Language

[plebble]

I know it clearly says that you must speak English on this website, but what if yours and someone else's first language is say, French. Are you allowed to speak French when private messaging each other or does that have to be in English too?

[Lost in the Echo]

As long as the PM's are nothing inappropriate, it's fine.
VM's are only meant to be in English for moderating purposes, as that is the first language for most staff members.

[plebble]

As long as the PM's are nothing inappropriate, it's fine.

But if it's a language the moderators can't read, how can you know for sure it's not inappropriate?

[StoppingTime]

But if it's a language the moderators can't read, how can you know for sure it's not inappropriate?

We'd really rather you not speak anything but English on the site, and for the most part, I'd go so far as to say that includes PMs. If an admin needs to check Private Messages, they shouldn't have to try and translate them as well as see if they're appropriate or not.

[Lost in the Echo]

But if it's a language the moderators can't read, how can you know for sure it's not inappropriate?

Well, there is a thing called "google translate" :P

[StoppingTime]

Well, there is a thing called "google translate" :P

It's less than perfect, and if someone were to check a string of say, 50 PMs, google translating each one is a bit of a hassle. There's no reason that anyone should be PMing regularly in anything but English. If you really want to speak another language, take to Skype or something similar.

[plebble]

We'd really rather you not speak anything but English on the site, and for the most part, I'd go so far as to say that includes PMs. If an admin needs to check Private Messages, they shouldn't have to try and translate them as well as see if they're appropriate or not.

Ok thanks. It was just one of those things I was wondering about the forum rules. I probably wasn't going to plan on speaking another language anyway, English is also my first language :P

Well, there is a thing called "google translate" :P

Yeah that's true, but it is effort and not totally reliable.

[Lost in the Echo]

It's less than perfect, and if someone's checked a string of say, 50 PMs, google translating each one is a bit of a hassle. There's no reason that anyone should be PMing regularly in anything but English. If you really want to speak another language, take to Skype or something similar.

Yeah, I suppose you're right Steven. When I was on staff though, when someone who I felt was pretty nice asked me this very question in a PM, I told them it was fine.
But what you've said makes plenty of sense, I guess I'm just too soft or lenient when it comes to some things :P

[StoppingTime]

Yeah, I suppose you're right Steven. When I was on staff though, when someone who I felt was pretty nice asked me this very question in a PM, I told them it was fine.
But what you've said makes plenty of sense, I guess I'm just too soft or lenient when it comes to some things :P

I mean I can see it going either way. A few sentences or words here and there, well that's not the end of the world :P But to me, PMing strictly in another language just makes it harder to moderate and keep track of, and since it's easiest to just go offsite to do that, that option seems best to me.

[Brenda1997]

I'd say just write in English, since google translate doesn't work very well in some situations. IF the mods need to check PM's, they might interpret it wrong.

If you want to talk in another language, why don't talk on another medium?

[LunarScorpio]

It's less than perfect, and if someone were to check a string of say, 50 PMs, google translating each one is a bit of a hassle. There's no reason that anyone should be PMing regularly in anything but English. If you really want to speak another language, take to Skype or something similar.

I understand why, but a browser like chrome can automatically translate foreign text.

Though your reasons are still valid

[ImCoolBeans]

I understand why, but a browser like chrome can automatically translate foreign text.

Though your reasons are still valid

It translates into botched, bad English. The grammar is almost always wrong and it can misinterpret the entire context of the text. It doesn't work well and never has.

[LunarScorpio]

S'pose that is true.

And the forum is English and its probably better that way anyway