4.1006 The Languages of Humanist (5/134)
Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Sun, 10 Feb 91 20:21:03 EST
Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 1006. Sunday, 10 Feb 1991.
(1) Date: Wed, 6 Feb 91 18:20 EST (23 lines)
From: Michel LENOBLE <LENOBLEM@umtlvr.bitnet>
Subject: Re: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist
(2) Date: Wed, 06 Feb 91 20:42:47 CST (19 lines)
From: Sharon Nell-Boelsche <DRU006D@SMSVMA>
Subject: Re: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist
(3) Date: Thu, 7 Feb 1991 10:07:55 GMT+0300 (15 lines)
From: LBJUDY@VMSA.TECHNION.AC.IL
Subject: RE: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist
(4) Date: Thu, 7 Feb 91 15:31 EST (50 lines)
From: "Mary Dee Harris, Language Technology"
Subject: RE: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist
(5) Date: Fri, 8 Feb 91 12:44:24 EST (27 lines)
From: Eric Rabkin <USERGDFD@UMICHUM.BITNET>
Subject: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist
(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 91 18:20 EST
From: Michel LENOBLE <LENOBLEM@umtlvr.bitnet>
Subject: Re: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist (10/254)
Nous ne pouvons que nous feliciter du fait que Andrew Oliver prenne la
defense du francais. C'est tout a son honneur d'avoir pour notre
culture autant d'egards que pour la sienne. Il fait partie de la tres
petite minorite canadienne anglophone et bilingue avec laquelle nous
garderons contact avec grand plaisir meme apres la prochaine separation
du canada en deux pays distincts.
I refuse de Boissonnas' statement that he speaks in the name of the
entire frenchspeaking community. He hasn't the slightest idea of what it
means to be non-anglophone in north america: it's a story of survival.
Michel Lenoble
Litterature Comparee
Universite de Montreal
C.P. 6128, Succ. "A"
MONTREAL (Quebec)
Canada - H3C 3J7
E-MAIL: lenoblem@cc.umontreal.ca
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------24----
Date: Wed, 06 Feb 91 20:42:47 CST
From: Sharon Nell-Boelsche <DRU006D@SMSVMA>
Subject: Re: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist (10/254)
Bien que je sois tres contente de voir des messages en francais,
je dois dire que je me sens mal a l'aise en tapant une reponse
dans cette langue. D'abord j'ai l'impression de faire d'innombrables
fautes (manque d'accents, difficulte de faire des corrections).
En plus, meme apres avoir fait un Ph.D. en francais, ecrire du
francais me fait peur. Parler? Ah oui, d'accord, mais ecrire...
si je ne fait pas l'accord, si je me trompe de genre...
La possibilite d'avoir de nouveaux interlocuteurs francais vaut bien,
je pense, quelques moments embarrassants, malgre toutes ces craintes
enfantines.
Amicalement, Sharon Nell-Boelsche, Drury College
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------24----
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 1991 10:07:55 GMT+0300
From: LBJUDY@VMSA.TECHNION.AC.IL
Subject: RE: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist (10/254)
I for one enjoy reading French contributions on Humanist (it gives me
a chance to brush up my French). Incidentally, I sometimes get the
impression from the Humanist readership that if I were able, technically,
to post messages in Hebrew, the number of people who would understand
them is not significantly less than the number who understand French;
so many of them are either Israeli or Jewish or Bible scholars! All
of you who complain at the French, be thankful your terminals have
no non-Latin-alphabet capabilities and we cannot therefore make
Humanist REALLY polyglot.
Judy Koren
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------49----
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 91 15:31 EST
From: "Mary Dee Harris, Language Technology"
Subject: RE: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist (10/254)
I can't believe that splintering HUMANIST into a number of lists by the
preferred language of subscribers will contribute in any way to the
original aims of the list. My French isn't very good, but I struggle
through when I feel that it's important (and when I get stuck I call on
someone with better French -- yes, Joel, I think you have a great idea
there.) My German is better, but I see fewer messages on HUMANIST in
German.
I'm reminded of some of the ALLC conferences that I've attended in
Europe over the years. As most of you are undoubtedly aware, those
conferences are bi-lingual -- English and French (or French and English,
depending on where it is held and who organizes it). And I can remember
when those of us whose primary language is English were not informed
about conference arrangements, such as where certain unscheduled
meetings were being held and changes that were made to the program. I
generally found out these things because I know many people who know
French and know my lack of French, but I have always considered that
sort of treatment as impolite. Perhaps my (American) Southern upbringing
has something to do with it, but I cannot imagine inviting someone into
my home and not telling them when dinner is served -- for whatever
reason.
One could say, of course, that my problem is typical of American (lack
of) education. However, I learned Spanish in elementary school, Latin
in high school, and German at university (including graduate school). I
had to learn French on my own to pass the exam for my Ph.D. and my
reading ability is acceptable (if slow and tedious) -- so I somewhat
resent that I was not properly educated (or should that be 'trained'?)!
How many languages does one have to know to be considered acceptable?
I always found the ALLC conferences quite entertaining anyway. Those of
us whose French was not great tended to band together, so I met more
Germans and Scandinavians that way than I might have otherwise. And
perhaps those who spoke only French missed out because they wouldn't
talk to me!
I am also reminded of Bob Werman's descriptions of the TV announcements
of the airraids -- those who know only English or Russian wait to see the
message in their language, with Yiddish even later, it seems. I don't
recall where French and Spanish fall in the order.
Mary Dee Harris, hoping for humanity among HUMANISTs
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------31----
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 91 12:44:24 EST
From: Eric Rabkin <USERGDFD@UMICHUM.BITNET>
Subject: 4.0982 The Languages of Humanist (10/254)
I am one of those struggling United Statesians who feels truly
comfortable only in English, mais j'essaye parler francais y
puedo defenderme en espan~ol tambien. In response to my erstwhile
and missed colleague Michel Pierssens' inquiry about a francophone
sibling to HUMANIST, I must register my sense that for me this
would probably represent a loss. I have little reason or
opportunity to use my French or Spanish unless I'm in territories
that use those languages. HUMANIST is transterritorial and I
for one enjoy knowing that when I encounter those languages here
they are not schoolroom exercises but the honest productions of
those who use them. It is worth my time to understand them.
In the case of languages I understand less well, I suppose I
would struggle only if the subject matter were crucial. And
in the case of languages I don't understand at all, I suppose
I would simply have to pass. But allowing linguistically
mixed submissions seems to me both sensible and humane.
If a francophone sibling should present a real gain for
those who use it, of course, I will be happy for them; but to
the extent that such a sibling may draw off the attention and
energies of my colleagues who feel the honest need to converse
in languages other than English, such a development would be
lamentable. My guess is that other estadounidenses eager to
grow might share my feeling.