System language

[admin]

Until yesterday (September 21st) the forum's system language was Lakota with some English. Because many newly registered members complained that the forum is hard to navigate, in part due to the system language, we decided to keep English as the default system language.

Beginning with today forum members can choose their own system language. This is done in USER CONTROL PANEL under BOARD PREFERENCES.

Languages currently available are:

British English
American English
Lakota with some English
Lakota
German
Czech

We can add more languages upon request (French, Spanish etc.)

The difference between the two Lakota versions is as follows:

1. Lakota with some English
Most of the labels, buttons and navigation are in Lakota but occasionally the English meaning is given in brackets. This makes many buttons longer and thus the overall display of pages less tidy. Some labels and buttons have a "mouse-over" translation.

2. Lakota
No brackets with English meaning of buttons are provided. Some labels and buttons have a "mouse-over" translation.

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Neither of the two versions is actually comprehensive - i.e. many of the system language items remain in English. We will continue developing the terminology and gradually translate the entire system language into Lakota, provided there is sufficient interest in this among forum members. So give us feedback here.

We do encourage forum members who are beyond the beginner level to use Lakota as the system language and thus immerse themselves in quite a bit of the language.

Forum administrators

[Jana]

Wóphila tȟáŋka!
I'm glad to have Lakota back - the "Lakota with some English" version is great! Thus, the whole forum is a textbook.

Tókša!
Jana

[admin]

Thanks for the feedback, Jana.

We just added a poll above the announcement, so please place your vote.

[Brigitte]

Wow, that was fast!
My heartfelt thanks to all who have launched these system languages that extremely fast!
Really great!

[David E]

I think it would be an excellent idea to continue translating the system terminology into Lakota and eventually create a version entirely in Lakota. It will help Jan too because those terms can go into the NLD.

Thanks for all the great work!

Dave

[Jan]

Tȟaŋháŋši David,

thanks for the encouraging words. Anybody's help on this would be greatly welcome. It has to be well thought through so that the system language is:

1) systematic
2) simple enough (avoiding long word or multi-word terms as much as possible)
3) based on proper morphology and/or idiom
4) consistent
5) logical

Jan

[Rolf]

Mitákuyepi, wóphila tȟáŋka!

The few days when the system language was entirely English I actually missed the Lakota version. I’m happy now things are as they used to be. I’ve tried the German setting but it felt too strange. After all English is used as the meta-language and it is obsolete to trouble the brain with three languages at on time.

Though I had the thought, that it might well be a chance for those interested in studying Lakota, who are not fluent in English. But than these users would have no acces neither to vocabulary nor to grammar explanations, so: cui bono?

If some day in the far future I should reach a proficiency like for instance Nina, Kevin or Ali, I’d rather volunteer to moderate a section with German as meta-language, but I am still lightyears away from that. And besides that, there a Germans here with far more proficiency than me, like Jana or Bavariangirl.

But maybe this could be a long-term idea for other languages as well.

[Kostya]

If some day in the far future I should reach a proficiency like for instance Nina, Kevin or Ali, I’d rather volunteer to moderate a section with German as meta-language, but I am still lightyears away from that. And besides that, there a Germans here with far more proficiency than me, like Jana or Bavariangirl.

But maybe this could be a long-term idea for other languages as well.

--Rolf, IMHO, a moderator should not be an expert in the topic, his/her main talent should be the abilty to pacify fighters, make that nobody felt offended, and do some technical support...
So if there are many active Iyášičapi, we can start a Deutsch forum as well as Czech one...

[Rolf]

Kostya, at the moment I do not see a reason why the few active Iyášičapi should need an own forum for they seem to be quite happy using English as a meta-language. What I meant was one for those who lack the necessary proficiency in English and need the help of somebody who explains things in German, which would indeed require a lot of Lakota knowledge.

Anyway, if now or later you have any use for my abilities, feel free to contact me anytime.

[Kostya]

Wird gemacht

[mitchmiye]

I think it would be helpful to create a separate javascript quiz on the Lakhota version of the system language/terminology. This perhaps could be a quick (and fun) way to get members up to speed on these Lakhota forum terms, so they can move away from the English version that much quicker.

Mitch

[Nina]

If you use the "Lakota with some English" option, just mouse-over the Lakota headings and a tool-tip with the English translation appears. The "Lakota only" option has most of them too. So in effect, there is already a built-in way to learn some more Lakota quite painlessly

Nina

[Mary B. Allberry]

Thank you for Lakota with some Engllish-very useful for beginner! New to site but think it will
help me a lot! Pilamaya, Mary

[Mary B. Allberry]

I would like Lakota with some English. Great website! Mary B.Allberry

[Jana]

Mary, sčépȟaŋši,

You can set the language yourself at your User Control Panel.
I love the Lakota with some English variant. It's great for beginners.

Tókša akhé!
Jana

[RunningWolf]

I like the option that I can choose and as I advance, perhaps one day set to Lakota only.

RW