[governance] MSism and democracy

Fri Jun 10 13:01:32 EDT 2011

I include here a compiled list of contributions that have been sent about
the intercultural communication issue debated here in this line.

I have included those contributions that present some kind of strategy to
face the problem.

I think it could help in the process of shaping a new step in the
"incrementally progressive -but still not enough-" intercultural
communication within IG.

*Contribution 1)*

La cuestión de comprensión y participación multilingual podría solucionarse
de la siguiente manera:

1.       Resumir las discusiones periódicamente

2.       Traducirlas al inglés

3.       Presentar dicha traducción a la lista

4.       Traducción de eventuales respuestas de la lista al castellano

5.       Integración de dichas posiciones en la discussion

6.       Volver al punto 1…

Eso requeriría que alguien se ofreciese a realizer dicho trabajo, que no es
poco…

Por otra parte ello ampliaria las posibilidades de participación, por lo
menos valdría la pena intentarlo.

Google translated my message as follows:

*Spanish - detected to English translation*

The issue of comprehension and multilingual participation could be addressed
as follows:
1. Periodically summarize the discussions
2. Translate to English
3. Present the translation to the list
4. Translation of possible responses from the list Castilian
5. Integration of these positions in the discussion
6. Back to point 1 ...
That would require someone to offer to perform such work, which is no small
...
On the other hand it would extend the possibilities of participation, at
least worth a try ..

Not perfect, but not that bad

*(Lorena Jaume-Palasí)*

*Contribution 2)*

There is a new version of the platform List-o (list-o.org,
http://sourceforge.net/projects/list-o/) and it works with Mailman using the
Google translation system.
(Julián Casasbuenas)

well it separates whose who are willing to cut and paste into and those who
aren't.

> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/

I find the automatic translations quite usable and improving all the time.
 And they ask for correction and help, which means that by using them, we
can help improve them.

The problem with the professional translations is the time they take.  That
delay makes communication difficult as well.  Also the professional
translator needs to be subject learned otherwise even a professional
translation can be unintelligible.

*(Avri Doria)*

*Contribution 3)*

 I think each person should have the right, recognised and automatically
accepted by others, to express him or her self in the language in which he
or she feels most comfortable.

There is also a danger in assuming English to be a lingua franca. This is
because of the diversity of cultural baggage that the language has acquired
during its global spread.

At a practical level this must mean that the recipient of the communication
has the obligation to translate, and we all have to hope that the meaning
arrives safely. Automatic translation is a lot better than it used to be.
Most importantly the recipient must be willing to try to understand, and
willing to ask for clarification as necessary.

*(Deirdre Williams)*

*Contribution 4)*

One important tool is capacity building in local languages or bilingual
settings, giving people a command of the necessary vocabulary as well as a
grasp of the issues. ISOC is currently offering the NGL eLearning online
programme in English and in French (implemented by DiploFoundation online)
and it is quite a success. A Spanish language version is in the planning
stage. Perhaps you/we should post your/our encouragement about this
programme to ISOC... http://www.isoc.org/leaders/

Diplo has offered the IGCBP foundation course in a bilingual format in
English, Portuguese, Arabic, French and Spanish when a group is formed and
funding is available. The SSIG has offered their programme in Spanish.

*(Ginger Paque)*

*Contribution 5)*

And where language is elusive, pictures are clear. The use of graphics and
illustration to hone in a point can be effective, except that we are not all
artistic.

*(Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro)*

*Contribution 6)*

I think we currently have a hybrid solution in effect.  To some extent, and
generally only in the 6 UN languages, important documents are being
translated professionally by organizations more often.  In some
organizations, comments can be sent in multiple languages to be
professionally translated.  The automatic translators improve all the time
and are in languages beyond the few that are professionally translated.
And of course some people learn multiple languages, at least for reading.

I personally think it would be great if people used languages other than
English to express their ideas on this and other lists. Especially in cases
where they feel that they did not achieve their goal in English, include
both.  Technology tends to be responsive to use.  And while there are
translators now, we cannot click text in place in most applications and get
a translation, we have too cut and paste.  Also the more we use the
translators the better they will get.  And that collected activity is
society doing something about it, a person at a time.

I also find using the translators helps me start to learn the languages that
are cognates of languages i already know, so that use is also a capacity
builder.
*(Avri Doria)*

*Contribution 7)*

I don’t know that there is any single solution to this problem. On the one
hand we have the persons sending the message and encoding it so that there
message can be understood at the receiving end. At the other end is the
receiver who decodes the message and gets an understanding based on,
knowledge of the language used, inherent traits that colour and bring bias
to perceptions, economic and social background, the subject being addressed
and other such variables. The medium is the internet which has facilities to
translate the message from one language to another, howbeit imperfectly.
What we have is a compromise that is based on interaction between the
messenger and the recipient. It is in this interaction that will ensure an
understanding of sorts, not perfect but enough to facilitate progress.

There is the other group however who cannot even take part in this dialogue
and to me this is the priority area, to give every body a level playing
field so we can all express ourselves and thus have a chance of being
understood. We all know the obstacles here,

·         The need for free and universal access to the Internet in all
countries

·         The need for adequate infrastructure effectively utilizing the
various line and wireless technologies to the last mile.

·         The need for adequate communication tools so that the educated as
well as the uneducated can use the internet as a means of expressing their
thoughts and ideas.

·         The need for protection and privacy.

·         The need to be integrated in the Internet Economy.

·         The need for freedom of speech and freedom of browsing (within
prescribed legal framework).

·         And this for me is also critical that each person own a piece of
the internet by having their own domain. (like owning your own land.

If we focus on solving these then the process itself will answer many of
these issues we are now grappling with.

*(Devon Blake)*

2011/6/10 Roxana Goldstein <goldstein.roxana at gmail.com>

> ok, thanks a lot for this effort to put it in the right words.
> Best,
> Roxana
>
>
> 2011/6/10 Tapani Tarvainen <tapani.tarvainen at effi.org>
>
>> On Fri, Jun 10, 2011 at 01:46:59AM -0300, Roxana Goldstein (
>> goldstein.roxana at gmail.com) wrote:
>>
>> > binary: dual, only two options.
>> >
>> > If you think the problem of translation is a dual problem (with only two
>> > options)
>>
>> I never thought so, nor intended to imply that you did.
>> It would make no sense whatsoever.
>>
>> My apologies for the misunderstanding.
>>
>> --
>> Tapani Tarvainen
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