RE: So...how do I break into tech writing?

["Tracy Boyington" <tracy_boyington -at- okcareertech -dot- org>]

Well, what *I'm* missing is how you could interpret this:

> But one thing I have that they can never match is verbal ability...with the
>*English* language, anyway!

to mean this:

>2 - As a native English speaker, my English skills are probably superior to
>the English skills of people who have learned English as a second (or later)
>language, though not necessarily superior to their language skills in their
>native (first) language. 

IMHO, Randy's statement that "they canNEVER match" his English skills (emphasis mine) doesn't leave room for your rather generous assumption that he really means "probably." I also don't think it's accurate to assume all "foreign programmers" learned English as a second (or later) language.

It's interesting, from a tech writing (and therefore on topic :-D ) point of view, to see how many different ways people can interpret this statement. It's offensive. No, it's not. It's obviously a joke. No, it's not funny. It's a narrow-minded, self-centered, egotisticalboast. No, it's a glowing endorsement of non-US-born programmers and an admission that I cannot compete with them. It's a floor wax. No, it's a dessert topping.

You know what it *really* is? It's a reminder that something which isobviously whiteto me isgreyto someone else, and black to a third person. And vice versa. Oh, and it's also a reminder that if you're trying to joke around with4000 people who can't see your face or hear your tone of voice, a smiley is often called for.

But we all knew that, didn't we?



====================================================
Tracy Boyington     tracy_boyington -at- okcareertech -dot- org
Oklahoma Department of Career & Technology Education
Stillwater, OK          http://www.okvotech.org/cimc
====================================================

>>> Elizabeth Estep <EEstep -at- mrisystem -dot- com> 10/10/00 11:44AM >>>
Sorry to be obtuse, but what exactly is so offensive? The use of the work
foreign? All this person said, at least as I read it, was: 

1 - I can't compete with the foreign trained programmers as a programmer. 
2 - As a native English speaker, my English skills are probably superior to
the English skills of people who have learned English as a second (or later)
language, though not necessarily superior to their language skills in their
native (first) language. 
3 - I'd like to leverage my inferior programming skills and superior English
skills to find a niche in the software field. 

I can't find anything in there that implies that programmers from another
country are inferior either as programmers, users of their first language,
or people. 

So, am I missing something, or are you?