Why does the English forum require you to use a French word

General   Wed Dec 03, 2008 9:15 pm GMT
LO0O0O0OL
K. T.   Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:56 am GMT
I speak French, but I've wondered about this as well. I think it would be very easy for romance language speakers to come up with the word, but perhaps spammers looking to sell things now hesitate for a minute and move on to another site rather than bother to look up the word.

It isn't my site, and I'm not a moderator, but that would be my guess. Regrettably, I think it may keep some good bilingual posters in Spanish from posting here.

In the end, the admins can do what they like. I appreciate the fact that it is not such a "My way or the highway" site. It would be fun to change the word around to other languages( to be fair), but then some people would be left out again.
filósofo de la clase de f   Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:11 am GMT
What is the big deal, really? Anyone stupid enough not to be able to find out the French word for 'white' with the whole internet at their fingertips should not be learning languages in the first place.
choose   Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:45 am GMT
Whatever the hell your name is, "the big deal" isn't about the simplicity, or difficulty, of finding the corresponding French term per se. Rather, it's about the very notion of requesting the knowledge of a non English word in an English forum and the legitimacy of that to grant permission to post.

Besides, as K.T. indicated, some other groups will indeed feel left out as to why French was picked out as opposed to their mother tongues. If however the moderator decides to visit a different language each cycle to assuage their feelings, then I'm afraid that is going to further exacerbate the problem instead of solving it.

Better to stick to the old days and the primitive ways. The purpose of the anti span question is self-explanatory. It's not to test your awareness of other languages.
Carmen Polo   Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:53 am GMT
Moderators on this forum are fond of French and don't like Spanish.
filósofo de la clase de f   Sat Dec 06, 2008 1:12 am GMT
<<Besides, as K.T. indicated, some other groups will indeed feel left out as to why French was picked out as opposed to their mother tongues. If however the moderator decides to visit a different language each cycle to assuage their feelings, then I'm afraid that is going to further exacerbate the problem instead of solving it.>>



Are you serious? Are you really going to go and have a cry because they chose French instead whatever language you are into? Do you consider it discrimination? C'mon, maybe if this were a kindergarten you could lay a complaint with the Board of Trustees, or if this were a public institution you could lay a complaint with the Minister of Equality. But this is just a forum on the internet, and no one cares. It is this kind of PC dribble that is paralysing Western society.

Do you consider it discrimination when someone paints a street lamp yellow instead of blue? Do you consider it discrimination when someone walks runs rather than walks?

Yes, the question is about FRENCH! Take that Old Norse! French must be superior than Old Norse!
choose   Sat Dec 06, 2008 2:24 am GMT
>Are you serious?

No, I was merely joking. I wrote that whole post without a shred of seriousness. Does that answer your questionS?

Take a chill pill now, "it's just a forum on the internet."
nopocono   Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:14 am GMT
Since they changed the anti-spam answer to a French word, has the amount of spam decreased?
Damian in Edinburgh   Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:32 am GMT
I reckon the Mods should have selected a more difficult French word to deter spammers and trolls......I mean, the current one is a wee bit easy peasy isn't it? Very few people would have to consult a dictionary to fathom it out, and it can be a wee bit sexist as well if you thnk about it.

Maybe they should have selected something like the Lithuanian word for rhinoceros. Now that really would have sorted out the wheat from the chaff....only the most dedicated Antimooner would have looked that one up.
choose   Sat Dec 06, 2008 12:39 pm GMT
>>Very few people would have to consult a dictionary to fathom it out

Very narrow, uninformed European perspective.
Mortimer McPhaughan   Sat Dec 06, 2008 2:00 pm GMT
I assume the goal is to deter spammers, but not drive away typical posters. With that in mind, what would be the ideal anti-spam question?

What criteria should guide the selection of a good anti-spam question?
Raganosis   Sat Dec 06, 2008 7:55 pm GMT
I think they should...
Shuimo   Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:37 pm GMT
Damian in Edinburgh Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:32 am GMT
I reckon the Mods should have selected a more difficult French word to deter spammers and trolls......I mean, the current one is a wee bit easy peasy isn't it? Very few people would have to consult a dictionary to fathom it out, and it can be a wee bit sexist as well if you thnk about it.
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How can you be so sure very few would have to consult a dictionary to fathom it out?
Down with any die-hard f**king s××t Eurocentrism!
Shuimo   Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:40 pm GMT
filósofo de la clase de f Sat Dec 06, 2008 1:12 am GMT
<<Besides, as K.T. indicated, some other groups will indeed feel left out as to why French was picked out as opposed to their mother tongues. If however the moderator decides to visit a different language each cycle to assuage their feelings, then I'm afraid that is going to further exacerbate the problem instead of solving it.>>



Are you serious? Are you really going to go and have a cry because they chose French instead whatever language you are into? Do you consider it discrimination? C'mon, maybe if this were a kindergarten you could lay a complaint with the Board of Trustees, or if this were a public institution you could lay a complaint with the Minister of Equality. But this is just a forum on the internet, and no one cares. It is this kind of PC dribble that is paralysing Western society.

Do you consider it discrimination when someone paints a street lamp yellow instead of blue? Do you consider it discrimination when someone walks runs rather than walks?

Yes, the question is about FRENCH! Take that Old Norse! French must be superior than Old Norse!
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Down with French in an English forum!
TruthMaster   Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:10 am GMT
<<How can you be so sure very few would have to consult a dictionary to fathom it out?
Down with any die-hard f**king s××t Eurocentrism! >>

Well, according to all of the French fanatics here , French is an international language spoken on 5 continents. The language of diplomacy and culture. So it's not really 'Eurocentrism', but rather 'Earthcentrism'.