Re: [atlarge-discuss] méthodes de travail normales

[Sotiris Sotiropoulos <sotiris@hermesnetwork.com>]

Ron Sherwood wrote:

> Sotiris wrote to Mauro:
>
> "I did not "attack" you, I questioned your proficiency in English.  If
> you understood my concern as an "attack" then it seems the deficiency
> extends to reading comprehension as well."
>
> Sotiris, it is good to see you backing away from your earlier 
> position, but
> you have not backed far enough away. When you wrote to Mauro:
>
> "Your English is as bad (if not worse) than Jefsey's.  I did not
> understand your post.  How do you expect yo work on a panel whose
> primary language will be English when your English is so poor?"
>
> That was an attack.  Your condescending note above that Mauro's 
> "deficiency"
> extends to "reading comprehension" as well... is a further, un-called 
> for,
> attack.
An "attack" is by definition something intended as harmful.  I intended 
Mauro (an as yet unverified individual) no harm.  I was pointing out a 
problem in our communication(s).  A problem which was compounded even 
further by what I considered a misapprehension on Mauro's part.  You are 
free to interpret my words as you please, but they were certainly not 
intended with malice.

> While I am awed by your multiple language capability, I am dismayed by 
> your
> limitations when it comes to corresponding in your "native" tongue.  
> It is
> too bad that you don't "comprehend" the arrogance, and the patently
> distasteful nature of your attitude.  It was referred to earlier by a 
> list
> participant as "surly".   Do we need a surly language cop on the 
> panel?  I
> think not.
My function is not that of language cop, I can assure you.  As for my 
apparent ill-humour of late, I believe I am not the only one who is 
peeved at the way things are being handled. Perhaps the most vocal, but 
certainly not alone.

> Please lighten up Sotiris and make this organization inclusive, rather 
> than
> the exclusive Anglophonic club you clearly want to establish.
I have no such intention.  I thank you for attempting to divine some 
such improbability as my motivation for insisting on English 
proficiency, but I can assure you that it is wholly without basis. 
Nothing would please me more than to have all our members discussing 
simultaneously with one another in their own native tongues; whether 
that be Greek, Hebrew, French, English, Spanish, Arabic, or Hindi. 
However, this is not Star Trek and we have no Universal Translator which 
will magically interpret for us.  Furthermore, as we've had a hard 
enough time trying to organize in English over the last 5 years, what 
makes you think it will make things any easier if we start confusing 
issues by making language another? 
Oh, and "Ron", my name is "Sotiris Sotiropoulos" which is, admittedly, a 
Greek name in origin.  My parents do speak Greek as their "native" 
tongue.  If you know any Greeks, you'll also know that they are very 
proud of "being Greek" and work hard at maintaining their cultural 
roots. Yes, they often speak the Greek language too.  But, many of us 
who were born, raised, and educated in places like Canada, the USA, UK, 
and Australia, are as much "native" English speakers as yourself, so I 
thank you not to patronize me by putting "quotes" around the word 
"native" when referring to my beloved English, as you do above.

Be Well,

Sotiris Sotiropoulos