English-Only

ainwood said:

[...]
Discussing it right here.

Right. But who is the quote aimed at? At the german-speaking audience here? On an english-language forum?
[...]
If the purpose is to communicate, then allowing foreign language without translation fails (and actually appears a bit pretentious). There may be an argument that it is based on personalising a post or a contribution. How important is that?

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• How important is that?
  I quite like it to see a signature in another language when I can understand it. Even though I may disagree with the message I feel that it is adding flavor to the post, or more precisely, my perception of the poster.
• But who is the quote aimed at?
  The reader of the post - in fact - all readers of the post, I shall think.

• The translation has to be given in a post in the - yet to be created - translations thread.
• The quote in the signature has to link to that post.
• The meaning of the quote has to comply with all other forum rules (i.e. no flaming, no PDMA, etc.).

ainwood said:

Right. But who is the quote aimed at? At the german-speaking audience here? On an english-language forum?

The purpose of forums is to communicate. For threads, if only a small fraction of the audience can actually understand the posts, then it is a wasted thread. One of the reasons for "english only" (aside from the practicallities of moderating). If we extend this thinking to signatures, what is the purpose of a foreign-language signature?

If the purpose is to communicate, then allowing foreign language without translation fails (and actually appears a bit pretentious). There may be an argument that it is based on personalising a post or a contribution. How important is that?

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Thunderfall said:

That's fine. We can allow some foreign language in signatures. Inline translation is recommended but not required.

I will make a sticky thread in Site Feedback where people can post translation of the non-English portion of their signature.

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dot said:

Godwynn, I see an infraction coming. It's borderlining on PDMA.

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Birdjaguar said:

[...]

Rien ne s'est aventuré, rien de gagné
Nichts erlaubte sich nichts Gewonnenes
Nada aventurado, nada ganado

Spoiler :

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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dot said:

It had struck me as odd at first sight. But I didn't gave it more thought. But now it just hit me when I re-read it - The German saying should be:

"Wer nicht wagt, der nicht gewinnt!"

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Birdjaguar said:

Discussion and communication is the purpose of the forum and should be a part of each post, but I think that those elements of our profiles that are customizable are often used as an extension of who we are or who we want others to think we are. They are our "branding" elements and may well serve to draw attention to sides of our personalities that we want to project. The use of a non English phrase may be a better expression of what we want to communicate.

I like the idea of a thread where all untranslated foreign phrases get posted with their translations. that way we have a single public source for all to see and comment on. Such a thread would be educational and enrich the lives of all who read it.

Those who didn't grow up watching Alfred Hitchcock movies might learn what "que sera sera" means. Or perhaps the use of "Maui no ka oi" will boost the Hawaiian tourist economy.

I say we give it try.

Rien ne s'est aventuré, rien de gagné
Nichts erlaubte sich nichts Gewonnenes
Nada aventurado, nada ganado

Spoiler :

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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