language to be used

[+boulist44]

I am about to start working on placing my first Earthcache and I find that in the "rules" the descriptions etc must be in the language of the country the cache is placed in.

I have visited several Earthcaches in other countries (non English speaking) and the descriptions have NOT been in the countries language but in English.

Had the descriptions been in Arabic or Croation I don't think I would have attempted them.

Are the rules flexible or have I missed something.

Any advice would be appreciated

[+narcissa]

According to the rules, they should be in the language of the country they're in, as well as English in order to facilitate international visitors.

[+boulist44]

According to the rules, they should be in the language of the country they're in, as well as English

 

I appreciate that, but as I said the ones I have done in other countries were not in both languages but English only. Again I ask for clarification otherwise I can see me being in a position of not being able to place any earthaches and remain at "Bronze "Level.

My technical, written French does not exist!!

[+narcissa]

According to the rules, they should be in the language of the country they're in, as well as English

 

I appreciate that, but as I said the ones I have done in other countries were not in both languages but English only. Again I ask for clarification otherwise I can see me being in a position of not being able to place any earthaches and remain at "Bronze "Level.

My technical, written French does not exist!!

 

The old rules asked for Earthcaches to be in English, with any other language optional.

 

My suggestion would be to write it in English, then do the best French translation you can - even if you just use Google translate and brush it up a bit. Then mention on the cache page that you'd appreciate help editing the French portion. Also mention to the reviewers that it was written in English first. I don't think the reviewers are language sticklers, and I'm sure if the reviewer notices anything egregious in the French translation they'll point it out to you.

[cezanne]

 

I appreciate that, but as I said the ones I have done in other countries were not in both languages but English only. Again I ask for clarification otherwise I can see me being in a position of not being able to place any earthaches and remain at "Bronze "Level.

My technical, written French does not exist!!

 

Just try it in English only. Does France have its own Earth cache reviewer? If not, it should not be a problem.

If I am going to set up an Earth cache, I would only offer it in English, like another non Earth cache I have. In case of troubles, use the appeal process. Earth caches are hosted on gc.com and there is no rule that forces you to use any other language than English on gc.com. The GSA can set up rules that are Earth cache specific or are needed for ensuring the review process, but I do not feel that it is appropriate that they add conditions that do not hold for any other cache type on gc.com. Before requiring a local language version for Earth caches, they should rather make sure to not any longer publish German caches in countries where no German in spoken (like Egypt for example).

 

Ssome time ago I asked an Earth cache reviewer about that strange part of the guidelines and got an inofficial response that it should be ok to use English only in case that this is accepted in my country (which is the case). In Austria Earth caches with an English version only are published without any problems.

 

If some French cachers want to have an additional French version, then one of them should prepare one. Then you can add it at a later time.

 

Cezanne

[+geoaware]

 

I appreciate that, but as I said the ones I have done in other countries were not in both languages but English only. Again I ask for clarification otherwise I can see me being in a position of not being able to place any earthaches and remain at "Bronze "Level.

My technical, written French does not exist!!

 

Just try it in English only. Does France have its own Earth cache reviewer? If not, it should not be a problem.

If I am going to set up an Earth cache, I would only offer it in English, like another non Earth cache I have. In case of troubles, use the appeal process. Earth caches are hosted on gc.com and there is no rule that forces you to use any other language than English on gc.com. The GSA can set up rules that are Earth cache specific or are needed for ensuring the review process, but I do not feel that it is appropriate that they add conditions that do not hold for any other cache type on gc.com. Before requiring a local language version for Earth caches, they should rather make sure to not any longer publish German caches in countries where no German in spoken (like Egypt for example).

 

Ssome time ago I asked an Earth cache reviewer about that strange part of the guidelines and got an inofficial response that it should be ok to use English only in case that this is accepted in my country (which is the case). In Austria Earth caches with an English version only are published without any problems.

 

If some French cachers want to have an additional French version, then one of them should prepare one. Then you can add it at a later time.

 

Cezanne

 

Firstly, I value your opinion....but the EarthCache guidelines are not some arbitrary list of conditions developed by the GSA alone but have been developed in partnership with gc.com from the very inception of EarthCaches. They have evolved over time (again in partnership with gc.com) and will probably continue to do so. I realize not everyone likes all aspects of the guidelines, but they have been developed to ensure that EarthCaches provide educational lessons to visitors and that we can maintain quality while also ensuring that peoples continue to enjoy developing and visiting EarthCaches around the globe.

 

The 'English' rule was developed to assist the review process when the reviewer was English speaking. Now we have reviewers for some countries, in those areas the local language can be used. However, to be safe, I would strongly suggest that the text be provided in English to speed up the process.

[cezanne]

 

Firstly, I value your opinion....but the EarthCache guidelines are not some arbitrary list of conditions developed by the GSA alone but have been developed in partnership with gc.com from the very inception of EarthCaches.

 

First, thanks for taking the effort to reply. I am aware of what you started above.

 

 

The 'English' rule was developed to assist the review process when the reviewer was English speaking. Now we have reviewers for some countries, in those areas the local language can be used. However, to be safe, I would strongly suggest that the text be provided in English to speed up the process.

 

It appears to me that you did not address the key point.

 

I am in favour of English descriptions. My message was that there is no rule for normal caches forcing a cache placer to use any other language than English. If physical caches with only an English description are published without any problems (which they are), the same should be true for Earth caches (fortunately, this is currently the case in the countries where I follow the development).

 

Note that the question of the OP was not whether the local language can be used, but whether it has to be used. I cannot see any geology related argument that an English description (if of reasonable quality) should not be sufficient. The OP is not a native speaker of French and would like to develop an Earth cache in France. I feel that is absurd to force him to use French and it is certainly not a requirement to ensure the quality of the cache and of the review process. I even took into account that some cachers in FRance are not happy with English texts and therefore mentioned the possibility that one of them volunteers to prepare a French version to be added.

 

Imagine e.g. that you stay for two years in Sweden and would like to establish an Earth cache. As a geologist you would be a perfect candidate to prepare a nice Earth cache. Writing up a reasoanble description in Swedish might, however, be very difficult for you (as the technical terms are not used in daily life).

 

gc.com is an English speaking site. No one can force anyone to use any other language than English - it can just be an optional part. I am quite confident that anyone who would use the appeal process if a cache got turned down only because it available only in English, would win.

 

 

Cezanne

Edited August 2, 2010 by cezanne

[+boulist44]

I thank you all for your constructive comments and I think that I will proceed along the lines of English with a basic French translation.

However as I see the rules for placing an earthcache require both languages, the logging of the earthcache does not??. The ones I have done in the Middle East and Croatia all the logs were in English not to mention the cache description. So as you all say, give it go and I will.

[toczygroszek]

It's really strange, because just last month in Poland were published Earthcaches made by foreigners with English description only...

So if that rule exist, who only in specified countries?