Bitcoin Forum

Recently I've been browsing the French subforum of BitcoinTalk - I'm a Canadian who frequently visits Quebec every once in a while - as such my French is rusty but I can understand the basic premise of what's being discussed.

Not sure there's many reading this from those subforums, but actually genuinely curious if anyone else does this to perhaps improve their fluency in other languages. I have tried to post in the past, usually erasing my response due to anxiety of getting sentences wrong - honestly curious if anyone in those subforums would care or mind?

You can speak two or more languages as long as you understand and have some certain level in order to not annoy the local users. I think you can try it, if your post not get deleted by the moderator, you're fine.

But you actually can use google translate if you just want to seek an answer from the local community or answering someone else post that mention your username. The only thing forbid of google translate usage is when you use that for making money or abuse e.g. translating a bounty project, trying to become a local poster etc.

It depends on local board mod. If he is strict and if it is difficult to understand what you are trying to say, he may delete it as a spam unless you create a separate topic dedicated to your desire to learn that language.

I tried to do this with the Chinese language. I had a transaction that required me to travel there and I started to learn some words, but I did not find active members here, so it may be good for those who have the ability to write and understand sentences, but the wording remains weak, but it is understandable.

Feel free to post on the local board as long as you can read and write in their language without using any translation tools or AI. It's not necessary to be a local resident of that specific region, as long as you can effectively communicate your message in public.

The only exception I've observed is that you can post on another local board if you are mentioned and need to discuss important matters of any kind.

I think you can only read discussion over there but if you noticed you can't go in deep discussing with them you can raise it up in the general board (English board) for people to share with you their general overview.
Usually switching language may one day violate some of their rules which might got your post deleted maybe it could be seen as you were trying to read and interact with them through a translating tools which might stir up some misunderstanding between you and their local mod.

If it is necessary for some purpose to get to a local section the language of which you don't know, even if you use an online translator, better to double the text in English, because online translators are far from perfect and sometimes it is really hard to understand what do you mean. Having an opportunity to read the same in English makes it easier.

The same about speaking in other sections. I'd posted more often in some boards of which I know the language more or less, but it takes too much time and posts are still very short. If you understand the language, have not too many problems with its grammar and don't veil that you are not a native speaker, then why not to try to get to the board on this language? Locals will say if they are disappointed with your visits, but usually people are not against it.

Stay respectful, try to improve your language skills and everything will be okay.

Having discussions on the local board is not a prerequisites for being a member or to making post, it's only for those who think they have little issue to comprehend learning, speaking or reading English to find a local board they could post in their native dialect, if that is what is going to be another challenge, then why not maintain being in the general boards where English is the main official language of discussion.

I hope you didn't visit the 'Hors Sujet' section.

As long as you don't write "Tabernacle" or "Ostie de caribou", it should be fine (and be careful, the word "gosse" doesn't have the same meaning in France and in Quebec :)).
I'm pretty strict when someone posts for a paid work (translation) (I'm sick of the mining swimming-pools), but if it's at least understandable, there will be no big problem.

Heh, you know how to intrigue. You made me curious enough to insert the topic list from that section to an online translator... and right you are, there's nothing really remarkable... All my hopes to find there some secret knowledge are ruined! ;D

I sometimes visit local board in other countries. I can't speak their language but I translated it into Indonesian. I'm curious about what is discussed in local threads in other countries, so I do that, but I never comment there.

I think it's okay to visit local threads of other countries and you are also free to comment there

I guess it depends on how you maybe write in other local boards and whats the intention for your post there.
If you not spam and just have some or a question or you want to warn Users about something like a scam you should be good.
I have written a few times in the france section years ago in english as i dont wanted to use a translator tool.

In the german board there are sometimes a few visitors that are known and its not a problem if the write english.

It's like you're a spy, a silent rider.
But it's nice when you read a thread in another locale and find a unique discussion and then you create a thread in your own local board.
It's like finding ideas in other people's homes and sharing them with your family.

Visiting is fine but if you want to get involved in the discussion, do you think you should master their language instead of just translating from your language to the other person's local board language because every term, gist, and some vocabulary will have a different meaning?
It would seem strange because I have also found members from other local boards entering my local board in Indonesian, the language is even too stiff.

I think it comes back to your goal. If you just want to know what others are discussing right now, learning a new language is probably a tough thing to do. I'm interested in Japanese and Korean but I don't think making a new thread on the Japanese or Korean sub-boards is the best thing to do.

I also think that people who visit and make posts with Google Translate (but never explicitly said so) are quite annoying to some extent, but I don't mind if OP is interested in Indonesian and tries to make posts on the local board as long as he mentions that he's trying to learn the language.

I suppose it really depends on the moderators in that specific local forum. Personally, from what I recall, I've made some English posts in our local community, and those posts were not deleted. However, nowadays, we have many translation tools available, so there's no need to overthink it too much. If you genuinely want to contribute, I believe the moderators would understand even if your translations aren't perfect.

In fact, I've observed some users who like to post in the general boards where English is required, and their grammar isn't always correct. The key point here is that we are in a forum designed for sharing information and where anyone can both help and learn. So, don't consider it a significant issue; your grammar doesn't define your knowledge.

Lmao I've gone to Quebec enough to know better.
Thanks for the heads up though :)

I think they would mind, and ask, "you don't appear to be French native, who are you?" — something along the lines.

If someone tries to veil that they are not local, it looks suspicious. But if you say so openly, what's wrong? If you know some language enough to talk in it, I doubt that you'll meet with hostility in any local section just because you are not from a country or a region where this language is widely spoken.

There are problems only with those who don't understand the language at all, pretend to be local and uses some online translator or bot for that. I don't know for other local sections, but those ones who try to do so in Russian sections are making obvious mistakes, because some phrases formally can correspond with Russian grammar, but no one who even starts to learn Russian will never use. So if the one doesn't speak some language but pretends that he does, it looks that he has some dishonest intentions.

But if you understand the language and not hiding that you've learned it as a foreign, then it's okay. When people who learned Russian as a foreign language come to a Russian section we are glad to see them.

It's difficult if not downright inconsistent to learn a new language and the alphabet alone is different from our local language.
Japan and Korea seem to be quiet on the board, with not too many activities going on.

Trying to learn a new language and tell the truth that they are from another sub-local, rather than having to lie.
Remembering the past when the bounty campaign was still quite crowded with translators many claimed that they were local members of Russia, Korea, Japan, or from a quiet sub-local.

Even though they came from Indonesian or other sub-locals in order to get a quiet sub-local translator campaign.
Many members disguise themselves as if they are local members in order to get the opportunity to become a translator.

Well I don't know for you though but I think I will be very sincere about this particular reply am about to write because it's actually what was going through ma head  when I was still a novice or should I say newbie here in the forum. I was scared of even attempting to browse other sub local board but although I have my reason why, am not a language person don't know much even the one am speaking is a problem but curiosity wouldn't allow me to rest so I actually go and try reading what is going on but my case is different because I use Google translate to actually get a glance at what is being discussed but never once tried it for writing as I know how strict the forum can be sometimes.

This thinking is as a user, not as a local moderator.

I see people posted in global / English boards even with bad English so can you do the same in French local board?

I believe you are allowed to do this with at least acceptable, understandable French writing skills. Of course no need to habe perfect or proficient French. In the past, theymos shared his opinion that if a member can post in English as a second language, not good in vocab, grammar but if content is understandable, no big problem with him.

I think again it can be applied for your posts in French local board too.

Another issue is pointed by Halab. If this style is exploited to fill campaign post quota, it is wrong and will be detected. I don't imply you want to do this.

As far as I know, every local board is always supervised by mods/staff who are responsible for monitoring every discussion that is discussed in their respective locales, for this reason mods/local staff play an active role in taking action, if any other user answers and posts there, they will rate the detected grammar spam, language/translation errors and so on.

As in the French locale Rule[1].
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4964698.0

My assessment of what happened to the OP, maybe the reason it was deleted was because the French grammar didn't match the spelling, it was difficult to understand and so on, even though you understand a few percent of French grammar.

This was confirmed based on what was written by @Halab/local French staff.

I haven't deleted anything because Initscri hasn't written in the french section yet (or I'm going senile). So there is nothing to confirm.
And these "rules" are more like a "beware of the dog" sign, but there's only one toothless old yorkshire to guard the house. And when I wrote those "rules" I was still young, handsome and naive :).

Right, and this can be very different in local sections. If the one expects it is okay to answer the start post not taking into consideration the discussion thread like it usually happens in English sections, he will be very surprised that it is totally inappropriate in Russian sections. So it's better not even try to trash local sections with nonsensical AI posts or written with online translator posts. This is all very noticeable.

Different local sections live in their own style.

Your intentions is quite clear but it would be more permissible if you can first contact the admin of the french local board and express your interest in making comments.
I have not seen where a different nationality is permitted to post in the local board of another country, but there can be exceptions where permission is granted.

Technology has also made translation into other languages easy, as such, I don't think you should have a problem relating your message or comment, since you already have a prior primary knowledge.