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Checking references for intended status: Experimental ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- No issues found here. Summary: 0 errors (**), 0 flaws (~~), 1 warning (==), 2 comments (--). Run idnits with the --verbose option for more detailed information about the items above. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Network Working Group L. Wood 3 Internet-Draft Surrey alumni 4 Intended status: Experimental November 19, 2016 5 Expires: May 23, 2017 7 Discussion beyond English on IETF mailing lists 8 draft-wood-discussion-beyond-english-00 10 Abstract 12 The IETF requires English for technical discussion in working groups, 13 in working group documents and in anything considered for 14 publication. Use of English simplifies overhead and makes for clear 15 discussion of a single document in a single language, but 16 disadvantages those who lack fluency and comfort in English. 18 This document proposes setting up talk mailing lists for languages 19 other than English, where technical matters can be discussed in 20 comfort, and perhaps even be written up in internet-draft form in a 21 language other than English. Once technical ideas are in place, a 22 draft can move forward to a working group in English. 24 Exposing non-English speakers to the IETF will, in the interests of 25 diversity, allow them to gain familiarity with IETF processes while 26 discussing with other fluent speakers of their language. This 27 benefits the IETF by attracting a broader constituency while meeting 28 its diversity goals. 30 Status of This Memo 32 This Internet-Draft is submitted to IETF in full conformance with the 33 provisions of BCP 78 and BCP 79. 35 Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering 36 Task Force (IETF). Note that other groups may also distribute 37 working documents as Internet-Drafts. The list of current Internet- 38 Drafts is at http://datatracker.ietf.org/drafts/current/. 40 Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months 41 and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any 42 time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference 43 material or to cite them other than as "work in progress." 45 This Internet-Draft will expire on May 23, 2017. 47 Copyright Notice 49 Copyright (c) 2016 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the 50 document authors. All rights reserved. 52 This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal 53 Provisions Relating to IETF Documents 54 (http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of 55 publication of this document. Please review these documents 56 carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect 57 to this document. 59 This document may not be modified, and derivative works of it may not 60 be created, except to format it for publication as an RFC or to 61 translate it into languages other than English. 63 Table of Contents 65 1. Introduction to Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 66 2. Details considered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 67 3. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 68 4. IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 69 5. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 70 6. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 71 Author's Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 73 1. Introduction to Proposal 75 We propose that the IETF set up a number of non-working-group mailing 76 lists for discussion in different languages. These can be run as 77 talk-[ISO639 language code]@ietf.org, e.g. talk-ja@ietf.org for 78 Japanese, talk-zh@ietf.org for Chinese, etc [ISO639]. 80 Experienced IETFers fluent in each language can volunteer and be 81 assigned to guide each discussion, explaining IETF matters, and 82 dealing with technical issues. They can guide ideas to draft form in 83 the appropriate language, and eventually to the IETF's working 84 language of English. A list in the language can be set it up if one 85 or two IETFer guides are available and willing to follow discussion. 87 2. Details considered 89 For simplicity and clarity, ISO-639-1:2002 two-letter coding takes 90 precedence. More complex codings are unlikely to be required at this 91 early stage. 93 While working group discussion is in English and working group drafts 94 are in English, and normally in ASCII, there is nothing requiring 95 individual internet-drafts to be in English or in ASCII. Other forms 96 of individual draft, e.g. portable document format (pdf), are 97 suitable for non-Roman transcriptions. 99 talk-en@ietf.org is arguably redundant, as the main IETF mailing 100 list, ietf@ietf.org, has general English discussion. However, a 101 place where English-speaking newcomers to the IETF feel more welcome 102 before diving into technical workgroup discussion may be appropriate. 104 Discussion in Asian language around e.g. local DNS use may be a 105 useful starting point for this proposal. 107 3. Security Considerations 109 Opening more mailing lists in more languages raises questions about 110 keeping discussion appropriate to the IETF, rather than veering 111 offtopic to e.g. local political issues, and questions of IETF limits 112 of scope and liability must be answered. The mailing list rules of 113 the IETF apply here. Translating those rules into the local language 114 and periodically informing new subscribers of them and keeping 115 discussion on-topic will be necessary. 117 4. IANA Considerations 119 There are no IANA considerations. 121 5. Acknowledgements 123 We thank the IETF mailing list for much discussion of diversity. 125 6. Normative References 127 [ISO639] ISO, , "ISO 639-1:2002 Codes for the representation of 128 names of languages -- Part 1: Alpha-2 code", International 129 Standards Organization , 2002. 131 Author's Address 133 Lloyd Wood 134 University of Surrey alumni 135 Sydney, New South Wales 136 Australia 138 Email: L.Wood@society.surrey.ac.uk