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Foreign languages and network language



<snip: Graciela J. Caplan [IAS-CR4] Foreign languages and network
language>
>different languages used in the native country and the new
>"Universal-Net-Language", the English.
</snip>

English is not new. Its roots are as old as those of Argentinian
Spanish. I never said it should be universal. It should NOT be
universal. I just proposed it to be used as a communication medium by
the people who don't know each other's language. Like in our case. I
think it's the most suitable because of its characteristics and the way
in which it is very simply overlaid over the existing hardware and
software. And because it's the most widely used NOW.

Please read MY words: If you want to participate in a world-wide debate,
you'll have to translate your discoveries so that others will understand
and build on them. Otherwise you'll just create a closed enclave, most
like what happens in NY with REAL people.

We are here to break down barriers, not to build the old ones in a new
medium.

I know every culture has its different fragrance and its own philosophy.
It would be boring if all of us would know the same stories, share the
same traditions. The unknown is thrilling if you happen to look for it.

But when you're trying to communicate, you're trying to shed the light
of knowledge over the unknown. And the net is about communication. True,
you could CHOOSE whom you want to communicate with and ignore everyone
else. But all you'd do is box yourself in. And this process, once
started, doesn't have lower limit. It's difficult to put together people
living in the same country, in the same region, in the same town, in the
same neighborhood, in the same house, in the same room, if everybody
tries to find how he is different than the others.

We need to find how to be similar. And to amaze one another with the
jewels in our respective cultures, as Gene does.

Once more, please make the difference between Universal and Cooperative.
Preserve your identity at all cost: it's very important. But equally
important it is that other people find about it and understand it.

Remember that we all fear the things we don't know. And remember that
you still drink Coke instead of some refreshing beverage
original from your country. That doesn't make you less Argentinian.


[67 lines left ... full text available at <url:http://www.reference.com/cgi-bin/pn/go?choice=message&table=04_1997&mid=3176150&hilit=CULTURE+CULTURES+FUTURE> ]
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Article-ID: 04_1997&3175489
Score: 78
Subject: Boris i "ego komanda"