Yesterday I had an unfortunate experience Steemit.
I confess I thought about leaving here.
I may be immolating myself in writing this post. You choose. That's just Steemit.
When I got Steemit I started writing some content in Spanish. What was the problem? My messages were not read. I imagine most of those who are non-native English have gone through this situation. The handicap of creating content in a virtually nonexistent community (fortunately is growing) is that there are no answers. Everyone, absolutely everyone, write to read us, so that we discuss and to feel part of the social network. Nobody wants to feel isolated texting vacuum. So I decided to translate my text.
I am aware that not mastered English. Yes, my English is bad. To the beginning, when wanted to comment in the post of others people I felt embarrassed and I apologize for my errors. Yet I was slowly losing the shame. I have to say that I have met many people from English-speaking who have treated me wonderfully. They got that I began to feel me comfortable and to share my opinions with others people that didn’t not judged me by my English level grammar.
Until yesterday
Yesterday I met with an article that made me feel really insulted. I will not name the author or links its contents for education. The post of which I speak is a protest to the whales that have voted content written by people who are not proficient in English. I haven’t come to earn money to Steemit. I even those who are whales. Understand the concept of whale but not them still or those named for begging their upvotes.
In the text the author tells what really hurt it feels for our failures to write in their own language. First he tries to clarify that not has anything against the people that do not master the English. Then he begins to criticize them to those people openly. It links several post and lists the defects of each one of them with content of the type "Full of grammatical errors" or "Just awful". Is clear that the intended to ridicule them to them. What really seems strange is that it names, I mean @names to draw attention, the whale who has voted in every post. Really he is monitoring where the votes of the whales go? Do people really do that?
In the following paragraphs he illustrates us with arguments like “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” (meme included) and he asks us to respect. ¿Really? Does anybody really dedicated to disparage others for their lack of knowledge may ask for respect? What first impression he believes that generates criticizing and despising others?
To end, he explains his true frustration. Oh, yes. The upvote of whales. If I was not enough clear. He does not mind that we write. What really bothers him is that we may be depriving writing in broken English (as he calls it).
He proposes a solution to this heartbreaking problem. He proposes a specific tag for all non- native speakers in English. Something like "secondlanguage" o ''ESLwriters”.
Dear friends, if you have no absolute mastery of English, you must write your content begin on a tag in which you feel comfortable. You have more in common with the others like you. If you do not offend, you could wear this yellow badge so that we can recognize you. Why not openly call this new tag ghetto?
I don’t know what hurts this user a whale to vote contained in "broken English" The author even raises the possibility that the whale in question thank the effort of a user to communicate in a language that is not their native. It is even possible that he do to strengthen the non-English speaking community. Or, who knows? Maybe the whale has liked the content and has not judged the author for his grammatical errors. Call me crazy.
I will always do everything possible to understand a person who tries to communicate with me.
Regardless of its grammatical or cultural level. I will always cherish the effort that person to adapt to my language. What I will not do is ever consider arguments that despise others for their origin or for any other reason. I seem much more harmful discriminatory arguments that spelling or grammar. I propose to create a tag for the discriminators. For people who believe in equality we do not have to see contaminated exclusive arguments.
Of course I will continue to write as I want.
I hope you do the same
@martaspn I love your response to that nasty name-shaming article of yesterday and I couldn't agree with you more.
The author even used one case of plagiarism for his/her name-shaming orgy. I found that rude, ridiculous, insulting - asking for respect can only come from a person who treats you respectful him/herself!
Keep going!
Wow . Thank you very much. All your contributions could be included in the post .
There are two types of people in this world. Those who feel superior and those who believe in equality . And I'm always on the side of good people .
I already left a comment on that article yesterday. I did not see any response, though.
I myself, am not a native speaker of english.
I understand, that people were not complaining about incorrect english, but about a high payout on posts that had bad english.
In a way, I have to agree;
It's a form of respect to at least try, to formulate a decent post.
Of course, that's true. One should not simply use Google translator to get a post in English. But that article in question was in parts a slap in the face of everyone who's not a native speaker.
Just, the most outrageous is that he has complained the money.
How do you know that people do not try ?
I think it was a great lack of respect and so I have expressed . But all opinions are welcome here.
As Steemit grows, I hope and believe we will see variations of Steemit in other languages or sections dedicated to other languages, we already see it starting now.
Now don't take this the wrong way, but promoting Steemit to your culture and which language you speak would have great benefits to yourself (especially early on like this ) and Steemits long-term worldwide growth, this is merely a suggestion.
My wife is Filipino, and she has posted several posts here (she is a foodie) and did ok on one post, but all of her posts related to the PH where all bombs, she has been somewhat demoralized and decided to take a little hiatus for now. However, it wasn't her English skills that made those posts a bust, she has spoken English her whole life and she also asks me to proofread all her writings before she submits them. The real issue is more of having enough people here on Steemit who are passionate enough about what you are writing to actually generate a decent payout, or be suckling from a whale teet.
I have not taken wrong. I agree with you on some things. I 'm looking forward to community established in Spanish . But while there are not enough people I think we should all live together in peace.
Thanks for your comment.
Wonderful user name!!
It is so not fair! Second language! Ok, then steemit is only for americans and english people! terrible! like your post.Peace
I want the name! ppplllease?
Peace and love! Remember. Don't be naughty!
Imagine that I wrote a post in Croatian, maybe 2-3 users could reply on that, lol!
jajajja , you would be very, very alone! And most importantly, I could not understand you in Croatian !
My biggest problem is dyslexia, but I try to convey and fek off to those that judge. Good post much better than my english and I am part UK English, I look at life with my spinal problems my walking problems, there is always somebody else much worse than me so i don't try to moan about it.
I want to congratulate you on your valence. Everyone we have trouble moving forward. But in your case you seem to have the most difficult things .
I think that really all you can get. And I 'm sure you can with what you want to achieve.
Thanks for your comment!!
(you have a new follower)
You are making very good points. This language elitism needs to stop.
Actually, I am not a native speaker,but I can offer my help proofreading some of your upcoming articles.,if you are interested.
Any help is well received . Thank you very much for your alago and thank you very much for offering . We can talk about it.
I'm glad to see you here @kooshikoo
I am totally agree Marta. The problem of this user is the money, not the poor grammar. My english is a bit bad but i am not involved with any whale. I am only trying to bring my best. But the discrimination is very common. Some people can´tolerate that the sun shine for all of us and not for only a few chosen. You and all non native english speakers have all my support . We are people too. We refuse to be confinated in a language or grammar ghetto. I can invite to this user to speak or chat with me in a perfect spanish, italian or portuguese, the others languages I can speak. Here we have a grammar /&%$.
thanks for comment salamanca. I think you've found the real point. The problem of this user is the money! Always the money.
I offer to talk to that much smarter user issues. I love the gif of Sofia Vergara
"Do you know how smart I am in spanish?"
People are being extra vigilant because so many people are copy-pasting, and auto-translating. Very often, grammatical errors are a sign of plagiarism, spam, article spinning, etc....
My advice is, just start the article with a brief disclaimer, such as:
"Thanks for your patience. English is my second language".
Please don't give up. Certainly if your content is original, some grammatical errors should be no reason to get any flags.
Good luck.
Thank you very much condra.
I try to make interesting content, it doesn't seem bad idea to put a little disclaimer.
At the moment I have not seen any flag here
tottaly agree with your point.
thanks!!
Upvoted marta!! Well said, we need to keep doing what we are doing !!
You know Sancho! :D
I've heard a gossip there are some Spanish people among whales )
I don't know. I'm not looking to whales upvote. Just thought I should say it. But I think an interesting gossip
Yes, I can see you are here not to catch a whale ) Otherways I just wouldn't bother to comment )
Well, indeed, most people here, including whales, don't seem to be affected by broken English.
If someone wants to be unhappy about that, what can we do?
exact!