dog bites

[Erica Greene]

Just wanted to comment:
Dog bites - The original post had quite a few typos in it.  A number of 
people responded sarcastically to these typos.  I find myself offended by 
that.  As this is a worldwide network, it is logical that there will be 
posts from people who did not grow up in English speaking countries.  
Should we request that these people not participate unless they are 
interested in being ridiculed?  Or perhaps, that they consult a certified 
translator prior to posting?  As an American living in a non-English 
country, I was always surprised when my fellow students showed jealousy 
at the fact that I could spend half of the time with textbooks and 
research material as I didn't have to translate first.  Now I am 
beginning to understand why.  I know that some of my fellow grad 
students are wary of using the net precisely because they are intimidated 
by its all-English forum (even though many speak English quite well, 
writing is a bit more intimidating).    I truly hope (especially as 
cultural differences has been a hot topic lately) that our intent is not 
to discourage people from using the net.  Let's be a little more tolerant.

Erica Greene
Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev 
Beersheva Israel