Multiculturalism in WA
Today I read a blog post seeking advice in setting up a platform like WA in another language.I want to share my opinion here.
First of all, English is not my mother tongue.But lucky enough I was born and raised during the colonial era in Hong Kong.I picked up English through basic and normal school studies.In my working life I spent 30% or more of my time communicating with others in English (not include the decade long memorable Canadian life).It made me easily picked up the key points in WA and subsequently took advantage of the humongous support and advice from the community.I’m so amazed by the fact that for an inert guy like me (I admit), I turned completely from a cyber idiot to a guy who dare to invite his friends to visit a website he built by himself in a mere month time.Within this blog I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to those fellow members who had rendered their hands to me.
Because of the foregoing, I don’t recommend other to copy the WA idea in another language.For the time being if you have friends or relatives from your own country(non English speaking) want to join WA, better off you help them by offering them interim language support.For example, writing blog in your own language to help these people.By this, they can leverage and even strengthen the power of WA.They still can make use of the community supports as I’m sure there are huge number of existing WA members who are multilingual; versed in your language as well.
Of course, in the longer run, to have language selection at least in the user interface should be the final resort.And I want to bring this to the attention of WA management and product development.
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I think anyone proficient in another language other than English is in a unique position access to a possibly untapped market. I can only imagine being able to take your WA skills into the billion consumer Cantonese/Mandarin market or the billion of the Indian market. Both these markets will keep growing exponentially and you are positioned to take advantage of that. I would certainly be into that in a big way. Regards.
Very good comment, Salem. I agree with you. This is indeed an untapped market and I believe we are well positioned technologically to start to tackle this issue.
Thanks Dave. I believe in "Esprit de corp". My English is not as good as my Cantonese/Mandarin as it is not my mother tonque. If anything I can do for you. Feel free to reach me here or Skype (ackcheng).
Nice post, being American I guess I take English for granted. I wish we had more language classes taught in grammar school.
Hi Alex,
Yes it's good that WA is a conduit for people from various cultures throughout the world.
Thankfully, I'm a native English speaker but interestingly for you, I was born in the British Military Hospital on Bowen Road (?) in Hong Kong in 1957......so although we are thousands of miles apart with seemingly not much in common, we were born very close to each other!!
Mark
Vow, you seem to be the closest (I mean, place or community of birth) WA member with me. I was born in a midwive house in Shaukeiwan one year after you came to the earth in another area about 6 km away on Hong Kong Island. So, did you spend your childhood here as well?
Unfortunately not Alex, I left with my parents when I was only 18 months old but at least we spent about 6 months in the same region at the same time around 57 years ago.....who'd have thought we would have connected after all these years......crazy!!
Mark
Thanks for the blog. I do so admire those who can communicate in a language other than their mother tongue. This must so enrich your life. Good luck to you and I hope all your goals and dreams are achieved. Ches
Thanks Chessie for your comment. My personal offer : if you need any language help between English & Chinese, please don't hesitate to come to me.
As katiemac says the translate option should cover the WA content. By writing in your language I would imagine you can address one quarter of the world population. What a wonderful opportunity you have to promote WA.
I find that if I open a page in Google Chrome and it is in another language it offers to translate it for me.
If people are using google to search there is an option offered to translate the page if it is not in their language, to cover all the languages around the world would be just to big a task
I would suggest that this would be a big ask of the WA management but who knows? And to cater for how many different languages, dialects etc would be a huge undertaking I would think.
.However may I congratulate you on your very good command of the English language.
Hello Kennick. Thanks a lot for your complement. I have never been to any places south of equator and I hope someday I can visit Australia.
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Hi, I admire your positive thinking, and how well you have mastered the English language. I also lived in Hong Kong for a number of years. I totally agree with your ideas, and I do hope you achieve all that you are wanting to do...Linda:))
Thanks a lot Linda. When and where did you live in HK?
Hi, It was on Kowloon side. About 11 years ago