> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mats Nygren [mailto:nygren at sics.se]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 1:59 PM
> To: squeak at cs.uiuc.edu
> Subject: [OT] Apologies
>
> <snip>
> While I'm at it, thanks for the patience with my lousy spelling of
> English.

This raises an issue I'd like to touch on momentarily.

To: All List Members whose natal tongue is *not* English

Please, resist the urge to apologize for your command of English.  You're
doing fine.  Fact is, you're doing great!  Having done poorly in several
attempts to learn other languages over the years I am very impressed by
anyone who can communicate in a language they weren't "born into",
especially one as irregular, illogical, and linguistically confused as
English.  I think that you all should stop apologizing, give yourselves a
big pat on the back, and feel good about yourselves.  You're communicating.
Your ideas are getting through.  If anyone is giving you a bad time about
spelling or grammar, rest assured that they are fools.  (And if anyone is
grading these messages for spelling or grammar it's obvious that they don't
have enough to do).  It's those of us who are incoherent/mute in any
language but English (and occasionally in English as well :-) who should
apologize.

Bob Jarvis
Compuware @ Timken