LL-L "Administrativa" 2001.10.17 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 17.OCT.2001 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/>
 Rules: <http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/rules.html>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachian, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic, Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Administrativa

Dear Lowlanders,

Like all "serious" email discussion lists, Lowlands-L has always had and
probably will always have a silent majority of what in Internet jargon are
known as "lurkers."  These are subscribers that follow other subscribers'
discussions and never participate in the open forum themselves.

While I would never suggest that list lurking is bad or shameful, I would like
to encourage our resident lurkers to consider participating.  This applies in
particular to those who occasionally or even frequently respond to postings
but do so only by sending private communication to those who have posted.  I
have received quite a few such responses to my own and other people's postings
in private.  Never has any of the responses seemed inappropriate or
unintelligent, and every time I regretted that they had not been shared with
the entire list.  I know that at least two other regularly contributing
subscribers have had similar experiences and also feel that there is much
untapped potential among our lurkers.  In other words, there are occasional
off-list discussions that ought to be on-list discussions, discussions that
would benefit the entire list.

>From private correspondence with subscription applicants and with lurking
subscribers I know that there is widespread fear of "making a fool of
oneself," based on the false assumption or impression that all participating
subscribers must be "qualified," must be linguists, ethnologists or whatever
"specialists," must at least be expertly informed laypersons.  On Lowlands-L
we welcome discussions on *any* level, including the most basic level, as long
as they are within the allowable subject range.

If you have a basic question, please ask it.  If you fear you would receive
"high-flown" replies, just state as part of your inquiry that you have no
expert knowledge and are unfamiliar with certain terms and concepts.  If you
do not understand something, do not hesitate to ask the list for
clarification.  If your question is a frequently asked one, someone will
answer it, and we might even consider creating a frequently asked questions
list to which we can refer people in the future.  One thing you need not fear,
and that is ridicule.  Lowlands-L is not elitist and confrontational in nature
as long as I have anything to do with it.  I do not like censoring, and it has
happened rarely in the six and a half years of Lowlands-L that I refused to
post a submission (i.e., asked the originator to remove or rework something
clearly or potentially offensive).  However, I do not hesitate at all to
reject any posting submission in which people are ridiculed or blatantly
patronized because of their level of knowledge and understanding.

Please bear in mind that asking "naïve" questions, expressing false
assumptions or making erroneous statements is nothing to be embarrassed about,
that, indeed, it is bound to be the first step toward improved knowledge --
for *everyone*, including the supposed "experts."  Lowlands-L subscribers are
a very diverse group, also in terms of interests and education.  No subscriber
ought to feel that his/her only rightful place is in the listeners' gallery.
We welcome and value your participation.

Friendly regards,
Reinhard "Ron" Hahn
Lowlands-L

P.S.: You will find our rules and guidelines here:
http://www.geocities.com/sassisch/rhahn/lowlands/rules.html

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