Post #3956235

2026-07-20 07:45 UTC

#OpinionPoll (please boost for visibility) You find a post on the Fediverse that is not in a language you speak. You use machine translation to read it in your native language and find you would like to reply. Should you: #poll

Replies (3)

@AlienJay@burningboard.net 2026-07-20 09:41

@AVincentInSpace@furry.engineer I reply in English then.

Open ##3956234
@AVincentInSpace@furry.engineer 2026-07-20 07:51

Assuming the second option isn't available, I believe it is the first option, because machine translation is famously inaccurate. If the original poster speaks your language, they will understand you better than if you had translated it. If they do not speak your language, they have access to the same online translation tools you do, and they can translate it themselves. I have just met a French speaker who is adamant that replying in a different language is ethnocentric, which prompted the poll. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this, especially those who chose the machine translation option. What's your rationale?

Open ##4267164
@AVincentInSpace@furry.engineer 2026-07-20 08:14

Whoops, editing the post cleared the poll! Before I cleared it, there were: 5 votes for "Reply in your native language" 3 votes for "Machine translate from your native language to the language of the post" 1 vote for "Not respond at all" 1 vote for "Other (please specify)"

Open ##4267166