beak wrote:

Yes indeed - why on earth not!  My only concern is that information useful to all may be locked away in a language we do not speak, and I would encourage all users of those sub-forums to help guard against this where possible - though I'm not sure how!

Given that the forum as a whole is based on English, I would encourage those using other language sub-forums (can't stand 'fora') to keep in touch with everyone, and not bury yourselves forever, out of sight, in a sub-forum.

In order to make the sub-forums more permeable, maybe it´d be a good idea translating (or to translate? I´ve always had the same problem with gerunds...) several important posts. For example, the FAQ and forum rules posts are useful in every language, but you´ve pointed at something big: How could, for example, an interesting discussion in German be carried to the English (and main) forum? As far as I can go, I can try anything interesting that pops up in Spanish and vice-versa. For example, if someone wants something translated from English to "insert-target-language-here", it takes just a little effort to contribute. At least that´s what I´m going to try to do, provided it doesn´t get too big!

BTW, I agree. I can´t see "fora" as an usable word in the world we live in. I´m deep into classical languages, but this is plainly unnatural for any 21st century speakers, just like curricula, quora and other plurar neutral terms.

beak wrote:

Let's face it, even English divides us across the Atlantic!  I know full well that my colloquial British English will be a mystery to some Americans, but there is no way I'm going to speak a degraded 'World English' form just for that reason.  It has long been my contention that modern American English and British English are two different languages, and that time should be taken to learn them as such, and respect their differences.

Glad you mention that. Since in a forum like this the only way to communicate is via writing, all the little differences in our writing / speaking only enriches the whole result. Here we appear to others like we write, so differences welcome! (and encouraged if you aske me).