Logs in English only if possible

[+torkel72]

Would make it easier for tourists that don't know the language.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Would make it easier for tourists that don't know the language.

You are kidding, right?

[+torkel72]

No! It's helpful to read the logs.

[+K13]

Creo que cada informe debe estar escrito en español. Haría leerlos mucho más sencillo para los nuevos ciudadanos.

[+The_Incredibles_]

[+K13]

OR..

Je crois que chaque rapport doit être rédigé en français. Ce serait rendre la lecture beaucoup plus simple pour les citoyens canadiens.

[+Harry Dolphin]

OR..

Je crois que chaque rapport doit être rédigé en français. Ce serait rendre la lecture beaucoup plus simple pour les citoyens canadiens.

 

Actually, I can do passably well in French, English, Spanish and German. And I know how to use Google Translate! Just checked my cache with the most foreign visitors. Occasional logs in German or bilingual French/English, but most are in English.

[+cache_test_dummies]

Would make it easier for tourists that don't know the language.

Hello, Greenadventure.

 

I see that you geocache in various countries in Europe, so I can understand the basis for your suggestion. The use of a "standard" logging language in parts of the world where many languages are used could be helpful to those who like to hunt for geocaches in nearby countries, and I suppose English could serve as a good "standard" language, at least in Europe, where many do have some familiarity with it.

 

It couldn't be a logging requirement, but cache owners could make the suggestion on their cache pages if they so desired.

 

Having said that, you posted this suggestion in the Off Topic forum, which is an area reserved for discussions of things other than geocaching. Your suggestion would likely get more appropriate commentary if it was posted in the main Geocaching Topics forum. I'll notify the Off Topic moderators and ask them to move this discussion over there.

[+The_Incredibles_]

OR..

Je crois que chaque rapport doit être rédigé en français. Ce serait rendre la lecture beaucoup plus simple pour les citoyens canadiens.

 

I believe that each report must be written in French. This would make easier reading for Canadian citizens.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Creo que cada informe debe estar escrito en español. Haría leerlos mucho más sencillo para los nuevos ciudadanos.

 

I think that each report must be written in Spanish. You would read them much easier for new citizens.

[+The Cheeseheads]

Diverting this thread off to the main discussion forums before it's too late.

[+cheech gang]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

[+CanadianRockies]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

[+Ruddles1325]

I geocache most often in Belgium, a country with 3 official languages plus plenty of English speakers (like me). If I'm in the French-speaking area I will always log in both French and English, as I can write them both well. If I'm in the Dutch- or German-speaking areas I log only in English, and have never had a complaint (as many people understand English anyway). I've received logs in all 4 languages, and to be honest I'm very happy that people write in their own language, as you will get a better quality log than if someone is struggling to write in a language they are not comfortable with. It's nice to read the logs, but Google Translate is generally good enough to get what someone is saying.

[+Ben0w]

I see three different cases:

1.: Caching, where I can sufficiently write the language: I'll write in that language.

 

2.: Caching, where I can't write much senseful sentences: I'd write in english and would try to add some local words. I would not include a google translation, unless I have a clue what it may really mean...

 

3.: Owning a cache: listing in local language, plus at least a summary in english and if applicable in the languages of near bordering countries. This includes the hint.

 

I choose "english" as common base language since my spanish is too bad and my chinese is non-existent, both the most spoken languages in the world...

 

YMMV

[+DadOf6Furrballs]

I have no problem with logs on any of our caches from someone in their native language. I'm just happy they found it, and hopefully had fun.

[+mrjwoody]

I have visited a few different places in my life and it was nice that there were people there that spoke English when I needed help. Did I log my caches in Aruba in Dutch? No, because I don't speak the language. How could anyone expect people that don't speak English to make their caches English only or log in English only? I want everyone to find my caches and enjoy Logs in other languages. I think it adds to the depth of Geocaching.

[kanchan]

Not all logs written in English are helpful, anyway. I just picked a random cache in Japan. Do you still think logs written in English are more useful than ones in local languages?

http://coord.info/GCG2DW

[+T.D.M.22]

TFTC is just as boring In English as it is in, say French, or German...

[+wimseyguy]

I was surprised to see that the OP wasn't an American, or at least had found caches in Europe. I've cached successfully in several European countries. I'm not selfish nor arrogant to insist that international cachers use a non-native language.

Sure it's helpful if the logs and page are in English, but the arrow still points to GZ. You just have to remember to switch your GPS to the metric system so it can tell you how far away you are in those countries.

[+Walts Hunting]

OR..

Je crois que chaque rapport doit être rédigé en français. Ce serait rendre la lecture beaucoup plus simple pour les citoyens canadiens.

 

I believe that each report must be written in French. This would make easier reading for Canadian citizens.

Not those in BC.

[+CanadianRockies]

I can understand why the OP would appreciate logs written in English. But why English only? Would the logs be any less useful if they were repeated in a second language?

Edited September 14, 2013 by CanadianRockies

[+Glenn]

英語を話すんではない人々はどうでしょう。英語を学ぶことを余儀なくされるように、彼らですか？多分、我々はそれに存在するためにあらゆる言語の要件作ることができます。

[+ChileHead]

Esperanto is the ticket.

[+#Tenzin]

How about this one:

Not everbody can speak/write English.

[+Glenn]

How about this one:

Not everbody can speak/write English.

あなたは私の記事を読んでいない？あなたが言ったことは私が言ったことです。あなたが英語を読むことができます。それがすべての問題です。

[+u1bd2005]

Im hoping to learn a foreign language some day, preferably Finnish as thats where I most want to visit.

 

Logs should be posted in Finnish until I learn

 

Seriously though, logs should be in a language the finder is comfortable with, not everyone speaks English, it's a worldwide hobby, we shouldn't pressure anyone to learn our language.

[+Alkhalikoi]

אני תעליב את הרעיון הזה

[+Walts Hunting]

Since all pilots and air traffic controllers around the world are required to speak English this request isn't so bad.

[+cheech gang]

On a whim I just looked at 20 random caches in China. 100% of the cache descriptions and 100% of the logs were in English only. This was a surprise.

[+Glenn]

אני תעליב את הרעיון הזה

それはどういうことですか？あなたは、このアイデアを好きではありません。私はすべてのこれらの異なる言語が混乱していると思います。

[+Glenn]

On a whim I just looked at 20 random caches in China. 100% of the cache descriptions and 100% of the logs were in English only. This was a surprise.

 

亲爱的 cheech gang. 你好. I imagine that is because there isn't a Chinese language version of Geocaching.com. There is a long list of translations but Chinese isn't one. I bet there would far more Chinese geocachers and far more caches and logs written in Chinese if Chinese was one of the languages that could be selected. As it stands now if you are Chinese and want to use this website would have to already know one of the languages that it is translated in to.'祝你 身体健康.

[+theosus]

A german pilot, flying for lufthansa, was flying into Berlin airport and was having a little trouble talking to the tower in English. He kept lapsing into German at points. Finally, frustrated, he said "I'm a German pilot, flying for a German airline, landing at a German airport. Why do I have to speak English?"

An American pilot replied, "Because you lost the war".

 

English is the standard language for pilots around the world. When your country invents the plane, I guess you get to pick the language. Personally, if someone geocaching in their country wants to post in their language, I'm fine with it. It's their country... I just wonder, in these other countries, how are they able to read the geocaching site, if they can't post in english?

[+cheech gang]

On a whim I just looked at 20 random caches in China. 100% of the cache descriptions and 100% of the logs were in English only. This was a surprise.

 

亲爱的 cheech gang. 你好. I imagine that is because there isn't a Chinese language version of Geocaching.com. There is a long list of translations but Chinese isn't one. I bet there would far more Chinese geocachers and far more caches and logs written in Chinese if Chinese was one of the languages that could be selected. As it stands now if you are Chinese and want to use this website would have to already know one of the languages that it is translated in to.'祝你 身体健康.

 

I was not aware of that. I see they have Korean and Japanese translations but not Chinese. I havent yet looked at 20 random caches in those countries...

[+Glenn]

On a whim I just looked at 20 random caches in China. 100% of the cache descriptions and 100% of the logs were in English only. This was a surprise.

 

亲爱的 cheech gang. 你好. I imagine that is because there isn't a Chinese language version of Geocaching.com. There is a long list of translations but Chinese isn't one. I bet there would far more Chinese geocachers and far more caches and logs written in Chinese if Chinese was one of the languages that could be selected. As it stands now if you are Chinese and want to use this website would have to already know one of the languages that it is translated in to.'祝你 身体健康.

 

I was not aware of that. I see they have Korean and Japanese translations but not Chinese. I havent yet looked at 20 random caches in those countries...

 

I just took a look at couple random Japanese caches and all of them have descriptions in English with about half having Japanese translations. For the logs it appears to be about 25% in English only, 25% in Japanese only and about 50% in both English and Japanese. The interesting thing about the logs that are in both English and Japanese is that the English portion is simply a TFTC or simular, the Japanese part is a more detailed log.

 

As for Korean. Sadly I wasn't able to locate a North Korean cache. Jeremy needs to visit Kim Jong-un and introduce him to Geocaching. In South Korea I found that, unlike the Japanese caches where they were in two languages, Korean caches and logs are either in Korean or English. I only saw one cache description that was in both Korean and English and I saw no cache logs that were in both languages. I'd estimate the number of cache descriptions that where in Korean to be about 60% with the rest in English. As for the cache logs, a lot more where in English than Korean. I'd estimate that 40% of the cache logs that saw were in Korean with the rest being in English.

[+T.D.M.22]

Paano Tungkol sa Mandarin? Ito ay may 935,000,000 katutubong nagsasalita, habang Ingles lamang ay may 365,000,000?

[+humboldt flier]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

 

Ziiinnnngggg

[+Glenn]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

 

Ziiinnnngggg

 

Metric does not mean base 10.

[+manicgecko]

Would you be willing to log in French while in France???? Didn't think so...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Would you be willing to log in French while in France???? Didn't think so...

 

Before I went caching in France I learned how to write "Thanks for the Cache" in French and wrote that in my logs. I've done the same in other countries as well. The way I figure it, a cache owner is doing me a favor by placing a cache for me to find and I think it's respectful to thank them in their native language.

 

 

 

[+nthacker66]

I gotta say, for many of these posts - it is no wonder why the rest of the world thinks americans are obnoxious and arrogant.

 

the irony here is a lot of these folks are probably the same ones crying that everything in america should be in english because that is the native language here...i guess what is good for the goose isn't good for the gander. or when in rome (cept when yur a red bluuded 'murican!)

Edited September 16, 2013 by nthacker66

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I gotta say, for many of these posts - it is no wonder why the rest of the world thinks americans are obnoxious and arrogant.

 

the irony here is a lot of these folks are probably the same ones crying that everything in america should be in english because that is the native language here...i guess what is good for the goose isn't good for the gander. or when in rome (cept when yur a red bluuded 'murican!)

 

Speaking of Rome (Italy). I've been there four times for conferences or meetings at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. In every meeting that I have been in, the meeting was conducted in English. As some here are aware, I travel a pretty fair amount internationally for work. I've been to dozens of meetings an conferences and except for one meeting at a small rural library in Costa Rica, every meeting I've been in has been conducted in English and that includes several visits each to Asia, Africa, and Europe. That said, FAO has, as a requirement, that all of their web sites and most official documents be available in, at a minimum, French and Spanish because that recognize that not everyone speaks English. While in almost every case, business is conducted in English at every international meeting that I've been in, there have been quite a few of them where one or more of the participants does not speak English, and there is always some accommodation (ie finding a translator) for non-English speaking people.

 

In other words, while English may be a strong preference, in my experience, it's not mandated.

[+The Jester]

You just have to remember to switch your GPS to the metric system so it can tell you how far away you are in those countries.

Now that is funny! Sly wit, good thing I wasn't drinking when I read it.

[+The Jester]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

 

Ziiinnnngggg

 

Metric does not mean base 10.

And here I was trying to convert penny's to milliliters and millimeters... I just wish people would just go back to cubits...

[+Walts Hunting]

Just like when I went to visit my wife's family in the south. Thank you'all for the cache.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Walts Hunting

[+Glenn]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

 

Ziiinnnngggg

 

Metric does not mean base 10.

And here I was trying to convert penny's to milliliters and millimeters... I just wish people would just go back to cubits...

 

Let's not forget about the rarely used metric foot. My, not so thorough, research has discovered it only being used once. That was to build the BBC Television Centre in London. There is the possibly that Subway used it measure it's foot long subs outside the of the USA. One metric foot being equal to 30 centimeters or almost half of a centimeter shorter than an imperial foot. Subway has never confirmed this but it would account for their foot long subs being slightly shorter outside of the USA. Conversions can be tricky that's why I just let the computer (or GPS) do it for me.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Glenn

[+CanadianRockies]

And it would be easier if they all used US dollars instead of those crazy coins I can't understand. An what's with that goofy metric system and that 220/50 electrical deal? I don't get it.

U.S. dollars use the goofy metric system.

Ziiinnnngggg

Metric does not mean base 10.

It kinda does.

 

From its beginning, the main features of the metric system were the standard set of inter-related base units and a standard set of prefixes in powers of ten.

[+Glenn]

Metric does not mean base 10.

It kinda does.

 

From its beginning, the main features of the metric system were the standard set of inter-related base units and a standard set of prefixes in powers of ten.

 

The metric system is based on groupings of 10 but all system based on groupings of 10 are metric.

It's not the same thing. You might just as well say that I see what I eat is the same thing as I eat what I see or that I like what I get is the same thing as I get what I like or that I breathe when I sleep is the same thing as I sleep when I breathe.

[4wheelin_fool]

Money has nothing to do with measuring distance and sizes of areas.

[+Oxford Stone]

If anyone is still taking the linguistic side of this thread seriously AND is savvy enough to host a Google Doc spreadsheet, I'd be more than happy to populate the French column of a sheet containing all the commonest terms to be found on a cache page / in the hint. A multilingual sheet could prove a real resource - not just for Hank from Bediddlyboing, Idaho, on a trip to France but say a Finn in Portugal or a Russian in the USA. Anyone interested in setting up such a project / contributing other languages?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7H6v1xSZIU if you were wondering about the Idaho reference.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Oxford Stone