[ga] Re: Language and Responsibility

["Patrick Corliss" <patrick@quad.net.au>]

Hi Eric

The following post did not make it to [ga-icann] because you use the word
"owner" in front of the list name.  Your posting follows.  Can I remind all
subscribers that:

(a)    They should not use the word "owner" when posting to a list, and
(b)    Postings must be relevant to the business of the GA.

Please note that I do not undertake to always re-post any failed postings.

Regards
Patrick Corliss

----- Original Message -----
From: Eric Dierker <eric@hi-tek.com>
To: <owner-ga-icann@dnso.org>
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 9:27 AM
Subject: Language and Responsibility


A language represents a culture.

We have watched over the last very few years a proliferation of a new
language.  It is the berth of the Internet speaks.  In it's own way it
represents a lack of divide and yet a great divide.  It is both the
cross and the sword of our WWW existence.  As we all learn better how to
speak it we destroy the nuances and cultural integrity of our own
anthropological languages of our heritage.

Udihe, Eyak and Arikapu face extinction in the next few years.  Navajo
Native American is dying along with Maori New Zealand. In India an
earthquake killed about 30,000 of the 800,000 or so speaking Kutchi.
Linguistic specialists estimate that about one language dies every two
weeks. Europe is estimated to lose over thirty in this new century. More
than half of Asia's 2,197 languages are considered by experts to be at
risk.

There are great strides being taken to preserve the languages and
awareness may save the day.  The Internet is now a killer of languages
and it should be a savior.  We must all endeavor to support
multilingualism whenever we can on the Net.

In the near future Vnnic.com will support a program of sponsoring
websites to help preserve languages.  We invite peoples from all places
to let us know how they would like to contribute their time and effort
to support a language as we technically support them to run a website
promoting their language.

As a man who has had the luxury to do much business all over the world I

can tell you languages are in a small part the words that are used and
in a large part about the history of a given culture and subculture and
sub-subculture.  I encourage you to research Language on your own and
discover the amazing facts such as languages are different even within
English because they represent different cultures.  No and the like is
universal for No but yes ain't universal for nothing.

Please take the time to realize by understanding how to say it in a new
way you look at things in a new light which leads to greater
understanding.

Eric Dierker


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