By and large we like to leave the MessageBoard members to get on with their conversations, with a minimum of interference from us at Quinlan Road. We are very happy at the general tone of friendliness, courtesy and consideration that the members show each other.
However, there has been some unhappiness and hostility on the MessageBoard in the last few days.
Sometimes we all are capable of accidentally hurting someone's feelings by what we say, and email can make it even easier to make such a mistake. Then, too, if people are writing in a language that is not their own (which of course all of us English-speakers are grateful for in this English-language environment) it sometimes happens that the tone of the post is not what was intended.
But there is no excuse to repeatedly make posts that make other people feel unwelcome - and so unwelcome that they wish to leave.
When this happens, we write to the person privately and to offer him or her the opportunity to reconsider his or her posts and to be more careful in future.
If the person is not willing to do so - namely, to apologise and to be more careful in subsequent posts - then we must reluctantly remove that person's posting privileges to the Quinlan Road MessageBoard.
Please be aware that we do this in everyone's best interests, and hope that the vast majority of you will continue to show the same kindness and consideration you have been demonstrating in your posts so far.
Yes! Thank you for posting this! Even though I've been here less than a year, and nobody so far has said anything rude, it's still comforting to know someone's watching out, whereas on other websites, people are slandering others they don't even know, and nobody does anything about it! Thanks! Alex
Posts: 106 | Location: Out in the boonies! (well...sort of. Actually, a very, very small town in Southern California.) | Registered: July 21, 2009
Thanks a lot for reminding us that we have to consider everyone's thoughts and emotions. It comforts me to see that this message board is well superfised, so that in case of misunderstanding and/or misbehaevour, you are able to intervene and put the conversation on the right track.
As already some members have mentioned it, it isn't always easy to write or explain himself in another language. Written language is a way of communication, but still lacks the emotions and intonations of our thoughts we try to put into it, so we often miss the real essence of it.
So let put our hands and heads together and be more tolerant if someone misplaced a word by mistake. There's always the possibility to ask for more explanation.
Keep on the good work.
Warm greetings and good journey.
Joris
quote:
Originally posted by Karen: Dear members,
By and large we like to leave the MessageBoard members to get on with their conversations, with a minimum of interference from us at Quinlan Road. We are very happy at the general tone of friendliness, courtesy and consideration that the members show each other.
However, there has been some unhappiness and hostility on the MessageBoard in the last few days.
Sometimes we all are capable of accidentally hurting someone's feelings by what we say, and email can make it even easier to make such a mistake. Then, too, if people are writing in a language that is not their own (which of course all of us English-speakers are grateful for in this English-language environment) it sometimes happens that the tone of the post is not what was intended.
But there is no excuse to repeatedly make posts that make other people feel unwelcome - and so unwelcome that they wish to leave.
When this happens, we write to the person privately and to offer him or her the opportunity to reconsider his or her posts and to be more careful in future.
If the person is not willing to do so - namely, to apologise and to be more careful in subsequent posts - then we must reluctantly remove that person's posting privileges to the Quinlan Road MessageBoard.
Please be aware that we do this in everyone's best interests, and hope that the vast majority of you will continue to show the same kindness and consideration you have been demonstrating in your posts so far.
Karen
Posts: 100 | Location: North of France (Saultain) | Registered: November 08, 2006
Originally posted by hawklullaby: Hi karen , You're sever(a few).Please there is so many french people on the forum, it's a very hard to speak and translate english but it's a pleasure. It's true, as you said and as said Deirdre and Very old Elf, that the fact that we are not all "native anglophones" can be a problem and misunderstandings ... I have respect for all the community on the MessageBoard never i'll have bad words because it's an honor to share with you and all people conversation, news, photos and impressions about Loreena and the website.
CHEERS.
I'm going to start this post with a huge apology to those who take the time to learn to (at least) write in English; please, forgive me and others like me if we give unintentional offense. Never having had the NEED to learn another language to be able to communicate, I can only imagine how difficult it is to use a language which is foreign to you. If I find your words confusing, though, I will ask for clarification -- and hope that you will do the same if/when you are confused by something I may say. And so far, your grasp of the English language is just fine; I can figure out what you mean by reading the words. (See, not all of us in the U.S.A. are inconsiderate jerks who think we own the world. And no, I didn't think that you thought that at all - it just had to be said. ) (I am ex-USAF. We were taught that we who wear the USAF uniform are the real Ambassadors of our Nation, and it is up to us to act as such. The "Ugly American" is exactly that: Ugly.)
--Artúr
Posts: 166 | Location: East Central Minnesota, USA | Registered: March 18, 2007
Originally posted by hawklullaby: Hi karen , You're sever(a few).Please there is so many french people on the forum, it's a very hard to speak and translate english but it's a pleasure. (...)
Well I think Karen is not sever or something like that because, it's obvious we have "both part" to do effort : - non native anglophones to be careful by using a langage which is not ours - and native anglophones to try to understand that we can make mistakes by translating a foreign expression or a tipical way to talk from our country, in english.
But, if langage can be a problem, I think it's more a question of "how to behave on a forum" ... If something seems "not good" or "a miss of respect" on a post, everyone should wonder first if there's a probleme of comprehension. After, if someone seems to continue to fallow "a bad way", it's not possible to hide behind a langage problem. And we can trust the moderators (even if they are busy on a tour ).
And I think Karen was more talking about that (I don't want to talk for you, Karen, but it's the way I "receive" your post. Stop me if I'm wrong ).
I think the good exemple is Betty: she does what she can this her few english words but, she never missed respect to someone (well, of what I've red until now ).
So: bonne nuit, good night, kali nichta, buona notte, gute nacht, goede nacht, buenas noches and much more .
Posts: 201 | Location: Paris or in the forest, but always close to a tree | Registered: March 01, 2007
Hi karen , You're sever(a few).Please there is so many french people on the forum, it's a very hard to speak and translate english but it's a pleasure. It's true, as you said and as said Deirdre and Very old Elf, that the fact that we are not all "native anglophones" can be a problem and misunderstandings ... I have respect for all the community on the MessageBoard never i'll have bad words because it's an honor to share with you and all people conversation, news, photos and impressions about Loreena and the website.
CHEERS.
Posts: 124 | Location: france, paris | Registered: November 10, 2006
Please, do not worry about your English, it's fine. In fact, your qritten English is better than some I have seen from "native speakers" of the language. (Hmmm, I seem to remember saying this very same thing to someone else on this forum...)
--Artúr
Posts: 88 | Location: Noisiel, Marne la Vallée, Ile de France, FRANCE | Registered: March 16, 2007
Please, do not worry about your English, it's fine. In fact, your qritten English is better than some I have seen from "native speakers" of the language. (Hmmm, I seem to remember saying this very same thing to someone else on this forum...)
--Artúr
Posts: 166 | Location: East Central Minnesota, USA | Registered: March 18, 2007
Thank you Karen to take on your time to post this kind of message, specially in this "full periode" of the tour. It's true, as you said and as said Deirdre, that the fact that we are not all "native anglophones" can be a problem and misunderstandings ...
Take care of you (hug to Mark, King of the World and mes respectueuses salutations à Loreena). IrN
Posts: 201 | Location: Paris or in the forest, but always close to a tree | Registered: March 01, 2007
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