italki discussions and notebooks are quite interesting. It's given me some insight into how different people in different places interpret meanings in a language.
Although the location might be written falsely, I notice that from one particular country, there is a propensity for a minority of the ESL learners to write very coarse and vulgar language. Or sometimes, the replies are so direct, we would consider them as being personally rude.
There was one post with such aggressive profanity in it, I was amazed that italki had left it up. I don't watch every single post but I hardly see the neccesity for such postings to exist in a serious langauge site. Whilst I do not want to be looked as being overtly sensitive, I do think there are some sensible thresholds of decency that need to be maintained from whatever the country of origin. What say you all?
I think you have all the right to flag that post Learner SC because it's inappropriate! There is no place for coarse and vulgar language on italki, no matter who wrote it or where he/ she is from. Sometimes ESL students don't even know that they are using vulgar language (,")
If it feels hostile to you, flag it. I think the key thing is hostility, aggressiveness, or disrespectfulness.
Personally I wouldn't want to see a swearing ban added to the italki code of conduct. Swearing can be incredibly inappropriate, yes, but it is a part of language, and therefore shouldn't be a taboo subject for discussion with learners. Let's not be naive: learners watch enough movies to know all the swear words, and they have a right to know what they mean.
I've seen sincere questions about swear words on here before that nobody dared answer. I did because I don't think swearing should be accessible to native speakers only: All language knowledge is everyone's right, no exception. For instance, some learners think that f*** is just "informal English" - how can we tell them (and viewers of their posts) that that's wrong if we just flag them?
However I totally agree that gratuitous swearing is inappropriate here. If (and only if) it's abusive, you should flag the post. But my view: if it's not directed at anyone, you should simply tell them that their language register is incorrect for this website and move on. It's just one post, it'll get buried under a hundred others in no time anyway.
I agree with Mumtaz
There is no need for vulgarity or profanity on this website.
It adds nothing to language learning.
It's disappointing, demeaning and disrespectful.
I say "Flag the #%*@!#*" .............. ooops :):):)
Good post Learner SC
