Is the world shrinking? Perhaps not in size, but with the meteoric rise of Internet use, it is getting easier and easier to connect nations, people, and cultures. Historically, computer technology was derived in terms that reflect English-speaking countries.
At the binary level of the computer processing, there is but one language, constructed on an alphabet of "0"s and "1"s. And the thing that makes the Internet work is a set of computer protocols known as "TCP/IP", a "language" by which different computers can "talk" to each other.
Some current estimates suggest that by the year 2000 there will be primarily non-English speaking people on the Internet. What are the implications for that? How do you map the Chinese alphabet to the "standard" keyboard? Will software grow sophisticated enough to adapt to different native languages? Will we?
In this issue of the Labyrinth, we look at aspects of technology that address the issues of a more international audience. First, Eula Riley Bursh discusses strategies for internationalizing and interculturalizing the classroom including the important role of technology. Next, Rebecca Brown and Nancy Westenfield describe MCCCD's International/Intercultural Web site. Then we speak to Laurita Moore-Diaz about her bilingual Internet classes. Finally, we take a look at examples of how both Internet content and the tools we use to view/create it are becoming multilingual.
In closing, I have an idea for a project. Here at MCLI we have a World Wide Web tutorial for creating web pages (URL: http://www.mcli. dist.maricopa.edu/tut/) that is very popular. We have received several requests for versions in other languages. I am looking for a faculty member interested in making a class project of translating Writing HTML into another language. We can see it as combining language skills and technology experience.
Se hablo TCP/IP? Parlez-vous HTML? Sprechen zie UNIX? Can we talk?
The Internet Connection at MCLI is
Alan Levine
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Comments to alan.levine@domail.maricopa.edu
URL: http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/labyforum/Spr96/spr96L1.html