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Re: Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice.

Subject: Re: Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice.
From: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 03:31:33 -0500

I would suggest that a good translation house would be aware of and accomodate those cultural sensitivities in their translation. Translations are never word-for-word translations... the translator must use some careful thought to make the words make sense to the audience. Otherwise, we could all be happy with machine translation (and we know it sure ain't ready for prime time). Part of the process of evaluating a translation provider would be to determine if they have an awareness of those cultural sensitivities and a standard approach to handling them. With a good translation provider, you can write in your own language using an approach that you believe is best for your primary audience and let the translation provider take care of communicating your message appropriately in other languages.

Mike
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----- Original Message -----

From: Janice Gelb <janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com>
Subject: Re: Dropping the you? The Asian response to imperative voice.

On the greater question, while I agree that cultural
sensibilities should be taken into account, and our
style guide has plenty of recommendations on the subject,
I don't think that sensitivity should extend to making
the English more convoluted than necessary for Europeans.
Correcting writing that is difficult to understand for
non-native speakers is one thing, as that benefits all
readers. Changing writing that might not use an approach
comfortable for absolutely every reader is to me another
issue entirely. I don't think that possible Asian discomfort
with the use of "you" as too informal should necessarily
outweigh a desire to make technical writing more approachable
for non-Asian readers unless that is the primary audience.

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