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Hello to all<br>
<br>
This debate illustrates that the question of linguistic diversity.<br>
<br>
The semantic deficiencies of one specific language ( english ) should
not be allowed<br>
to distort the content of this seemingly inportant document :<br>
<a title="Read the Declaration" class="internal-link"
href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/front-page/read-the-declaration">Cape
Town Open Education Declaration</a><br>
<br>
Each language has its own semantic deficiencies, and English is no
exception, however<br>
because of its position as the leading world communication language, its<br>
deserves a specific attention. <br>
<br>
The anglo-saxon social class that created English in the middle-ages<br>
had obvious difficulties in conceiving the fact of working for free, <br>
and that a thing could be given without financial compensation. <br>
<br>
The discussion <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre">http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre</a><br>
is interesting.<br>
<br>
Another example of the deficiency of the English language has been the<br>
suppression of the thou/you distinction as the result of a deep<br>
puritan psychosis that has been implemented in the language, and that<br>
English mono-speakers are carrying unknowingly until now. <br>
<br>
It appears that if English wants to fulfill its role of a worldwide
communication<br>
language, it must accept to be enriched with words in relations to
concepts<br>
it is unable to render properly and concisely.<br>
<br>
The fact that a native English speaker would have to make an
intellectual effort<br>
to understand the word <b>libre</b> ( although libre seems an
understandable adjective<br>
corresponding to liberty... ) is not an obstacle, in fact this would
be a<br>
good thing. <br>
<br>
A statement in this Capetown declaration concerning Linguistic Diversity<br>
( and the right for everyone to be able to get a basic education in
his/her mother<br>
tongue ) would have been welcome. <br>
<br>
Best<br>
<br>
Francis <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:7feb8e750712090834t58cee4capc4c4f3962731b550@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div>Hi, ALL, </div>
<div>I will agree with Geofffrey that "open" is much more suitable
than "libre" considering the contextual and semantic rendering in
English texts. We should not split hair on this, "libre" seems a most
appropriate rendering in French but definitely not in Englih texts.
</div>
<div>Babatunde Ipaye</div>
<div>_____end of message<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 8, 2007 1:52 AM, Geoffrey Hulme <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:g.hulme@tesco.net">g.hulme@tesco.net</a>>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Replacing
"open" by "libre" in an English text will confuse and<br>
irritate. The specialist meaning that Kim wants to convey will for most
<br>
readers be no clearer with libre than with open. It is better to stick<br>
to open and if necessary offer a footnote.<br>
Geoffrey Hulme<br>
<div>
<div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
Kim Tucker wrote:<br>
<br>
>Hi all,<br>
><br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/"
target="_blank">http://www.capetowndeclaration.org</a><br>
><br>
>It is great that this document has been shared.
<br>
><br>
>I offer one comment relating to the "Most importantly ..."
sentence, and<br>
>some "wrong forest" statements.<br>
><br>
>Suggestion: change the "Most importantly" sentence
<br>
><br>
>"Most importantly, we have an opportunity to dramatically improve
the<br>
>lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world through
freely<br>
>available, high-quality, locally relevant educational and learning
<br>
>opportunities."<br>
><br>
>to take cognisance of these points:<br>
><br>
>i. Whose opportunity? (recall "enabling people to empower themselves<br>
>with knowledge" - <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://communities.libre.org/" target="_blank">
http://communities.libre.org/</a>)<br>
><br>
>ii. Quality can only be defined in local terms (by the users).<br>
><br>
>So, reword the sentence to<br>
><br>
>"Most importantly, hundreds of millions of people around the world
will
<br>
>be able to improve their lives dramatically through the opportunity
to<br>
>participate in this global (libre) knowledge society."<br>
><br>
>Optionally clarify with something like: "Participants have the
freedom
<br>
>to use knowledge resources (or any parts thereof) for any purpose,
the<br>
>freedom to co-create, adapt, enhance and share knowledge for
collective<br>
>benefit."<br>
><br>
>(the reference to quality becomes implicit - 'adapt' includes
localisation)
<br>
><br>
>This apparently minor change is actually highly significant and
points<br>
>to a possible systematic bias in the "open education" movement -
"wrong<br>
>forest"?<br>
><br>
>--------------------------------------
<br>
><br>
>WRONG FOREST:<br>
><br>
>>From the libre knowledge (conocimiento libre) perspective (<br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://communities.libre.org/"
target="_blank">http://communities.libre.org</a> ):<br>
><br>
>QUESTION: Does the declaration work towards our higher aims?
<br>
><br>
>* "knowledge for all, freedom to learn, towards collective wisdom"<br>
><br>
>* "enabling people to empower themselves with knowledge"<br>
><br>
>[Collective wisdom is an implicit reference to sustainable
development
<br>
>incorporating simultaneous consideration of social, economic and<br>
>environmental concerns. UNESCO's goal of fostering a culture of
peace<br>
>falls under Social].<br>
><br>
>ANSWER: To some extent (I think the writers of the declaration mean
<br>
>"libre" when they say "open").<br>
>But it falls short and might grow one of our biggest challenges:<br>
>eliminating the misguided "property" and "ownership" mindset.<br>
><br>
>Suggestions and points to ponder:<br>
><br>
>1. The word "open" will never capture the essence of what we are
really<br>
>trying to do (ultimately) – liberate learning towards knowledge for
all
<br>
>for effective participation in the global knowledge society ... in
turn<br>
>towards collective wisdom for sustainability (in the true sense of
the<br>
>word).<br>
><br>
>The word "free" may be confused with "gratis" (or free of charge).
<br>
>Say "Libre" for clarity and take this movement to the next level:<br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://communities.libre.org/philosophy/saylibre" target="_blank">http://communities.libre.org/philosophy/saylibre</a>
- discuss:
<br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre" target="_blank">http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre</a><br>
><br>
>2. Tactics 1 - 3 in the declaration are important components of a<br>
>strategy, but it is unclear towards what goal? - Promoting the
OE(R)
<br>
>movement? Improved and appropriate educational practices for a
connected<br>
>world? Motivating fundamental changes to copyright law ... towards a<br>
>free culture? Or some higher aim around quality of life for
millions of
<br>
>people?<br>
><br>
>3. The most promising tactical note in the declaration is '1
Educators<br>
>and learners'. This draws attention to the people with passion for
their<br>
>field of interest. Here you will find success stories of sharing
and
<br>
>collaboration across institutions independent of the "OER Movement".<br>
>Learn from these and grow the energy while serving their needs for<br>
>specialised collaborative learning resources.<br>
>
<br>
>4. As with most "open" movements, the emphasis (so far) has been
more on<br>
>encouraging "owners" to "open" up resources for societal benefit.<br>
>Although this needs to be done, there is something more fundamental
that
<br>
>needs to change - a rejection of the notion of "owning" knowledge
and<br>
>liberating learners in the emerging copy-modify-mix-share culture.<br>
><br>
>5. Funders (see 3 above): support more bottom-up initiatives around
<br>
>needs-driven co-creation of knowledge resources and sharing (to
augment<br>
>the top-down institutional intiatives).<br>
><br>
>6. Consider renaming the declaration to the "Libre Learning
Declaration"<br>
>and redrafting it to include some of the principles and values of
Libre
<br>
>Knowledge. Here is a draft declaration for libre knowledge:<br>
><br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.wikieducator.org/Declaration_on_libre_knowledge"
target="_blank">http://www.wikieducator.org/Declaration_on_libre_knowledge
</a> (draft)<br>
><br>
>Kim<br>
><br>
>----------------<br>
><br>
>PS Alternative venues for continuing this angle of the discussion:<br>
><br>
>* <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre" target="_blank">
http://www.wikieducator.org/Say_Libre</a> (the discussion page)<br>
><br>
>* <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.wikieducator.org/Libre_knowledge" target="_blank">http://www.wikieducator.org/Libre_knowledge</a>
– includes links to a<br>
>draft libre knowledge declaration and some ideas around a libre
license.<br>
><br>
>-----------------<br>
><br>
>PPS<br>
>I will post these comments widely to stimulate some discussion.<br>
>They have already been entered into the form at
<br>
><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/contact-info" target="_blank">http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/contact-info</a><br>
>Apologies to those on multiple lists who receive this more than
once.<br>
><br>
>-----------------<br>
><br>
><br>
>D'Antoni, Susan wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
>>Dear Colleagues,<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>>The Cape Town Declaration on Open Education that David referred
to
<br>
>>below is now accessible at <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/" target="_blank">www.capetowndeclaration.org</a><br>
>><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/" target="_blank">http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/
</a>>. Those who would like to sign<br>
>>will find a form at <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/sign-declaration"
target="_blank">http://www.capetowndeclaration.org/sign-declaration</a>
.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>>Best,<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>>Susan<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
<br>
><br>
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</blockquote>
</div>
<br>
<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
Professor Babatunde Ipaye<br>
Educo-Health Project<br>
234-803-310-1920<br>
234-805-310-1919 </blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
------------------------------------------------------
Francis F. MUGUET KNIS/ENSTA
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