LPGA requires English

[Joel S. Berson]

Thanks, Laurance.  But where is Dennis Baron when we need his word?  :-)

Harrington's point about golfers with disabilities (of various kinds)
is something I hadn't thought of, and I imagine well taken:  the LGPA
policy would seem to be a violation of the U.S. "Persons with
Disabilities" act (but probably only arguable by a person adversely affected).

I note also that Spanish language television provided consecutive
translation to and from English for the recent Superliga soccer
tournament (Mexican and U.S. club teams) -- when interviewing U.S.
players who did not speak Spanish, the interviewer asked the question
in both languages, and translated the answer into Spanish.  Certainly
seems possible for the LGPA to provide the same for the Koreans who
have won nearly 30% of this year's Tour events -- after all, golf is
a more slow-moving game than soccer.

Joel

At 8/28/2008 12:38 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>See now the response of golfer Padraig Harrington to the new LPGA
>language policy, including the observation that it would seem to bar
>those who can only use sign language:
>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/sports/golf/28golf.html?
>
>LH
>
>
>At 3:50 PM -0400 8/27/08, Joel S. Berson wrote:
>>For the Web of Language?
>>
>>"Golf Tour's Rule for Women: Speak English to Stay in Play".
>>NYTimes, August 27, page 1, col. 1.
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/sports/golf/27golf.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=golf%20english%20play&st=cse&oref=slogin
>>
>>"Concerned about the appeal to sponsors, the women's professional
>>golf tour, which in recent years has been dominated by
>>foreign-born  players, has warned its members that they must become
>>conversant in English by 2008 or face suspension." [Etc.]
>>
>>An AP feed, which as published in the Boston Globe also today is
>>shorter, says "The rule is effective immediately for new players. ...
>>The Tour held a mandatory meeting with South Koreans last Wednesday
>>at the Safeway Classic to inform them of the new policy, which was
>>first reported by Golfweek magazine."  (The NYT may have the same; I
>>haven't read its entire article.)
>>
>>Would the (G)PGA players stand still for this?  (In fact, will the
>>ladies?)  I am eagerly awaiting Ernie Els refusimg to do interviews
>>unless the questions are translated into Afrikaans and he can reply
>>in Afrikaans.  And will the French LGP Association insist on
>>simultaneous or perhaps sequential translation to and from French?
>>
>>Joel
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org