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Re[4]: Examination for Japanese tech communicators
Subject:Re[4]: Examination for Japanese tech communicators From:"Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 10 Mar 1995 11:49:00 -0600
How many Americans do you know who can translate technical Japanese
into technical English? Can you? Do you know anyone?
I know at least three, probably with some thought I could come up with plenty
more. I can't do it myself, but that's not the point. The point is that they
exist, and they are not in hiding. Draw your own conclusions as to why they
aren't being used. I neither know nor care.
How many people
do you know who know Japanese fluently enough, but can't find work
because those Japanese companies are not giving them work???
The ones I know used to work for the Japanese, but quit. Many reasons, but a
contributing factor which surfaces time and again is they (and their families)
were discriminated against because they weren't Japanese. If you'll let me
quilify that question with the addition of "on terms they felt they could live
with" I'd say "Evidentally, all of them."
I wasn't the person the remarks I quoted above were addressed to, but I felt I
had to jump in here. Folks, I know we love to rant about how ignorant Americans
are, and how utterly wonderful the ________ are (fill in your own favorite
nationality here). And vice versa. But the real truth is none of those dogs will
hunt. No one nationality has the corner on fairness, truth, justice, clarity,
stupidity or incompetence. There are good and terrible examples of both.
Let's just take it as read that we're all both wonderful and terrible as a
general characteristic of our race (homo sapiens) and get on with tech writing.
<Gadzooks, ME playing peacemaker?? I gotta switch soda brands!!>
Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 24
Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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