Blogging · Writing

Accentuated Blogging …

jacquelineobyikocha

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This post should be treated as a suggestion that you are free to take or leave.

There is no point in getting your dander’s up or getting your pants twisted in a bunch.

I have observed several blogs written in languages other than English and it’s a beautiful thing.

However, the problem lies in the fact that a whole lot of people may not understand what you are expressing and therefore find it difficult to relate, to engage in a conversation and to comment.

I also use smattering’s of my native language in my post occasionally, but bearing at the back of my mind that since most readers may not understand it, I translate it for them.

In no way am I suggesting that someone should let go of their language and heritage, that would be misconstruing my thoughts, because I am extremely proud of my heritage and will frown at any aspersions cast at my use of my language.

I lay no claims to being an expert, but from the side of your reader, I am just expressing a consideration.

For the intents and purpose of growth in your blogging efforts maybe a one or two liners ‘in English sub-titles’ to aid understanding will go a long way.

I have seen some bloggers who are doing a great job in balancing this act and I admire them.

Except your blog is meant just for you and a specific group of people, then that’s fine.

I am just saying this for those who aspire to expand their reach beyond a certain circle, because like it or not, if truth be told, English still remains the World’s Lingua Franca.

Regards.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Published by jacquelineobyikocha

A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.

50 thoughts on “Accentuated Blogging …”

  2. I have come across some blogs with beautiful images, that look really interesting, but I can’t understand them because they are in a language I don’t know. They intrigue me and I would love to explore them further. Could we request a translation widget from WordPress, so that we can follow a site we like the look of, without any nasty surprises?

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      6. same here. sometimes I can get most of the words to translate and if it’s written in one of the romance languages I can figure out some of the words it didn’t translate from context. If it’s not a romance language then I’m sunk. Google translate is not skilled at non-romance language translation. I usually surf away.

        Liked by 1 person

      8. same here and then there are those blogs that use background that are so close to the color of the text that you can’t read them even if they are in your native tongue! I wondered if the blog was meant for public reading.

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      10. Whatever translations I have seen are always clunky. It is difficult to translate local idioms, and jokes are just hopeless, I find.

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      11. that’s what I’ve found too. Still I try when I chance on an intriguing blog 🙂 You never know. Though one thing that bugs me is that folks will pingback my site and when I visit that post, it’s in a language I can’t read. I don’t understand the rationale behind that.

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      16. I’m still trying to get my head around all this stuff – I think I get pingbacks now. But in this instance, doesn’t seem to make sense.

        Liked by 2 people

  6. If it is a content related post and heavy on text and I am drawn by the featured picture and then can’t understand much more, it is not really a blog I would follow or revisit but I do have several photographic blogs that I do follow as their images are so stunning and the old adage ” a picture is worth a 1000 words” is very true. I have commented many times, even without understanding the accompanying words that I have greatly appreciated the pictures.

    While I totally understand what you are saying and think it is excellent advice for non-native English language bloggers who are keen to expand their follower numbers, I think many, including English language bloggers may just be about getting their thoughts out there with not much regard to the marketing side of things in terms of numbers. Love your thought provoking posts, Jacqueline!

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  7. I choose writing in my native language (French), short stories so that if you want to translate, work is not so difficult. But I know that the subtlety of the meaning, is not always well translated. I enjoyed every times someone comes to me speaking about my stories in Italian, English…. I mostly enjoyed when someone reblog my text and take time to translate it in his native language…
    I have also photos, because words are not the only way of communication.
    if your intuition tells you to stop you to discover a blog , then you can take the time to understand and ask questions if you are not sure. this is a better approach that can do more than press ” Like” … 😉
    I like this door open to every countries….

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      1. I understand what you say , but when we come to discover and read blogs , this should not be a race … this must remain a pleasure , and we have to learn taking time… 😉
        With all the tools we have on internet, translation only takes 2 minutes, it’s a small effort… 😀
        …and why not opportunity to learn another language. 😉

        Liked by 2 people

  9. On some blogs written in other languages, a little tab pops up that says ‘enable translator’ but when I click it nothing changes. There are some blogs that I understand enough to make me want to understand more and this frustrates me. Do you know anything about it? I know what you say here is true. My real native language is the pigeon mixture of Spanish and English that I grew up speaking with other children in New Mexico. It is the language of my inner heart, it is the way I think but words and phrases common to long-time New Mexicans need some explanation to most non-Spanish speaking people. Some phrases are steep with meaning that may not be understood by Spanish speaking people from other parts of the world. Words are powerful but still imperfect in conveying our full meaning to others.

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  12. I blog in english, english is my mother tongue. I have been living in a German speaking country for the past 47 years, but speaking is not the same as writing. You can cover up your mistakes when talking, but not when writing, so I blog english, but some time ago one of my German speaking online colleagues told me about a German blog that I might be interested to partake in. I told her my written German, although understandable, was not the correct German as taught in school, but she found try it, so I did. Now I contribute once a week to a topic, last week was my third. They are a very nice bunch, and accept my twisted German, although probably have a good laugh, but who cares. I feel at home there. Of course some of them also understand english, but it is a german language blog, organised by a German lady and out of respect you write German. They have enough opportunity to see the english blogs here. I am enjoying it and find why not. In the right place at the right time it is OK.

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  13. I follow a blog that has a translation widget on the blog and another that I just click the google translation button on.

    I find that I have to read them with more care – to make sure that I am finding the true intention in the sometimes awkward translation grammar.

    I am often struck by the sort of lyrical way that the translators present their words. Because, of course, the text is translated literally, so the way their native grammar works is then presented in English and it makes a marvelous, if odd, pattern to read. It can also mislead. I occasionally wonder if I am misunderstanding the intention.

    Still, I love that we live in a time that I can follow someone from Malaysia and Germany and read their words and get to know them. Its quite magical.

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I love it when you decorate my heart with your words..

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