Internet DRAFT - draft-wood-discussion-beyond-english
draft-wood-discussion-beyond-english
Network Working Group L. Wood
Internet-Draft Surrey alumni
Intended status: Experimental November 19, 2016
Expires: May 23, 2017
Discussion beyond English on IETF mailing lists
draft-wood-discussion-beyond-english-00
Abstract
The IETF requires English for technical discussion in working groups,
in working group documents and in anything considered for
publication. Use of English simplifies overhead and makes for clear
discussion of a single document in a single language, but
disadvantages those who lack fluency and comfort in English.
This document proposes setting up talk mailing lists for languages
other than English, where technical matters can be discussed in
comfort, and perhaps even be written up in internet-draft form in a
language other than English. Once technical ideas are in place, a
draft can move forward to a working group in English.
Exposing non-English speakers to the IETF will, in the interests of
diversity, allow them to gain familiarity with IETF processes while
discussing with other fluent speakers of their language. This
benefits the IETF by attracting a broader constituency while meeting
its diversity goals.
Status of This Memo
This Internet-Draft is submitted to IETF in full conformance with the
provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79.
Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute
working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet-
Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/.
Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months
and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any
time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference
material or to cite them other than as "work in progress."
This Internet-Draft will expire on May 23, 2017.
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Internet-Draft Discussion beyond English November 2016
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2016 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
(http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
publication of this document. Please review these documents
carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect
to this document.
This document may not be modified, and derivative works of it may not
be created, except to format it for publication as an RFC or to
translate it into languages other than English.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Details considered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
4. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
6. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1. Introduction to Proposal
We propose that the IETF set up a number of non-working-group mailing
lists for discussion in different languages. These can be run as
talk-[ISO639 language code]@ietf.org, e.g. talk-ja@ietf.org for
Japanese, talk-zh@ietf.org for Chinese, etc [ISO639].
Experienced IETFers fluent in each language can volunteer and be
assigned to guide each discussion, explaining IETF matters, and
dealing with technical issues. They can guide ideas to draft form in
the appropriate language, and eventually to the IETF's working
language of English. A list in the language can be set it up if one
or two IETFer guides are available and willing to follow discussion.
2. Details considered
For simplicity and clarity, ISO-639-1:2002 two-letter coding takes
precedence. More complex codings are unlikely to be required at this
early stage.
While working group discussion is in English and working group drafts
are in English, and normally in ASCII, there is nothing requiring
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Internet-Draft Discussion beyond English November 2016
individual internet-drafts to be in English or in ASCII. Other forms
of individual draft, e.g. portable document format (pdf), are
suitable for non-Roman transcriptions.
talk-en@ietf.org is arguably redundant, as the main IETF mailing
list, ietf@ietf.org, has general English discussion. However, a
place where English-speaking newcomers to the IETF feel more welcome
before diving into technical workgroup discussion may be appropriate.
Discussion in Asian language around e.g. local DNS use may be a
useful starting point for this proposal.
3. Security Considerations
Opening more mailing lists in more languages raises questions about
keeping discussion appropriate to the IETF, rather than veering
offtopic to e.g. local political issues, and questions of IETF limits
of scope and liability must be answered. The mailing list rules of
the IETF apply here. Translating those rules into the local language
and periodically informing new subscribers of them and keeping
discussion on-topic will be necessary.
4. IANA Considerations
There are no IANA considerations.
5. Acknowledgements
We thank the IETF mailing list for much discussion of diversity.
6. Normative References
[ISO639] ISO, , "ISO 639-1:2002 Codes for the representation of
names of languages -- Part 1: Alpha-2 code", International
Standards Organization , 2002.
Author's Address
Lloyd Wood
University of Surrey alumni
Sydney, New South Wales
Australia
Email: L.Wood@society.surrey.ac.uk
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