LPGA requires English

[Dennis Baron]

I'm here -- just haven't posted yet. I also teach, and we just started
the semester this week. I used the stories about the LPGA in my class,
but I'll be posting in a day or two.

D
____________________
Dennis Baron
Professor of English and Linguistics
Department of English
University of Illinois
608 S. Wright St.
Urbana, IL 61801

office: 217-244-0568
fax: 217-333-4321

http://illinois.edu/goto/debaron

read the Web of Language:
http://illinois.edu/goto/weboflanguage







On Aug 28, 2008, at 12:25 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: LPGA requires English
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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
>>>
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>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
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