DrZEUS
join:2004-01-13
Mississauga, ON
| Teksavvy "IMPORTANT NOTICE" Emails
I was just wondering why are the Teksavvy email notices (for example the most recent "Upcoming network maintenance" notice) start off in French with the "English version below"?
Yes I know we live in a bilingual country and no I have nothing against Francophones (heck im from the Toronto area and am a die hard Habs fan  ). However, given the fact most Canadians are predominantly English speaking, I would just think that the English version would come first.
Not a huge deal just an observation.  |
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mlerner
Premium
join:2000-11-25
Nepean, ON | I'm always taken back when companies do that but then again if it was English first then they would be complaining and the shoe would be on the other foot. |
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dtsang
join:2003-08-16
Kingston, ON | reply to DrZEUS
Given the fact that most "bilingual" things (e.g. packaging) have English first, it's only fair that, at least occasionally, the French is first! |
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dandin1
join:2008-05-27
| reply to DrZEUS
When you're bilingual, as most francophones here are, if presented with the english portion first you'll just read it without realising there's a french portion--effectively making me feel stupid and wasting the company's bilingual effort.  Really, both are inconvenient for a different group of people, but I think scrolling down for .2 seconds is the least.
A good example where putting the minority language first is important is when you're an announcer. I went to the Ottawa Animation Festival, and the announcer would say the name of the next short in english first. The problem was that everyone would start applauding right after he was done in english, over the voice of the announcer. |
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DrZEUS
join:2004-01-13
Mississauga, ON | reply to DrZEUS
The reason English is "first" is because majority rules. You would think that the majority would take precedent. |
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Scoop
join:2006-08-05
Kanata, ON | reply to DrZEUS
Who really cares?  |
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jfmezei
Premium
join:2007-01-03
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to DrZEUS
I have news for you, the Gaudrault brothers are franco ontarians. You've been doing business with a french canadian company without knowing it !
Some announcements have english first and others have french first. This one was french first. Many others were in english only or english first.
There are far more important issues to complain about, such as the lack of Teksavvy branded underwear and socks, and of course discount coupons for TimBits.
Do you prefer that they spend time adding a "english only customer" flag in the customer database and update their email scripts to send an english only version of their messages, (costing us extra money), or that they focus on what they do well: RUN AN ISP ! |
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JayMan
Whoot
Premium
join:2002-06-05
Earth | reply to DrZEUS
I suspect because if sending to quebec clients they need to put the french first and it's just easier to do it to everyone that way. |
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TSI Marc
Premium,VIP
join:2006-06-23
Chatham, ON | If English was the lesser used language, we would put it first. It's a politeness thing.
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TSI Marc - TekSavvy Solutions Inc. |
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mugabeo
join:2006-01-30
canada | reply to DrZEUS
Actually, it doesn't start off in French, it specifically begins with "(English version below)"
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Rastan
join:2007-04-25
Canada | reply to DrZEUS
I think mugabeo got you on a technicality. |
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ShadPTR
join:2008-01-23
Markham, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to DrZEUS
Just thought I'd chime in, it's not that important to me. I tip my hat to my french brothers and sisters.
Though I will never be a habs fan! muhahah!  |
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Grounded
join:2007-12-13
canada
| reply to jfmezei
said by jfmezei  :There are far more important issues to complain about, such as the lack of Teksavvy branded underwear and socks, and of course discount coupons for TimBits. Why the hell isn't there any Teksavvy underwear? Surely it would be far superior to any overpriced & unfairly limited underwear that might come from Bell.
Now I'm steamed! |
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LiQuiD
BSD geek
Premium
join:2002-08-08
Anjou, QC
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to ShadPTR
said by ShadPTR :Though I will never be a habs fan! muhahah! That's your loss :P
--
Windows is the virus. Linux is the vaccine, FreeBSD is the CURE |
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cluster5
join:2005-10-12
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Marketbridge Techn..
edit:
October 6th, @11:39AM
| reply to DrZEUS
said by DrZEUS :I was just wondering why are the Teksavvy email notices (for example the most recent "Upcoming network maintenance" notice) start off in French with the "English version below"? Yes I know we live in a bilingual country and no I have nothing against Francophones (heck im from the Toronto area and am a die hard Habs fan ). However, given the fact most Canadians are predominantly English speaking, I would just think that the English version would come first. Not a huge deal just an observation. Gee... Imagine if you were a francophone, you'd prbably have a heart attack seeing you couldn't even be served in french anymore in some places like in Gatineau and Montréal (convinient store, gas stations, some taxis).
On the rare occasion where a company takes the time to respect the language duality of this great nation, the order of wich languages are presented is far from beeing an issue.
I applaud TekSavvy for not thinking every client is anglophone or bilingual (Yes, often francophone are refered to not as francophone but bilinguals) and for not forcing bilingual people to read in the other language when they SHOULDN'T have to.
[END POLITICAL/CULTURAL STATEMENT] :P |
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pablo2525
join:2003-06-23
edit:
October 6th, @12:11PM
| reply to TSI Marc
Gee, imagine that ... someone being considerate of others.
Letting the Cat out of the Bag
I'm an American (who now also has Canadian citizenship) living in Quebec.
I find it sad to see the bickering between separatism and non-, English vs French, etc.
When I moved to Quebec, I decided to make an attempt at learning French. My French is awful and because all of my clients are US or foreign who speak English, I can't practice the little French I've learned.
Using my own money, I paid for French lessons. Why? Out of respect for the people in Quebec.
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pablo
openSUSE 11.0;KDE
ISP: TekSavvy DSL; backhauled via a 6KM wireless link |
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tertech
join:2008-04-12
Ottawa, ON
edit:
October 6th, @01:00PM
| said by pablo2525 :Gee, imagine that ... someone being considerate of others. Letting the Cat out of the BagI'm an American (who now also has Canadian citizenship) living in Quebec. I find it sad to see the bickering between separatism and non-, English vs French, etc. When I moved to Quebec, I decided to make an attempt at learning French. My French is awful and because all of my clients are US or foreign who speak English, I can't practice the little French I've learned. Using my own money, I paid for French lessons. Why? Out of respect for the people in Quebec. How ya doin fellow markin?
I find it all somewhat amusing. While working on a contract in the Quebec Legislature National Assembly everyone gave me a hard time because I didn't speak French. At the time, they had just changed the slogan on their license plates. I asked "I know what the words 'je me souvien' mean but what's the reason behind that?" They told me it means they remember "how badly you English treated us for so many years". I pointed out that I may speak English, but that I am not English; my country booted out English ass over 200 years ago. After that we got along fine and they took me to all the fantastic restaurants in Quebec City. |
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DjEclipse
join:2007-11-20
Niagara Falls, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to DrZEUS
said by DrZEUS :I was just wondering why are the Teksavvy email notices (for example the most recent "Upcoming network maintenance" notice) start off in French with the "English version below"? Yes I know we live in a bilingual country and no I have nothing against Francophones (heck im from the Toronto area and am a die hard Habs fan ). However, given the fact most Canadians are predominantly English speaking, I would just think that the English version would come first. Not a huge deal just an observation. I agree, English is this country's first language, english should always be first. |
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cluster5
join:2005-10-12
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Marketbridge Techn..
edit:
October 6th, @01:16PM
| Unfortunately, there's no such thing as first or second. There are two official laguages. There's no debate that one is spoken more than the other. According to history, the first language would be some sort of native one, then probably some scandinavian . |
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pablo2525
join:2003-06-23
| reply to tertech
said by tertech :How ya doin fellow markin? `Hey, does anyone speak American here?' - joke people, joke! Before someone calls the Doctor (not to be confused by The Doctor), that's a joke. Did I mention, that's a joke?
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pablo
openSUSE 11.0;KDE
ISP: TekSavvy DSL; backhauled via a 6KM wireless link |
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