what is polyglot ?

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Hello everybody

This message is inform you about what is, and what is not, the association polyglot, who will be well accepted and "integrated" to their meetings and who won't.

These is the voice of one particularly vocal member of polyglot association, francoisalex particularly active in the paris group.

This message is to ask you to evaluate if this association can fit you needs or not.

I'm trying to help francois to let his voice heard. I'll try to post the same message from time to time.

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POLYGLOT Club’s objective is to foster linguistic exchanges

BUT

1- Polyglot is not an association to know new people or make friends that are not uniquely interested in linguistic exchange. Anybody joining a polyglot meeting not solely with the intent of linguistic exchange will not well accepted/tolerated. If you go the with other intents it is highly probable that you will get bored yourself and that you may bore other people.

2- French speakers with medium/low level of English are not well tolerated ("Polyglot as an organization are unable to heal the linguistic misery of the French people."). French people who come to Polyglot meetings with a low level in English and no other interest in any other languages will find it difficult to socialize at Polyglot. It is highly probable that they will socialize with other French people with low English level and they will spend their time grumbling about the difficulty to learn English

3- The main languages spoken at polyglot meetings are Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese . Speakers of other languages might not find somebody willing to speak with them (And there will be no interest to know them outside the realm of linguistic exchange).

4- No Alcohol is admitted or it is admitted in very small quantities. This will be strictly policed by the active polyglot members.

5- Strictly no smoking according with the current regulations. In particular illicit drugs will be absolutely not tolerated.

6- Homosexual are admitted to polyglot meetings but there should be no mention to their sexuality outside the scope of linguistic exchange. BTLG are actually invited to keep this topic of conversation outside polyglot meetings.

7- Since polyglot meetings are not an occasion to know people outside the scope of linguistic exchange, any form of seduction will be tolerated. Polyglot Club objective is to organize concretely linguistic exchanges. Polyglot Club animators ensure that everybody should behave properly and that nobody may feel embarrassed by other peoples’ behavior.

8- Couchsurfing members are strongly discouraged to attend polyglot meetings if they not share and agree with all the rules above.

9- New members or traveler are strongly invited to evaluate if polyglot is the right association for them.

Polyglot club fosters linguistic exchange mainly in relation to Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese. Polyglot members believe in a future dominated by Brazilian, Russian, Indian and Chinese. They believe that English and its dominance is a reflection of the capitalistic and colonial history of the the USA since last WW.

This is not to scare you, but to make you aware that the ambiance of polyglot meetings is not what you might expect.

Summary:

Polyglot objective is not to provide an atmosphere it is nothing but providing people with linguistic exchanges.

It is strongly advised that people who do NOT like linguistic exchanges NOT to come to Polyglot meetings.

Simple as that .

Comments

Chalokun profile picture ChalokunSeptember 2009

Hello I allow myself some words about the statments I've just read:fisr of all i "grosso modo" agree with those rules but

1)I think languages should be regarded as an evidence of cultural capital of the world and therefore should,specially the "small languages" ie spoken by few people, be protected as being part of "trésor de l'humanité" for taking the UNESCO  concept,

2)thus I found your approach & description of polyglot kind of scary for those people(like me) who:do not harass people of th other gender(being an heterosexual myself),do want to speak in Latvian with Latvian people & not necessary In russian with them,or in Hungarian or in Finnish or in Japanese or in Spanish,

3)I found this approach scary for those people who do not feel complusory to speak english for being polyglot(let's take the case of all the people who a)speak spanish & can learn other languages without coping with english,b)the same can be said for people who learn & /or speak Esperanto),

4)You should keep in mind that polyglot isn't nor it should become a place where we should try to reproduce a school like atmosphera in a COMPULSORY  way,I mean I don't mind if some people between them agree to proceed so but I Think there is enough room for everybody & for instance I believe of a primary importance to keep meetings both in the spirit of the Basile & in the spirit of the Snax.Why?

Because one of  the main problem in France is that people who got potential for learning foreign languages are just get  scared by  methods of teaching who just don't fit their personality

and because teachers,by the system, are pushed to think foreing languages in the same way than a dead object(plus the class are jsut to crowede so nobody speak in them)

5)for some people,specially those who got low level in English you were talking of,polyglot could be the last opportunity to believe they are just able on the matter,& if for that involvement, they need to discuss politics,religious matters,fall in love, as long as they don't harass others people AND  LEARN  FOREIGN  LANGUAGES, I  JUST  don't see the point to INTERFER & REGULATE,full stop.