do as Romans do...
This reminds me of the time when I was studying as an exchange student in an international university and the head of the university told us to speak English in the student houses as well so that everyone would be able to understand each other. Of course there were still people who spoke e.g. German with each other, but apparently my built-in translator kicked in or something when I walked closer as they automatically switched to English... That does not work on this forum, though, so the point is that since we have a common language, we should use it so that nobody would be left out from the discussion.
Or something.
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Ken is correct and all I can add is
This is a maritime site and like the maritime world the language of the sea ENGLISH should be the language of the site.
I don't believe this is disrespectful to the various members whose native tongue is not English.
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Couldn't agree more, Chris!
Communications in the real maritime world are in English.
This website is global in nature and scope, and it should follow as closely as possible the international rules, procedures and norms that characterize the real world it intends to depict.
So the choice of English here is both practical and realistic, and it does not entail any arbitrary preferences towards a specific language, or any downplay or disrespect towards other languages.
My humble opinion, anyway.
Brgds,
Jose
(jdap)
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Ken you are doing great work so you should'nt be encumbered with a host of different languages to cope with.
Sometimes readers/members comment to my photos in their language which is Chinese to me (No pun intended) They may have a very valid suggestion or comment , but what's the use if I cannot understand it.It is better if it is written in broken english cause somehow you get to the gist of it. Incidentally I am Maltese and for a population of c.400,000 we have our own language recognized in the EU, yet I can only communicate with other Maltese , so I use the english language which is more universal and is the official language of air/maritime communication.
So please refrain from using any other language other than english.Be proud of your language but use a universal mode of communication ;write in English.
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The Official Language of this Website is and always has been English but many do use their own language in comments, this has now got to stop.
I have often translated a comment so that all can understand what is being said and this has to be done by using Google but Google is not always 100% accurate in its translation and sometimes a translation has caused offence.
Recently in comments to a photograph which were given in a foreign language it was discovered that offensive and obscene words had been used, this is wrong, we should all be able to read a comment and understand what is being said.
I know from my long experience with this website that many can read and write the English language, probably in some cases better than I can, so from now on all communications with this website must be in English so that all may be able to read and understand what is being said.
This will include
Comments to Photographs
Comments in the Forum
Information given with an upload
Exchange of views between members
Any advice given with regard to a photograph.
Any other message that does not conform to the English Language.
As from now all comments made in a language other than English will be removed from the website, we have been very tolerant on this in the past but it now has to stop, it is grossly unfair that members should have to translate a message to be able to understand it on an English speaking Website.
Regards
Ken Smith
Webmaster
I want to remove all my photos from your site!
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Why not allow double language? For instance Russian and complete translation in English by the poster of the photo?
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Maybe that's not a bad idea, Pieter.
If so be, it would be better.
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Igor
Isn,t there a way to delete all at once, don,t waste time !!!
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I think two languages would be acceptable but I still think it is an insult to restrict people from using their native tongue. why should they provide an english version also? maybe other members should get off their asses and learn how to use google translate if whatever they are trying to read is that important to them then let them translate it themselves.. if they dont want to do, then tough.. move on to the next photo.
also members have suggested numerous times about english being the international maritime language... I work as a ships agent and I have met countless crew members who havent a word of english between them.
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Well said Ken. Any ship owner who wishes to trade his ship internationally is not going to get far by sending out info to potential charterers in anything other than English. Furthermore, the problems of crew members not being able to communicate an international language (i.e. English) in a safety environment is well documented.
If speaking an international language can save lives, I don't see it an insult to expect members here to adhere to a simple rule.
Brgds
Phil
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Ken/Phil
I am in full agreement with english only my comment was "rather polemic" towards that
member.
As for using the google and what ever translator, I tried that a few times and that longer a sentence becomes that more not understandable garbage it creates. Worst and really bad it becomes when you then retranslate the english version of the first translation back into the native languish. I did that with german to english and back to german. If I would have used the BACK-translation at a gas station to buy a sandwich I would most probably been shot on the spot !!!!
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It can be done Capt Ted and I have offered to do this for the member but he has not replied to my message, I have also told him that I am disappointed that he should want to delete his photographs because I see no reason for wanting to do so.
With regard to the English language the decision stands that all communications should be in the official Website language, it has been stated that English is the preferred language in the world of shipping and I see no reason why it should not be the case as far is this website is concerned.
The official website language of English is widely used and understood and this decision was brought about because of members communicating in their own language and using obscene and abusive words in comments and this is wrong, we must all be able to understand what is being said and a very large percentage of the members will understand if it is seen in English.
Regards
Ken Smith
Webmaster
I was in the sea at work and therefore could not answer at once! Now once again I ask you to immediately remove all my photos and my account! I agree that you elders of England too late to retrain, but your children and grandchildren will be forced to learn Russian, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese! Russia never said and would never speak in English! The text is written in Russian, translated in Google, who do not understand the meaning, that is his problem!
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Do not delete your photos please.Rgds Josip
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While I usually try to reason with those who want all their content removed due to some minor and passing disagreement with the administration, the recent behaviour of mr. Torgachkin is just retarded and I'd say he would probably be better off on another website with others of his kind.
I agree that you elders of England too late to retrain, but your children and grandchildren will be forced to learn Russian, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese! Russia never said and would never speak in English! The text is written in Russian, translated in Google, who do not understand the meaning, that is his problem!
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Originally I regretted Igor's decision to delete his photos because of (as I understand it) a language issue. But the part of his comment that Tuomas pointed out in his reply made me think twice. Very vexing, to say the least...
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Some peoples are just hollow between the ears. No loss in my opinion when he and his pictures are gone.
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it is easy for the native english speaking people to assert english is the language of shipping business and the top of the world. It is the same when they come abroad they expect everywhere in the world that other people have to understand them and the others are so stupid to do so. They feel too elitist and ignorant to learn a foreign language by their own.
So my solution: all no english native speaking people write in their own language and in english, all english native speaking peopele write in english- only correct oxford english will be acceptable- because this is was the others learn and in another language such as french, russian, spanish, or mandarin.
I think this will be a good experience!
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ok, I agree, but what about those of us who can not write engleski. I can not write English than me helping my wife who is not always with me and i wanted to give a lot of comments because me understand the ships and marine.Rgds Josip
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Josip
unfortunately one can not make it for everybody right , but just imagine everybody talks in his language, I think it will be a big setback for the communication on this site
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Some peoples are just hollow between the ears. No loss in my opinion when he and his pictures are gone.
Language problem immediately solved by setting the site Google translator (find this free plug-in on the Internet)
By the way on my personal site can check how a translator! I installed it on a pack of site because I think not only about the comfort, I try to all foreign visitors to be comfortable!
Ship Spotting by Igor Torgachkin
http://www.torgachkin.ru/
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Josip, you're right.
I do not write good English, but Google translator to help me and I know that it's not always accurately translated.
I think if it could be allowed to be written, and the mother and English (translation means) it might be good, but administrators still remains to decide.
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I agree with Captain Ted, what would happen if everyone would write in their native language. It would be a setback for the communication.
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I looked on the site Igor's translator and is not a bad idea
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I looked on the site Igor's translator and is not a bad idea
Not at all a bad idea :)
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Of course, insults should not be written, no matter which language.
English is not my first language and I can not bring over something as well as I could in my mother language. So I feel tempted, to write a comment in German, to a German member here. Simply because in German, it works better.
I understand the other comments too, people want to understand what the hell is written there, in a foreign language.
What about the idea, to - IF someone "must" (does feel, it has to be) write a German in own native language - the person must provide an English translation underneath the comment, so that everyone can understand it. I would VERY MUCH favour this, and it would give credit for both parties here.
Greetings,
Cornelia
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If I had to guess, I'd say the native English speakers are a minority on this website as well as in the international shipping business. Yet, English has become the lingua franca in both online and "offline" world, the common working language every knows enough to get by.
It may be ignorant to expect everyone to know English, but if you're engaged in non-country-specific international business of any kind, such as contributing to an international website like ShipSpotting.com, it is equally ignorant not to rely on your own language and expect others to do the translation. Only if you are the customer, you can expect to have documents translated to your own langugage.
Although I agree that it would be nice if everyone knew more than one foreign language, personally I suck in languages. After trying to learn three foreign ones in addition to my mother tongue, I settled with English. It's better to know one language well enough to convey complex messages than the basics of three.
Thus, I agree with the administration. Let's speak English in ShipSpotting.com.
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The only language I can speak is English so lets just keep it to that for now but I know there is a thing where you can enter a site and choose your language.