Comments on: Blog in Other Languages http://ldsmediatalk.com/2008/12/06/blog-in-other-languages/ Sharing technology ideas for LDS parents and youth Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:10:19 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Giuseppe Martinengo http://ldsmediatalk.com/2008/12/06/blog-in-other-languages/comment-page-1/#comment-22580 Giuseppe Martinengo Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:41:21 +0000 http://ldsmediatalk.com/?p=1061#comment-22580 I did have a recent experience in my Italian Blog, http://www.giuseppemartinengo.org. I wrote a post with a title that translated should sound something like "How can you possibly believe the Mormons?" where I did post one of the few good videos about the Church in Italian, and where I discussed how the antis have already translated that bad video from South Park in Italian and posted it on the Internet (and it is # 1, while the good one is # 2). A catholic girl responded saying that people should respect what others believe. We exchanged a few other comments and then a few emails. I suggested to her to read the General Conference talks and she was impressed by them (especially Sister Dalton's talk). In short: she will meet the missionary next Monday (not before that because she does not live close to them). I have a blog in English, http://www.gmormon.com, one in Portuguese, http://www.gmormon.org, the one mentioned in Italian, and one in Spanish, http://www.gmormon.net and I have even tried one in French, http://fr.giuseppemartinengo.com I think I need to learn some German to have one in German and I wish i could know more languages! It is easier for me to write in the first three languages (because I lived in Italy, Brazil and the US), and at times I think it is not very useful, but experiences like the one I just had compensate and help dispell the doubts. So, yes, if you know another language, go ahead and write blogs. There is less competition than in English usually, and your influence can be even greater. And if you know people who are natives, invite them to write blogs. Most of the time they do not think about doing that. In fact, that great talk from Elder Ballard has been translated and published in the Liahona only in Portuguese, for what I know. And I do not understand why. Are Brazilian smarter? I did have a recent experience in my Italian Blog, http://www.giuseppemartinengo.org. I wrote a post with a title that translated should sound something like “How can you possibly believe the Mormons?” where I did post one of the few good videos about the Church in Italian, and where I discussed how the antis have already translated that bad video from South Park in Italian and posted it on the Internet (and it is # 1, while the good one is # 2).

A catholic girl responded saying that people should respect what others believe. We exchanged a few other comments and then a few emails. I suggested to her to read the General Conference talks and she was impressed by them (especially Sister Dalton’s talk). In short: she will meet the missionary next Monday (not before that because she does not live close to them).

I have a blog in English, http://www.gmormon.com, one in Portuguese, http://www.gmormon.org, the one mentioned in Italian, and one in Spanish, http://www.gmormon.net and I have even tried one in French, http://fr.giuseppemartinengo.com

I think I need to learn some German to have one in German and I wish i could know more languages!

It is easier for me to write in the first three languages (because I lived in Italy, Brazil and the US), and at times I think it is not very useful, but experiences like the one I just had compensate and help dispell the doubts.

So, yes, if you know another language, go ahead and write blogs. There is less competition than in English usually, and your influence can be even greater. And if you know people who are natives, invite them to write blogs. Most of the time they do not think about doing that.
In fact, that great talk from Elder Ballard has been translated and published in the Liahona only in Portuguese, for what I know. And I do not understand why. Are Brazilian smarter?

]]> By: Dave http://ldsmediatalk.com/2008/12/06/blog-in-other-languages/comment-page-1/#comment-22495 Dave Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:20:46 +0000 http://ldsmediatalk.com/?p=1061#comment-22495 Thanks for posting this. Like JDD said, it's actually a lot easier to rank better in these foreign languages and easier to get those visitors to your new blog or website. It's been a great experience for me to blog in the language of the country where I served my mission. Though I know my translation is probably not perfect, it's been fun to know that I am still contributing in a small way to the missionary work there. Thanks for posting this. Like JDD said, it’s actually a lot easier to rank better in these foreign languages and easier to get those visitors to your new blog or website.

It’s been a great experience for me to blog in the language of the country where I served my mission. Though I know my translation is probably not perfect, it’s been fun to know that I am still contributing in a small way to the missionary work there.

]]> By: JDD http://ldsmediatalk.com/2008/12/06/blog-in-other-languages/comment-page-1/#comment-22477 JDD Sun, 07 Dec 2008 02:08:03 +0000 http://ldsmediatalk.com/?p=1061#comment-22477 I second this post. I began a website and associated blog, http://www.allaboutmormons.com, several years ago, and I get thousands of visits from Spanish and Portuguese speakers. I've found that they are far more willing to participate in online missionary work than are the English visitors to my site. Latinos do a wonderful job of answering investigators' questions. Because my Spanish is weak (I read it but don't write well), when I write something in Portuguese I just send an email out to registered Spanish visitors, and they translate the document for me in a few days. Their dedication to the gospel is truly inspiring. It's also far easier to get near the top of Google rankings in other languages than it is in English. Blogging in Portuguese and Spanish has been a very positive experience for me. I second this post. I began a website and associated blog, http://www.allaboutmormons.com, several years ago, and I get thousands of visits from Spanish and Portuguese speakers. I’ve found that they are far more willing to participate in online missionary work than are the English visitors to my site. Latinos do a wonderful job of answering investigators’ questions. Because my Spanish is weak (I read it but don’t write well), when I write something in Portuguese I just send an email out to registered Spanish visitors, and they translate the document for me in a few days. Their dedication to the gospel is truly inspiring. It’s also far easier to get near the top of Google rankings in other languages than it is in English. Blogging in Portuguese and Spanish has been a very positive experience for me.

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