Apology to All WA Members
Please Accept My Apology
I did a blog post yesterday to make members aware of a problem for some Premium Members here at WA.
This blog was not in line with WA guidelines in the fact that Kyle wants the platform to be an English-speaking platform.
In respect for his wishes I feel that I owe members and Kyle an apology for writing the blog post and causing some to be very upset.
This was not my intention I was trying to help a Premium Member who writes their blog in Italian for her audience which we should all understand.
If you are writing in English to help someone who speaks another language what good is your blog posts on your website?
WA is offered worldwide and yes I speak only English - but is it right for all of us who only speak English to benefit from WA?
Discrimination comes in many forms and this I feel is a form of discrimination against those who have taken the time to learn the English language in order to help people of all languages.
Why is it acceptable for them to get a translator to use and translate the English language to what ever language they speak but not acceptable for us as English-speaking to do the same?
Site Comments
Site Comments are one of the important things we need as website owners for ranking we have all been taught this in the lessons.
They are good for SEO and organic traffic to our websites! But if you do not write in the English language how are you to get the needed Site Comments through the WA platform?
How difficult would it be for either the English-speaking members to install a translator and leave a comment in English (the website owner can then translate it back to their language) or leave it in the English language on their site.
Another solution could be for a simple line to be added to the Site Comment platform for members who do write in another language to enable them to request comments in their native language for their websites.
Either way there are solutions to this ongoing problem with the WA platform.
Situation Reversed
I am just wondering how many of the English-speaking members would not be outraged if this situation were reversed?
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes and feeling what they feel, just because we speak and write in English does this mean that we are superior to those who do not?
Are those who speak many languages superior to those of us who only speak one language?
My answer to all these questions is first of all in their shoes I would be very upset knowing how much time and work goes into writing content for it to sit on a shelf and collect dust helping no one because I cannot get the Site Comments for ranking.
As for anyone who feels superior to others due to which language or languages they know and speak or write this is like feeling superior to others for any other reason and should not be tolerated.
Just my feelings and opinions here and everyone is of course entitled to their own that is why we live in a world of mixed personalities and this makes life interesting.
In Closing
I would now like to tell all the members who I offended with my post:
WA is an English Speaking Platform
I AM TERRIBLY SORRY - I did not wish to offend anyone and was only trying to be fair and helpful which is one of the things WA has taught me :)
Thank you so very much for reading and supporting me.
Susan
Recent Comments
144
Takes a lot to speak up in the world today for fear you will offend somebody. The way I look at it is it offends you maybe the other 99 million who see it like it, just click on past it. Do you take a hammer to the TV every time there is a show that you do not like...no you watch something else. We were all created with differences and that is what makes life great. Just imagine if everybody was exactly like you..definitely scary beyond words.
Thanks Marley2016 for speaking up for what I believe is the majority.
Barry alias “Barney44”
Barry,
Oh my, the world cannot handle but one of me LOL
Ooopps too late my granddaughter is just like me
my father swore they broke the mold but no she
is just like grandma LOL,
Thanks, Barry for letting others know we all cannot be
alike boring boring boring,
Susan
Hi Susan, thanks for being open and honest in this post.
While English is the main language on the WA platform, there are still a good number of members who write in their native language, and it's a shame that they're not able to make full use of SiteComments for that reason.
I like your idea of adding an extra line/section in the SiteComments platform where people can request comments in their native language. I think this could be a positive step in the right direction.
I also find it strange that anyone would report a piece of content as spam just because it is in another language. Unless it actually breaks the spam rules, I think it should be just left alone.
Just some of my thoughts...
All the best,
Stephanie
Stephanie,
I agree - but a translator is free to download and who knows
you might learn something from what that person has to say :)
Thank you for reading,
Susan
I agree with you 100% and find it ridiculous that a post in Italian should be considered spam. I have been shaking my head since then.
I understand that English is considered the internationally accepted language simply because it is spoken the most, but that should never preclude anyone writing here in their own language and in some respect it is discrimination.
I also respect that creators of this community would like it to be an English community. That said using a translator is not the end of the world.
I respect people who write in their own language. I really do. Where I am (Canada) as are the creators of WA we are fighting to keep our 2 languages and not to call out spam to those who post in their language.
Just my 2 cents
BEst is to warn unknowing persons first
And yes, some are spammers, also in forizgn language
Best is to maintain one language
No apology needed.
While the Platform itself is English, there are no rules that you can only post in English.
With the simplicity of a click, we can translate into English, a VIOLA... a new friend in another part of the world.
With the same click in reading blog posts, the translator also works in chat! How awesome is that??!!
It's not hard to do, and I thank you for bringing this forward, as now we can reach others on the world platform that WA presents!
Your AWESOME.... this is why you're an Ambassador!
Shaunna
Shaunna,
Thank you so very much to bad a few do not feel the same
as some of the rest of us do with the click of our mouse
we can actually see things that others are posting and helping
people all over the world - who knows we might learn
something new I myself love it :)
Thank you again sweetie that you are,
Susan
Shaunna,
Thank you those are adorable I love them. Did you love
Kyle's Sause?
That was great!
Susie
Here is a video that might help people dealing with being offended. https://youtu.be/ceS_jkKjIgo
Jason,
Thank you - hopefully, some people will take the time to
watch it I know I will :)
Susie
Bahaha I was only having this conversation with someone yesterday ... everyone is offended these days, seems to be a constant state for some people :)
Think everybody should watch this. Video could eliminate a lot of nonsense in our world today. Perhaps leoprasy needs to return...LOL
Chinese and Spanish are spoken by more people than English is. Easy for us to get caught in our own bubbles thinking we are at the top of every food chain!
Jason,
Very good point - for some pressing or clicking a button I
guess is beneath them to help others in the WA platform!
For me, you know how I am if I can help you I do and will.
Thank you love you,
Susie
This is not, in fact, an apology. It's a doubling down of your belief that the English-speaking WA community should be translating non-English blog posts.
This is a "check your English-speaking priviledge" post.
Laurie,
Sorry you do not approve of the apology and considering
you feel that you are one of the privileged people I am
talking about in my post then you would not take it as
an apology as it was intended.
Or possibly you do not comprehend the English language
as I have meant it here!
Sorry that I have offended you to open your mind and
not be so one-sided and selfish.
Can you find anything in the rules that WA is English Only, as I cannot. It is stated that WA is an English Speaking platform, but nowhere can I find a rule that states you can only post in English, nor can I find a rule that says we cannot use a translator to translate posts and chat....
Shaunna,
I seriously never thought to look for such a thing - very good
point and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention :)
I will be using these exact words when relating to some other
members :)
Thank you what a great asset to the community you are,
Susan
I haven't implied that it was a formal rule.
However, I feel it is the responsibility of the the non-English poster to provide the translation (not the other way around).
... And for some reason, you find that highly offensive.
Re: Non- English poster.
One can also broaden their own English world with a simple click. The point was, that with translator, those of us who wish to communicate with others, click, poof English Translation= Communication.
For those that don't want to do that, scroll on.
What I find offensive is that you feel a simple click is below you.
Nothing more.
Why do you find 1 simple click, to translate, so outrageously offensive and difficult?
Fran,
Thank you because other were and still are but you
cannot please everyone in the world I have learned
this a very long time ago - some need to grow up
their privileged life is disgusting to me :(
Thank you honey much love your way,
Susan
See more comments
I believe you are putting too much thought into this. It has nothing to do with superiority or anything like that, it is based on the location and language of the owners. With the way browsers work today and with google translate, there should be no issues going to foreign written pages. Just don't do it here? Seems like a policy WA wants for the blog posts here and that's fair as it's their platform.
It is super easy to translate in today's world, so there is no reason for anyone to get bent out of shape over this issue. If you have a blog written in a different language, it just means the WA member base is going to not respond as much, which is obvious on either side of the language barrier. I can't believe that people who don't speak English believed there would be a large number of comments coming from a place where their language isn't spoken much. They just need to focus on marketing to their country and it will be a little tougher, but still doable.
As for anyone offended by a post here that was made on WA in a foreign language, well everyone is offended at something. The only apology needed to be was to Kyle for not realizing posting on our WA blogs are to remain in English. Everyone else is just looking for attention.
Andrew,
Will you please show me where on WA it states that we
must blog in English?
I am open to all suggestions my mind is open to anything
and anyone but in honesty, I cannot locate anyplace on
the WA platform it says we must only use English :)
I am still looking as is another member and we have
not located anything yet.
Thank you for responding to the post.
Susan