English Please? Excuse Me?

Hello, lovely tatters.  Yes, I know, I’m posting to my blog two days in a row.  How will you ever get over the shock?!  Trust me; I’m just as shocked as you.

I need to vent a bit about something I saw in one of the tatting groups.  Someone made an excellent video about a technique, but it was in language other than English.  I didn’t think anything of it, I can follow video directions and hers were very clear.  I gave it a like, said "thank you" in English and I saved it for future reference.  I’m a hoarder that way.  Anyway, I thought nothing more about it until I saw what someone wrote in the post comments:

“English please”.

Excuse me?  I thought that was exceptionally rude, to be honest.  Every social media platform has a translate button.  If your social media platform doesn’t offer one, there are a dozen other ways you can translate something with any one of uncountable apps on your phone, tablet, or computer.

As for translating a video, just watch it.  If it’s not of good visual quality, politely ask for some clarification.  I’m sure the person making the video is able to use THEIR translate button and can understand what you’re asking.  If the video is of good quality and you can see what’s being said, then turn down the volume if it bothers you and watch and learn anyway.

Let’s put it into perspective: You’ve made a video or shared a pattern.  You’re very pleased with your accomplishment, as you should be.  You proudly post your finished product on the social media platform you’re using, and suddenly, out of nowhere, you get a message:

“ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΡΑΚΑΛΩ” or

“Nederlands graag” or

“ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ” or

“Español por favor” or

“можно по русски” or any one of a hundred thousand languages spoken at any given moment on this big blue ball we call home.

You’ve put a lot of your time, your talent, and your heart into this, and now they’re expecting you to TRANSLATE it?  How are you supposed to know what language is needed?

That’s my point.  You don’t.  In 2019, there were more than 200 main-stream languages spoken in the world.  The top ten were:

1.     Mandarin

2.     Spanish

3.     English

4.     Hindi

5.     Arabic

6.     Bengali

7.     Portuguese

8.     Russian

9.     Japanese

10. Punjabi/Lahnda

 These are just the 10 most-spoken, and English wasn’t even first!  There are lots more that are used, ON A DAILY BASIS, and many people who don’t speak English as a first language are fluent in at least two others.  Most people who speak English as a first language (I’m ashamed to admit myself included) can’t speak much of another language.  Sadly, some won’t. 

Folks, we’re tatters.  We partake in an artform that is practiced ALL OVER OUR WORLD!!  We speak knots and thread, which in my opinion is a language unto itself. The videos are fairly easy to watch and interpret, even with the volume off. There are people in the groups who can translate a written pattern for you if you don’t understand the terminology. I’ll bet you any money though that if you just sit down with a pencil and a notebook, you can figure it out from the photo that’s shared with the pattern.  If the pattern is graphed, as so many are any more, you don’t need to translate!  It’s right there!  Of course, you need to post photos of your work because we all want to see your interpretation, and you’ll need to credit the originating artist, but it’s do-able!  I’ve done it! 

This is a small world.  It’s getting smaller every day.  We have a broader reach and a bigger view than we have had in any other time in history.  It’s also very difficult to remember that we do share this tiny world with people that sound, look, or act differently.  Being a little more open to different things might be an education we will enjoy.  Remember, to someone else, you’re the foreigner!

Happy tatting, my friends!