Why not use english here?

[+hedberg]

There is a lot of messages here in finnish. How many in Sweden, Norway, Denmark & Iceland can understand finnish?

 

It would be easier if people wrote in english, also wrote their logs if possible in english. There is a lot of people coming here for caching, from other countries. They can't understand what the logs or even in some cases: the cachepage. Sometimes people write the cachepage in the local language without an english translation. That will of course make it very difficult for non-local language speaking persons to understand!

 

Of course would I and hopefully a lot of other persons within the nordic countries understand what you finnish guys are talking about, it might be good for us to know or discuss.

[+Captain Morgan]

I agree with you, Hedberg, on what comes to cache loggings. They should be written in english or in english and local language.

 

But here in forums, we should have a chance to write also in our local language. For example many finnish threads are very local, and i'm sure they don't serve foreign geocachers at all.

[+Divine]

Every time I start a thread here, I ponder if it should be written in English or Finnish. If it's purely about local things, I write in Finnish, otherwise in English. I also have posted messages in Swedish and German when it has been appropriate.

 

Most (and by most I really mean almost all) messages here in Finnish are about local issues. Some of us Finns express ourselves better in our own language, why shouldn't we use it when it's about some issue for example here in Tampere?

 

Granted, there are exceptions: some newbie geocachers have found this forum, and in their newbie excitement they post their first messages here in Finnish (even without the recommended FIN: prefix). That's only understandable. Also, once we discussed about the necessity of posting certain Finnish threads in English. We found some topics that maybe indeed could have started in English, there was 3 of those... Thus we restarted the topic about modifications in Finnish caches in English, because it might serve some foreign cachers hunting here. Then there are those, who are not that confident with their English skills. IMO they should be allowed to use their native language in a forum that is dedicated to their country, among some other countries.

 

So trust me, on most of the Finnish language threads here there is probably very little of interest for average non-Finnish geocachers. In the future, I will continue my habit of speaking the appropriate language in the forums, and I bet most other Finns here will do it too. As a matter of fact I wouldn't mind seeing more messages from the other Nordic countries. With their language or not.

 

I agree with Hedberg that definitely the cache report pages should be at least in English. If there's another language with it, it's ok. The logs on the web page are neat when in English too (often they can provide important information if there are problems with the cache), but again, who am I to expect some other than their native language from some unknown foreign geocachers?

 

- I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory. -

[+Captain Morgan]

Thanks Divine, you clarified my thoughts, i just had no time to write more at work

[+The Hole-in-the-wall Gang]

As a native english speaker who can only speak a little swedish and not much finnish at all (sorry) I appreciate that you all can speak very good english. It seems appropriate that if you guys are talking about something that is specifically local then you should use your own language. I would like to say that if you can be kind enough to add an english translation to your cache pages then it is more likely to be visited by travellers. Thanks John

 

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.

Isaac Newton.

[+Divine]

quote:

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Originally posted by The Hole-in-the-wall Gang:

I would like to say that if you can be kind enough to add an english translation to your cache pages then it is more likely to be visited by travellers.

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To my knowledge, most Finnish cache pages are written at least in English. I know all mine are. At some point someone pointed out that it could be useful to younger geocachers and those who don't know English that well that maybe the cache pages should be in Finnish too. After that I added a Finnish translation to most of my cache pages.

 

Nowadays, when I report a new cache, I always write the description first in English and send it to the approval process. After that I start to think about the Finnish version, and I add it there at some point. When I'm making logs in the web, I mostly write them in English, so that also international geocachers can understand my meaningless scribbling. Depending on situation and my mood, I write the physical logs either in English or Finnish.

 

There are couple Finnish caches with only a Finnish cache page, and I've seen also e.g. Swedish-only, German-only, Dutch-only and French-only cache pages. Probably most non-English-speaking geocaching countries have at least some cache pages with only their native language. In these cases it usually pays off to email the owner and ask for a translation if you need one. I've also seen translation requests on different regional forums. People seem to get prompt answers to their requests. Seek, and thou shalt find.

 

- I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory. -

[Cholo]

As far as logs, caches, etc, I don't have much of an opinion. Everything I come in contact with is done in English. That might be different if I did international caches. English has become the de facto international language, which is why commercial air pilots must know English. This certainly didn't come about because of the great spelling system of English, tho it does make for great word play. As for the forums, the use of other languages should be self-evident. That's why they were created. The nuances and subtleties are best understood by the speakers of their own common language. I would think that a Swede, especially from eastern Sweden, would have some knowledge of Finnish, at least enough to know when jokes are being told. Ok, I better stop now, I'm starting to think of the UK forum.