Lord of the Rings online - Screenshots

[Xest]

What happens next?

Knowing modern day Germans, something like:

"We are very sorry. We would also like to apologise on behalf of our country for our actions during World War II"

[OohhoO]

Knowing modern day Germans, something like:

"We are very sorry. We would also like to apologise on behalf of our country for our actions during World War II"

ROFL!
Yeah most of the Germans I know go out of their way to be nice & friendly

[OohhoO]

On a more placatory note, my attitude to foreign languages probably comes from the fact that I'm an Englishman living in Switzerland, where there are 4 indigenous languages - Swiss German, French, Italian & Romansch. Most people speak at least 2 of those + English, & a smattering of various other languages like Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, Russian... So generally people get by by speaking a combination of different languages, which gives a useful insight into the cultures behind those languages.

When I played on the US servers I was in a Danish guild where most of the members didn't speak much English. It didn't bother me at all that they mostly spoke Danish & we got by with being friendly & tolerant & generally had a great time.

Now on Mid/Excalibur I'm in a Danish/English guild & again it doesn't bother me at all when the Danes speak Danish.

Recently I was on an ML raid & got invited to fill the last 2 spots in a group. When I joined one of them told me the other 6 were all Italians & only one of them spoke a very little English & they'd discussed for a long time wether or not they should invite me because they'd already invited 4 other people who had all left as soon as they found out it was an Italian group. I said it didn't bother me at all & for the first 10-15 minutes no-one said anything but eventually they relaxed & started chatting away in Italian. Of course I only understood about 10% but I helped them understand what the BG leader was saying & they sometimes tried to explain what they'd been talking about & really we all had a whale of a time

What I'm trying to say is that in a multilingual Europe a little tolerance towards people speaking their mother-language when they don't speak English goes a long way. I really don't think that an aggressive stance towards non-English speakers is the right way to go, nor do I think it actually accomplishes anything positive. I have made many friendships & acqaintances with non-English speakers over the years & it has greatly enriched my gaming & RL experience.

Of course there are many situations where it's greatly advantageous for people to understand each other instantly & perfectly, but I strongly feel that a friendly & tolerant attitude towards non-English speakers accomplishes a lot more than an aggressive intolerant attitude.

I have never felt that people were being disrespectful to me by not speaking English (especially when they don't speak English lol), in fact the opposite is true; I feel I have gained much by respecting peoples right to speak their own mother-tongue.

I can understand if people don't agree, but I thought it worthwhile to try & spead a little interlinguistic love & understanding

[Xest]

A lot of people don't have time to learn a language - particularly in the UK where working weeks are longer on average than nearly all other European nations that's probably the crux of the problem to some extent

I'd gladly learn another language, but for me right now I simply don't have time, I've got too much else to learn as I'm doing full time study (32hrs per week) and full time work (40 - 45hrs per week). I'd like to think I'll find time over the next few years for another language however.

[Elrandhir]

Well the people I pointed out being disrespectful knew English and if you do and still talk you'r own language when being told not to, thats rude to others, if you can't understand that, then I can't help you, because thats obvious to me.

Also, what you'r talking about is just you'r own point of view, and it havent got anything to do with understanding and patience, I do have great patience and understanding for all people I talk to, but it has to go both ways, and if you start speaking you'r own language in a large BG for example and after being told still continue, then you don't deserve others respect.

Respecting others is to try to make an effort in makeing as many as possible understand what you say, and if you do know English and don't even make that effort, well then you shouldent talk about respect and understanding atall.

Im not talking about you here even if it seems that way, but to anyone who think like that.

Im not talking about people who can't speak any English, but those who can ofcourse, and well if you can't speak English atall then I would think you shouldent play on a server where the Majority is English speaking people, just like I would never play on a server with a language that I couldent handle.

Ohwell, thats it for me, it feels like Im talking in loops and trying to explain same thing over and over again, it got to tiresome now.

[Lieva]

I'd gladly learn another language, but for me right now I simply don't have time, .

ive got plenty of time just the normal languages hold no facination for me anyway
Last language course i brought was to learn Hebrew

Now im hankering for a latin course

[<ankh>]

Hebrew? But...but why?

/Ankh

[Lieva]

i wanted to read the bible without it being translated
I would have learned greek also as i thnk alot of it is written in greek - least i think the deep sea scrolls are

i got as far as learning you read it from left to right

[Heta]

even if you learnt the language the bible was written in, I realy do dubt you will be able to get your hands on a transcript that has not been translated

[Lieva]

theyre in museams

and dont forget all the jewish books
judasim is a pretty kewl religion really