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> Right, it's not the country by itself, Andrea. It's the claim that the
> quality
> is as good as that of native English speakers when that claim is patently
> false. We don't normally have provenance on the bad writing we encounter.
> We
> do now.
Careful. Frustration is understandable when we're unemployed or worried about
our jobs, but it's too easy to lead to scapegoating or worse. As evidence,
notice that this comment has at least two fallacies.
In the first place, many offshore writers and editors are native English
speakers. Many have grown up speaking English. Often as their first language,
and, if it's not, they're fluent in it. I know just enough to realize there's a
whole body of Indian literature written in English, much of it excellent - even
if most of us in North America are unaware of it - and that implies an audience
for it.
In the second place, one example doesn't prove all offshore writers and editors
incompetent.
In fact, I can't help wondering how much work is really going offshore. I know
it happens, but I have yet to hear any firm figures about it. I wonder whether
focusing on the issue doesn't distract us from real issues: that too many
people, no matter where they from, are entering the field, and that the field
is poorly regarded.
Personally, I'm more concerned with the potential for exploitation in the move
offshore than I am about seeing my work go offshore. Even then, I suspect the
exploitation is greater on the factory floor than it is at the work station.
--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604-421.7177
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