Topic: Why do all of us have to speak English

This forum seems to have good people in it. Everyone seems nice and I like all of the talk going around with nintendo content. I read the community guidelines and I understand all except one. With all do respect I think it is absurd that all of us have to speak only the English language. Why can't we speak other languages and communicate with someone that loves nintendo from Mexico, Japan, Indonesia or Korea? I mean I guess we could communicate with some of the people there if they know how to speak English, but we are missing a whole other world if we isolate our understanding to just the English language. I am not asking that nintendo life should change the rules, but it would be very interesting to allow people who speak different languages to participate in forums. The content and experiences of nintendo from another country like Indonesia or Japan is truly fascinating. And I also do not feel that I have had a good explanation as to why only English is allowed in the forums. I am only expressing my opinions and I feel that everyone is free to debate about this issue with me. Especially if they have a native language that isn't English.

Because we want every user to understand every discussion.

You're already reading people from all over the world, by the way.

@Meowpheel So you're saying everyone in the world knows how to speak the English language? What if someone from Indonesia signs up, but they want to use their language to express their interest for Nintendo?

I understand your concerns, but wouldn't it be very chaotic if people were speaking different languages and users had to resort to using Google Translate to decode others' messages? This is a UK based site, thus it is an English-speaking site. You can probably find a Spanish Nintendo website, for example, but you probably wouldn't get very far in discussion if you only spoke English there.

In an ideal world, we would all understand our fellow human beings (and their languages), but alas, this is not realistic. This site is essentially a community in which all users have at least two things in common: an interest in Nintendo and the ability to comprehend the English language.

I suppose there can be a separate category in the forums for non-English speaking users, but how will the mods be able to intervene if, for example, things were to get heated?

@Meowpheel I apologize. I think there is some salt in the previous message I sent you. You are correct. It looks like a lot of people around the world use this forum.

Don't worry, and I do understand you.

There is a place for everything and everyone. If someone wants to discuss with others about their interests, you can be sure they'll find a way and place to do so.

Right here in NintendoLife, the one barrier is being able to understand and use written English. It could be worse really.

@FriedSquid But if a native English language speaker strives to learn even the basics of selected languages, there is a unique understanding and perspective on a significant amount of things. However, I see your point. I could imagine the chaos.

Typically on these types of forums, that rule is in place not because they want to cause restriction or want you, the user, understand everyone but because they don't have the moderator staff suitable to police every language.

More countries in the world either speak English natively or have it as one of several national languages than any other language which makes it easier (fun fact: in terms of sheer population, more people of the world actually speak Chinese than English).

@sillygostly I just wish everyone understood everyone. I do not know how mods work or how to even run a forum. I bet it is tough. I have been in a few forums now and I never understood why some limit the languages, but I do understand now after reading yours and a couple of others who have replied. It typically was an issue that frustrated me. Nobody really talked about it with me until today. Thank you.

To know multiple languages is indeed a beautiful thing. For example, when I speak with my Turkish friends/family, we more often than not speak English with one another (I was born in Australia), though we will throw in some Turkish words, phrases, or discuss entire topics in Turkish if need be. In terms of articulating our emotions, Turkish is a far superior language to English, but there are many concepts that either do not exist, or are difficult to explain in another language, as many phrases and concepts are lost in translation. The other day, I was searching for the Turkish translation of the word "vocabulary", and no such equivalent word exists! So you'll have to explain the concept literally rather than have that concept contained within a single word; and due to my anthropological/sociological/academic background, I really struggle to discuss such topics in Turkish as both the language and discourse are so fundamentally different.

@Alshain01 Yes. That would be great if there was a staff to control the chaos that may happen within every language, but it isn't realistic to have that.

Haha. I didn't know that more people spoke Chinese than English. You know come to think of it - everywhere I go, I do hear people speaking Chinese. I hear it at the mall, college, movie theaters, and the neighborhood even. It is a beautiful language.

This is a UK based site where English is the primary language. If you go to Famitsu's forums you have to speak in Japanese. Most sites expect the majority of their viewerbase to read, understand and speak the language of the country/region in which they are based. Just because you know more than one language doesn't change the intended audience of a publication site or its forums. This site is geared towards UK gamers first. This is pretty logical and pretty normal. It makes it easy for content to be moderated as well. You have to remember that this is an internet forum. You are allowed to post here because NintendoLife allows it. I know a lot of people like to chant "free internet" but that doesn't fly when you aren't paying the internet costs or are considered a publication. You agreed to this when you signed up for an account...it is in the ToS.

Not sure what your complaint is. Are you upset that there are not fansites in your native language, because they would likely have the same rules (speak the primary language of the country the site is based in). That is a given, even before you get to the whole English is used as a trade language/common language around the world thing. If you want to converse with those that speak the same language as yourself, grab some emails/twitter/whatever or meet up on a fansite in your native language.

Tldr; you are in NintendoLife's house so if you want to stay here you abide by their rules. They aren't required to accommodate you. Almost every internet forum is the same. This isn't babel fish.

This is a website from the UK, and as thus, the owners decided that they would use their native language (english). When someone who's native language isn't english comes here, we know what we're getting ourselves into. No one forces us to be here, writing or reading english.
In my case, I'm a native Spanish speaker, so if I wanted to read a spanish gaming site I could visit, say, Meristation. But I like this community, and as thus, I follow the rules and integrate myself here - I'm not going to force the rest to use google translator to read a message from a language they may not understand, when most are from the UK or the US.
For example, many words in english remain the same when you're speaking about a he or a she. In spanish, most words change to account for the gender or characteristics of the subjects, so if you don't manage that little nuances well the message is lost.

@Luna_110 oh wow I hadn't heard that name in ages. For some reason I never got around to making an account in that site.

Eh, well, being the typical americanized Mexican I am, I kinda prefer to read my gaming news in English anyway.

@Meowpheel
I tend to prefer most gaming opinions on english sites - they tend to have more accurate info and they don't whine about the game including or not including certain language options. Meristation docking points for lack of language options tends to piss me off.
At the same time, I've got to admit, the increasing trend of Americans whining for VA since they're too lazy too read is getting kind of annoying too.

That wouldn't be annoying at all, having a single thread diverged into 4-5 different languages..

It's hard enough trying to understand what a lot of NL users are saying in English.

@Luna_110 Well add me to the diminishing group (hold the line!) of Americans whining for less voice acting because I prefer to read, lol.

That's a really weird question. It is a U.K website. All it's news is in English. Therefore common sense dictates that a comprehension of English is a must to understand its content.

You talk about alienating people but WHY write in Italian, Spanish or Arabic in the forums and alienate English speakers on an English website? That is the greatest alienation of all.

EVERY PERSON (100%) here reads and write English to a respectable degree or else they won't be here. You think it is intelligent to use languages that a minority understands and that will "avoid alienating people". Strange concept.

That's like me going to a Chinese website and complaining about everyone writing in Chinese. Then again I wouldn't do that.