4.0964 Le Francais on Humanist (3/62)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Thu, 31 Jan 91 16:23:27 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0964. Thursday, 31 Jan 1991.
(1) Date: 30 January 91, 11:28:25 EST (19 lines)
From: ANDREWO at UTOREPAS
Subject: Le Francais [eds.]
(2) Date: Wed, 30 Jan 91 11:51:12 EST (23 lines)
From: Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear <EDITORS@BROWNVM>
Subject: French on Humanist
(3) Date: 31 January 91, 11:02:32 EST (20 lines)
From: ANDREWO at UTOREPAS
This exchange took place yesterday and today between Andrew
Oliver and me. I appreciate the points he is raising about
language on Humanist and other such bulletin boards, and
would welcome further comments from Humanist readers.
-- Elaine
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 30 January 91, 11:28:25 EST
From: ANDREWO at UTOREPAS
Subject: Le Francais [eds.]
J'aimerais condamner en les termes les plus vifs la decision de releguer
au LISTSERVER la version francaise de l'annonce d'un congres qui se
tient dans une ville francophone et dans un pays ou il y a deux langues
officielles, le francais et l'anglais. Je signale qu'il y a peu de temps
HUMANIST paraissait au Canada, que ses origines sont canadiennes.
J'aurais cru qu'un reseau de communication qui se dote du nom HUMANIST,
meme s'il etait edite aux Etats-Unis, ne se permettrait pas de releguer
au second plan la langue maternelle de bon nombre de ses membres, langue
qui est d'ailleurs une langue officielle du pays qui a donne naissance
au reseau. Je ne peux imaginer de moyen plus clair que celui utilise par
les editeurs de HUMANIST de signifier aux francophones qu'ils sont des
citoyens de seconde classe. Le separatisme est fonde sur ce genre
d'insensibilite. Disons-le une fois pour toutes: C'est intolerable!
Andrew Oliver
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------27----
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 91 11:51:12 EST
From: Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear <EDITORS@BROWNVM>
Subject: French on Humanist
I understand the dismay you must feel, and regret that we offended you.
The decision to "relegate" the French version of the ICL '92
conference to a listserver was not made by us, but by the list on
which the announcement first appeared. We couldn't post the
French version of the annoucement because we did not receive a copy
of the announcement in French.
...
We had no intention of suggesting that French speaking citizens of
Canada are second-class citizens of the world or of Humanist; I would,
however, like to remind you that even while Humanist was being edited
in Canada, the Guide to Humanist said very specifically that its
primary language would be English.
Elaine
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------19----
Date: 31 January 91, 11:02:32 EST
From: ANDREWO at UTOREPAS
Given the explanation in your note, I see no point in posting my message
on HUMANIST - it is nonetheless offensive for francophone readers of
HUMANIST to read about a conference in the capital of French Canada in
English and a list like HUMANIST needs to be sensitive to such matters.
We have had the language of communication discussion on more than one
occasion, but not for some time now. Perhaps it is time to revive it. I
note that there are very few francophone contributors to HUMANIST, that
those francophones who do contribute usually do so in English, that
there are virtually no contributions from European francophones. Given
HUMANIST'S name and pedigree perhaps it is time things changed, time
that our francophone colleagues were encouraged to engage in the HUMANIST
exchange in their own language. As I write I am changing my mind about
the first sentence of this note. Maybe you should run my original note,
your reply and my response to your reply. Bien amicalement.
Andrew Oliver