Klarinet Archive - Posting 000178.txt from 2000/10

From: "redcedar" <redcedar@-----.au>
Subj: [kl] Language - A Viewpoint
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 20:52:39 -0400

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It has been my misfortune to be chastised twice in recent weeks for alleged
inappropriate use of language on two different Internet lists.

On the first occasion, on a literary list, I was unclear in an explanation
on some matter, and sought to clarify my explanation with a follow-up post.
Feeling chagrined at having goofed the first time, I appended my
clarification with the (I need help) phrase - "Perhaps I should go and have
a strong long black." Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that this
would be interpreted as a racist slur, but it was. I subsequently pointed
out that I had used this term for over 40 years as common usage in this
country, and indeed in any coffee-lounge/restaurant throughout Australia,
the menu will typically include an entry under "Beverages" - "long black",
as well as "flat white" and so on. My usage was idiomatic, and never
intended as an offensive statement.

Fast forward to "Klarinet". I have been chastised in recent days for
"uttering" the words "shut up". Again, this is so colloquial in this
country, if not idiomatic usage, that few, in my experience, would have
taken offence. I did a little straw poll of a linguistics scholar, a
minister of religion, and a lawyer, to test my understanding, and on each
occasion was greeted with a variant of "Uh! - what are you on about?" I do
accept however, that context may sometimes be a mitigating factor, and on
some occasions these words might be also accompanied by a inward sigh, a
rolling of the eyes, or an exasperated groan, or whatever, which might of
course aid the interpretation.

These are only two examples of many, but will suffice to highlight my point.

We are often challenged in the posts on this list by language which seems
inappropriate in context, or frankly confrontational. When one of our
Continental European or South American posters occasionally mis-express
themselves in English with sometimes offensive consequences, I don't recall
that we leap on the "offender" and tear him/her apart. Yet, when those with
English as their first language appear to offend, we often don't offer any
recourse, but invariably take offence as the first line of defence, and beat
him up. There is usually little evidence of a "standing-back" and
contemplating whether we have misunderstood the "foreign" idea, or the
writer's intent, or the idiomatic use of language.

Accompanying the growing prevalence of email traffic there has been an
emergent use of smiley faces to soften or alter the words used.
Regrettably, I'm yet to come across a suitable "groan" symbol, or a "rolling
of the eyes" image, although I note that one poster regularly uses stage
instructions to qualify his language, whilst another resorts to a feline
character to say the "unsayable". But when is one to know when such devices
are required? I suspect the answer is, that often we don't know, for we are
invariably confronting aspects of cultural difference. It is my view that
some - only some - of what transpired and inflamed in the recent debate on
list between various parties was a direct consequence of misinterpretation
of culturally idiosyncratic behaviours and language. Interestingly, for
centuries, before the computer age, we've written one another letters
without resort to the graphic modifiers, although no doubt there is a
lurking historian who may point to some letter's misunderstood language
which sparked a war, or three. But I digress.

It is an indisputable fact that "klarinet" is predominated by American
contributors. For someone in the relative physical isolation of this side
of the globe, "klarinet" offers access to fascinating insights, different
experiences, new information, many of which are uniquely American, or
uniquely English, or Dutch, or Italian, or whatever. These are valuable.
Naturally enough, given the composition of the list, American
pre-occupations tend to gain more air-time than others. This is not
typically a problem, notwithstanding the marching band phenomenon. But I
sometimes get the very strong feeling that for some American contributors,
there is only one way to view the world, one possible interpretation, etc -
the American way. This perception may go some way to answering the not so
rhetorical question recently asked by someone - why not more English
contributors? or perhaps this could be widened, to why not more Australian
contributors? and so on.

I recently published an article in a local journal, which contained amongst
other things, a favourable outline of "klarinet" and "sneezy" as resources
for clarinettists. It never occurred to me to take the precaution of
including a caveat, forewarning possible adventurers on the list, of the
problems which might arise from the Amero-centricity of the list. In my
opinion, that wasn't, and should not be necessary, if one assumes - as I had
- a tolerance to other's viewpoints, modes of expression, and the like.

And that is the end-point of this longish note. Tolerance. Why can't we
exercise a little more tolerance of the views of others, and initially
concede that an element of cultural difference may be present in our
communications? If it is subsequently demonstrated that cultural difference
is an inadequate explanation, then by all means take the contributor to
task. But not as the first line of approach.

Yesterday, after a couple of years on list, I decided to unsubscribe from
"klarinet", and when I did, received an error message. I then asked Mark
Charette to do the task for me. He responded in part - "Don't be silly...".
Should I now take offence - throw my teddy bear - or abuse him in turn? Of
course not, though, I may still choose to ignore his advice.

Michael O'Neile

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