Comments on: The fragmentation per language, new trends. http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237 Tue, 15 May 2012 09:24:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nicole http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-236 Nicole Sun, 09 Apr 2006 23:12:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-236 Well, I am more likely to promote the useage of English than of Chinese, that is for sure. :) Well, I am more likely to promote the useage of English than of Chinese, that is for sure. :)

]]> By: Peterb http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-235 Peterb Fri, 31 Mar 2006 09:00:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-235 Good point you got there. It's really tough to decide what's best, in terms of both readership and access. One the one hand, your potential readership (and impact) is significantly smaller in most languages other than English. (Although this is mostly academic anyway, as hardly any blog has that large a readership.) On the other hand, writing in your non-native language you block out a big part of your country's population, at least people without the privilege of higher education. While in Sweden (and to some degree Germany) most people easily understand English blogs, in Italy or Spain this may be a big problem. Another problem is interacting with the blogosphere at large - if your fellow bloggers (i.e. your blog peer group) doesn't speak your language, your blog is worthless to them. After all, that's why English emerged as the Lingua Franca for scientific use: You just need one (non-native, if necessary) language to exchange information on a global scale. Maybe the blogosphere will eventually help to spread English even further, so even people who so far have lacked the chance to practice the language can get better access not only to weblogs, but also to other English content? Good point you got there. It’s really tough to decide what’s best, in terms of both readership and access. One the one hand, your potential readership (and impact) is significantly smaller in most languages other than English. (Although this is mostly academic anyway, as hardly any blog has that large a readership.) On the other hand, writing in your non-native language you block out a big part of your country’s population, at least people without the privilege of higher education. While in Sweden (and to some degree Germany) most people easily understand English blogs, in Italy or Spain this may be a big problem.

Another problem is interacting with the blogosphere at large – if your fellow bloggers (i.e. your blog peer group) doesn’t speak your language, your blog is worthless to them. After all, that’s why English emerged as the Lingua Franca for scientific use: You just need one (non-native, if necessary) language to exchange information on a global scale. Maybe the blogosphere will eventually help to spread English even further, so even people who so far have lacked the chance to practice the language can get better access not only to weblogs, but also to other English content?

]]> By: Rachel http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-234 Rachel Wed, 29 Mar 2006 18:38:00 +0000 http://crueltobekind.org/the-fragmentation-per-language-new-trends-237#comment-234 On the TV theory, I agree there. Having lived in Amsterdam (where English-speaking TV is subtitled) and spent a lot of time in Germany (where English-speaking TV is dubbed) the Dutch appear to be far more comfortable with English. But as I only have the onwe language, can't comment on the blogging trends. On the TV theory, I agree there. Having lived in Amsterdam (where English-speaking TV is subtitled) and spent a lot of time in Germany (where English-speaking TV is dubbed) the Dutch appear to be far more comfortable with English. But as I only have the onwe language, can’t comment on the blogging trends.

]]>