Curse

Gawa · Jul 25, 2007, 10:38 AM // 10:38

"There would be the exact same reaction from any of the other European countries",

Merely conjecture.

"people who are saying that we are whining really don't get the point."

False statement. There is no 'The' point. Merely a point (that I understand and do not agree with) that you personally want to make into something, speaking for others. You certainly do not speak for me even though i speak English and am from the UK.

"Yes many languages do not have their own home district, and I welcome the idea of a multi-lingual district"

Glad to hear that.

"removing our home district (or just renaming it as some people claim) to do this I find offensive. "

Why use brackets...it was "just renamed".
That you find the renaming of a zone, in a computer game, offensive, when there was absolutely zero intent nor motive to insult and the majority of English speakers around the globe would have trouble accepting that it even could be insulting, is, frankly your choosing to feel insulted rather than actually being insulted. Feelings are subjective, not objective.

"OK, so if the English are not allowed a home district why should the French of Germans have one?"

"The English" referrs to the People of England. They have never had a home district. What you should be referring to is English speakers. English speakers were able to use the English district and International district, and now they can use teh Commonn and International district. The only change, for English speakers, has been semantic.

"Why are they better than us?"

Why do you ask that? No one has said "they" are better than us, so you are asking a question that has no basis.

"To me, calling someone 'common' is offensive, it refers to my background (calling me working class), my income, type of job and general lifestyle. I am not 'common as muck' as the phrase goes."

That is your choice, to believe that calling someone 'common' is offensive. However, in the case of this computer game name change of a zone, noone is being called common. The zone itself, an area on the internet, is called a European common area. Common to Europeans. It in no way infers that you are "common as muck". It infers that all Europeans, share equally the right to be able to enter that zone.

"While you may not think that a 'common district' is calling someone common, it is."

No, it is not.

"French districts are for French speaking people, German for German speakers and 'Common' for the leftovers."

No, that statement is utterly false.

"There is no 'Common' language"

That is not the case. In Europe, which is what we are talking about, English is indeed the primary common language.

"So why take our home district away from us?"

It hasnt been taken away, the zone name remains, with a different arrangement of letters as it's title.

"Why not add a correctly named Multi-Lingual district rather than insulting us."

You can not speak for "us". Neither I, nor many other people who understand English were insulted.

You say the zone being named Multi-Lingual would be correct, that does not mean that it would be correct or nessessary or useful.

I would suggest one possible reason for the name change, and one definate benefit of the name change:

It removes English speakers sense of a false 'right' to demand that others speak only English while in that zone. Demanding that someone speak in a certain language when they arent even speaking directly to you, is insulting.

In closing, for those that do not think English is a Common language:

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikipedia

English is a West Germanic language originating in England, and the first language for most people in Australia, Canada, the Commonwealth Caribbean, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (also commonly known as the Anglosphere).

It is used extensively as a second language and as an official language throughout the world, especially in Commonwealth countries such as India, Pakistan and South Africa, and in many international organisations.

Modern English is sometimes described as the global lingua franca.

English is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment and diplomacy.

The influence of the British Empire is the primary reason for the initial spread of the language far beyond the British Isles. Following World War II, the growing economic and cultural influence of the United States has significantly accelerated the spread of the language.

Because a working knowledge of English is required in certain fields, professions, and occupations, English is studied and spoken by up to a billion people around the world, to at least a basic level.

English is one of six official languages of the United Nations.

I could suggest that English is the common language of the internet - GW is an internet game - English is the common language of GW - Common district has English as the common language.

edit - "The abuse in the English districts was immature yes. The complaints on this thread are not, don't be so ignorant. If you want the Euro server to be a big melting pot where we can all get along, then just have European districts, no French, German, Italian etc."

Any abuse is wrong. Some of the complaints on this thread are immature and wrong also. None of this has anything to do with there being a "big melting pot". Suggesting that there might only be a European district would not be useful.

A player who speaks English as their primary language, will automatically be placed in the district where the primary language spoken will be English. That has been the case, is still the case, and likely will always be the case.

The above statement, while true, results in arguments about this name change, being semantical or political and not best suited to a fantasy computer games forum.

Gli · Jul 25, 2007, 10:50 AM // 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by warren_kn

There used to be a district for English speakers.

There never was a European district for English speakers. Never.

When they were called "English districts" that was a misnomer, because ANet lumped everyone in there whose language isn't supported by the game. That has always been the case and still is. The only thing they did was fix the name of these districts. The name now actually covers the character of these districts, finally. Better late than never.

English language districts haven't been taken away, they never existed in the first place. Just like almost every other language in existance doesn't have its own districts. I do think there should be English districts though, it seems only proper.

phoenixar · Jul 25, 2007, 10:56 AM // 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

As an American, I had no knowledge of the apparent, somewhat duragatory nature of the term "common."

Anyway, I agree that this is a stupid change. It could have easily been renamed "British" (if you wanted to avoid annoying the Scots and the Welsh).

This isn't the Star Wars universe where there is such a language as "Basic." English is still the name of the ENGLISH langauge. Such phrases as Homer Simpson's "English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England?" are meant as a joke

xD ...

English refers to the language not the nationality just a FYI. No need to rename it British.

On the subject of being abused in the English districts for speaking a foreign language.. yes being insulting and abusive is wrong but also spamming the English district with a foreign language is rude and annoying for those wo can't speak it. When you go to a district named English you should speak English and same goes for French, German.. Spanish etc.

NeHoMaR · Jul 25, 2007, 11:01 AM // 11:01

English is the "common" language of the world.

(for reasons I hate in some way, but is the truth)

Frostlight · Jul 26, 2007, 04:22 AM // 04:22

This thread is precisely why the district names should have been left alone, which everyone more or less agreed with. Unless Anet really wants to deal with words loaded with political and historical baggages.

Thorondor Port · Jul 26, 2007, 05:00 AM // 05:00

Wheres my Canadian server? frozen?

Gaile Gray · Jul 26, 2007, 06:21 AM // 06:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorondor Port

Wheres my Canadian server? frozen?

After the whole rampaging moose incident, it's going to take a while to roll that out.

Only kidding. Canada rocks -- if only in very small part because without Canada the world would not have hockey, and hockey is a very fine thing! (There are a million other reasons, too, of course.)

Here is some information on the naming of the districts. Forgive if you read it elsewhere:

I did share the concern about the world "Common" with one of the co-founders, "Hey, you do realize that 'common' has a couple of meanings?" I figure that most of us reading this thread know that the House of Commons is a pretty decent institution. But you'd never want your mother to say, "My son's girlfriend is a nice girl, but a little common."

Anyway, the name change is not a high priority, but please don't worry, we'll likely change it pretty soon. There is no offense intended in the meantime.

Sophitia Leafblade · Jul 26, 2007, 09:35 AM // 09:35

There you go

Good old Anet will fix it soon

Saraphim · Jul 26, 2007, 10:09 AM // 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gawa

It removes English speakers sense of a false 'right' to demand that others speak only English while in that zone. Demanding that someone speak in a certain language when they arent even speaking directly to you, is insulting.

QFT

I'm British, live in the UK and as I said in the original update thread before I don't find the use of the word "Common" for a district offensive at all. Yes it does feel a bit odd that there is no English district whereas there are Spanish / French etc but then perhaps that's because English is so widely spoken that we don't have to be concerned that we'll feel isolated in a district that isn't dedicated to English speakers.

I've been sickened by some of the abuse I've seen being targetted at non English speaking players in some outposts, and now that their (very tenuous) justification attempts for their pathetic behaviour has been removed I'm all for it.

Razorwood · Jul 26, 2007, 10:15 AM // 10:15

First of all i'm English, and i'm not offended by this.

It's not refering to people as common but the language(s) spoken. Ok there is no "common" language since you can't really say English and Spanish are the same.

But look at all the languages that have never had there own district, hell the poor Russians could only type using there alphabet a few months ago.

If English gets put back what's to stop everyone else from saying "This isn't fair we want XYZ district", where do Anet draw the line?

And are more districts really the answer? Ok let's say everyone gets to play in a district for there native language, what happens when someone from Dutch 1 goes to Thristy River and it's empty?

Should they have to stay there and suffer because they wanted a Dutch district?

Should they be allowed to head to say English 1 and join a team there?

Would the English players then say "Go back to your own district, isn't that what you wanted? It's not our fault it's empty"

There is already a PvP / PvE divide in the game, let's not sub-divide even more because of the sake of district naming.

Personally I think there should just be "common" (Or a name that fits all), and add a few more chat channels for the most spoken languages.

That way everyone is in the same place making it a lot easier to get into a team

Nearly every other online role playing game manages to get by with people speaking different language on the same server / district why should GWs be any different?

I just went back to Eve and o my EVERYONE is on the same server and it works.

Iuris · Jul 26, 2007, 10:28 AM // 10:28

Reagarding the change, I get the feeling that the reason for the change war Anet seeing too much of:

Player X:"Bosanski esnaf trazi nove clanove, imamo cape, guild hall!"
Player X:"Bosanski esnaf trazi nove clanove, imamo cape, guild hall!"
Player Z:"THIS IS AN ENGLISH DISTRICT, SO SPEAK ENGLISH!"
Player X:"But there's no bosnian districts!"
...

Could be a reason...

Verek · Jul 26, 2007, 11:04 AM // 11:04

Quote:

ginger haired skirt wearing barbarians

Who said the Scott's had no sense of humour, brilliant post, I'm for London and get called a Cockney W**nker from our northern brethren but all in jest.

Unfortunately, as with everything written or e-mailed, these things can be taken the wrong way and any changes made should err on the very cautious side of things.

As I’m writing this I know this is a fuss about nothing and I should really get a life, but it is slightly irksome that us English are told to shut up and not complain, maybe that’s the cost of once having and empire.

Quote:

Player X:"Bosanski esnaf trazi nove clanove, imamo cape, guild hall!"
Player X:"Bosanski esnaf trazi nove clanove, imamo cape, guild hall!"
Player Z:"THIS IS AN ENGLISH DISTRICT, SO SPEAK ENGLISH!"
Player X:"But there's no bosnian districts!"
...

/Signed - This must be the reason and if so I can understand it too.

Lyssa Rowan Tree · Jul 26, 2007, 12:08 PM // 12:08

It is not the fault of the English people that our language is so universally spoken.

We are still a nation in our own right and proud to be English. This move by Anet is disgusting in my opinion and many English people in my guild feel the same. Not that Anet care Im sure.

We had our own district, where we could expect that English would be spoken. It is only fair that there is an English language district, especially if its considered necessary for their to be a Spanish district, Italian district etc.

By removing 'English' and changing it to 'Common' Guild wars is now a MMO with no district reserved for the English language. Its ridiculous.

Before anyone say it makes no difference, I have frequently found myself in a Common district full of Dutch, Swedish, German etc chat and have no idea what is being said anymore. The change has given the go ahead for people who previously made the effort to speak English because it was an English district to ignore common courtesy in a multi-lingual area.

Now, add a Common district if you want, where 10 different languages can clash horribly in local chat leaving everyone confused, BUT, why take away the English district??

The English have just as much right to their own district, we DID have our own district, and it is wrong to suddenly take that away as though, as a nation, the English do not exist or do not matter.

Very dissapointed in Anet.

Anphobia · Jul 26, 2007, 12:41 PM // 12:41

I gotta say, having all the Traders that can't speak good enough English to answer anything other than a bid is pretty annoying...No one wants 7 Unid golds anyway :P

I /sign this, give us the English district back.

warren_kn · Jul 26, 2007, 01:25 PM // 13:25

When the districts were split up, the French dis was for French speakers, German for German speakers etc. and English dis for English speakers. Just because ANet put speakers of other languages into the English district does not make it a free for all. From the beginning, there should have been a common district as well as the ones I listed above. They have now installed Polish and Russian districts for people who speak those languages. There is now NOT a district for people who solely speak English. That is a problem whether you like it or not.

I appreciate Gaile coming into this thread with an explanation. I am glad the name is being reverted back to English. However, PLEASE add the Common district AS WELL.

tacitus · Jul 26, 2007, 05:40 PM // 17:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by warren_kn

I appreciate Gaile coming into this thread with an explanation. I am glad the name is being reverted back to English. However, PLEASE add the Common district AS WELL.

/signed If english districts are removed all other districts except common should go as well to be fair

EinherjarMx · Jul 26, 2007, 06:28 PM // 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorondor Port

Wheres my Canadian server? frozen?

yeah! where's my Mexican district? or at least a Latinamerican district?

every big city I write in spanish there's at least 1 person that answers correctly and not just the usual chatty stuff people can learn in a spanish class

you guys are just overreacting, it's just a name ffs, did the whiners stopped feeling special because they "lost" their district name and because of that their identity? grow up please

milias · Jul 26, 2007, 08:22 PM // 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by warren_kn

On the Euro server, as you may or may not know, there used to be an English district (alongside the German, French, Spanish and Italian). The English district has been renamed to Common Euro district.

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification.

Bazompora · Jul 26, 2007, 10:31 PM // 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by warren_kn

I am glad the name is being reverted back to English.

Where do you get that from?

Lyssa Rowan Tree · Jul 26, 2007, 11:19 PM // 23:19

As I already said now Guild wars is a MMO with no district for the English language, where people who speak English, want to speak English, prefer to speak English and dont understand other languages can go.

That is truly ridiculous of any major online game.

When there is no district for the English language, it is laughable to think there needs to be one for the Spanish, the Italian or any other nationality.

What people like you fail to understand is the difference between 'English' and 'Common'. They are not just names.

The English nation and the English only speakers of the world used to have a district in which they could speak that language. Now they do not. That is not a good change.