"Non-English speaking" or "English as a second language" programmers

[Ten_Mile_Hike]

As a native American 99% of everything that I search for regarding programming is in English.
The remaining 1% are in French, German, and Russian all of which I can simply copy&Paste into
Google Translate with varied success. I understand that many sites like even this one have language
specific forums, but still...

This got me to wondering if all of you who don't speak English as your first language find the
internet, and programming sites in particular, to be a burden to read and understand. I
personally have a hard enough time as it is understanding programming discussions in English.
I can't imagine trying to follow a technical discussion in Russian.

Kudos to you guys and gals!!!

[TRon]

The first programming language I came in contact with was basic. After seeing the first goto statement i realized programming languages are created with the English language in mind. So, I started to learn English 

And yes, as English isn't my first language I have a difficult time discussing (certain complicated) topics simply because I am unable to express myself in the same way that I would be able to in my native tongue. Of course this is a learning curve and it tend to get better over time ... but still.

The good thing is that code tends to explain itself so whenever not feeling comfortable with the explanations it is still possible to get the gist of what was discussed. Whenever code does not explain itself there usually is something wrong with the code/solution/implementation.

BTW there are excellent French and German forums with regards to Pascal programming.

But you have a point as it seems that most (if not all) AI models are trained using the English language which I fear will further decline the use of (other) native languages.

[Martin_fr]

As a native American

According to professor Higgins from "My fail lady" in reference to English as spoken language:  In America, they haven't used it for years!

SCNR

This got me to wondering if all of you who don't speak English as your first language find the
internet, and programming sites in particular, to be a burden to read and understand. I
personally have a hard enough time as it is understanding programming discussions in English.

May I open my response by outlining a few assumptions on what you implicitly may have put into your question. The perceived burden is solely to be determined by the barrier posed by the language, but not so much by the content itself? Neither, if the author did a good job in finding the right words and amount thereof, to be neither too short nor too elaborative? And neither the general pain of gleaning information from the net, having to establish the correctness of any content gathered?
If you considered those points as to be read from between the lines, then I can in all simplicity give you the answer that is: No, I don't find it a burden. (Not any more, anyway)

[440bx]

But you have a point as it seems that most (if not all) AI models are trained using the English language which I fear will further decline the use of (other) native languages.

There are really extremely few areas where the English language has had as much of an influence as it has had in computing.  The only other area that comes to mind is aviation where English is the standard language (an air traffic controller _must_ speak English to a reasonable level.)

Both occurrences have one thing in common, commercial computing and commercial aviation started in the U.S, therefore all specs, definitions and knowledge of the field was initially entirely communicated in English. 

Used to be that if you wanted really advanced books on chess, the only true available source of advanced analysis and tactics were only available in Russian.  To some extent this is still true in Math.  The Russian textbooks used in a "lowly" technical college make the textbooks used in M.I.T look like kindergarten stuff (mathematical origami... <chuckle>)

According to professor Higgins from "My fail lady" in reference to English as spoken language:  In America, they haven't used it for years!

Love it !!  That's particularly true for some areas of the U.S.

[Kays]

[…] all of you who don't speak English as your first language find the internet, and programming sites in particular, to be a burden to read and understand. […]

I love learning languages (both, programming and natural languages) so it isn’t so much of a burden as it is catering to my curiosity. I’ve been given to understand, though, that in a CS 101 and other early‑studies classes (at university) students complained about the lack of non‑English resources, I suppose because it is difficult and distracting.

[…] The only other area that comes to mind is aviation where English is the standard language (an air traffic controller _must_ speak English to a reasonable level.) […]

Since the Tenerife airport disaster ATC chatter has been standardized, though, so you don’t have to be capable of forming novel sentences (and actually it’s kind of forbidden). Air traffic controllers (on the ground) need to prove C1 English proficiency mainly to deal with contingencies, I guess?

[alpine]

as a native American

Really?  A native?

[Curt Carpenter]

Surely by now some poor PhD candidate has done a dissertation on linguistic relativism's influence on software and programing practice.  If not... see something called the "Sapir-Whorf hypothesis" and encourage your students to consider the possibilities.

The year I started my university studies, my school dropped its German requirement.  I could not believe my luck!

[marcos-ebm]

[using the translator]

and I have to use a translator to write lol..... I can even read a little, but I can't write/listen/speak,

I'm Brazilian and there are a lot of things in Delphi

[Seenkao]

Я могу сказать, что мне приходится читать код на других ЯП отличных Паскаля. На разных языках мира. Для того чтоб найти те крупицы рабочего кода для определённых решений.
Я не думаю что язык общения - это преграда. Если человек хочет донести мысль или получить информацию, то вряд ли это его остановит.

Google translate:
I can say that I have to read code in other programming languages other than Pascal. In different languages of the world. In order to find those bits of working code for certain solutions.
I don't think that the language of communication is a barrier. If a person wants to convey a thought or receive information, then this is unlikely to stop him.

[ojz0r]

Its better to keep it to one language.

I cant say how many times i have used bad words to describe that excel translates the formulas to your locale, i hope someone was fired for that decision.

[Zvoni]

... see something called the "Sapir-Whorf hypothesis" and encourage your students to consider the possibilities.

Why did i just think of Star Trek:TNG?
Ahh, those beautiful klingon operas....

As for me: English is not my fist language

That said: If you want to get anywhere in programming: Learn english or quit programming. Period.
My opinion.

The good thing is that code tends to explain itself so whenever not feeling comfortable with the explanations it is still possible to get the gist of what was discussed. Whenever code does not explain itself there usually is something wrong with the code/solution/implementation.

Quote by Cory House: Code is like Humor: If you have to explain it, it's bad
https://www.defprogramming.com/quotes-by/cory-house/

[marcov]

This got me to wondering if all of you who don't speak English as your first language find the
internet, and programming sites in particular, to be a burden to read and understand. 

Specially as a young programmer that can be very hard. There was no internet yet then, but there were books, and that had the same problem. Mostly English or German, with only mostly introductionary texts in Dutch. Even in some rare cases that there were Dutch translations, the original German titles were usually also considerably cheaper.

That said, understanding German chemistry articles from 1902 in  blackletter was an even worse linguistic experience :-)

[cdbc]

Hi
I'm Danish and as such, practically 'spoonfed' English from early on.
Then comes German, Next door neighbors, that has to be learned.
Nobody understands Danish(~5 million citizens), so we have to 'keep an ear out' for others... Norwegian & Swedish are quite ok, English & German too and I can even read some Dutch  I started programming in the early 80's with TP3 and stayed with pascal till now. My toes curl, when I see people programming in their native tongue and not English! Never did, Never will!
Usual quote: "No Worries, Mate" 
Regards Benny

[RayoGlauco]

As a Spanish programmer, at first I missed having documentation in my language.

Afterwards I have learned enough English to understand a programming explanation well.

I think it's nice to know that I will be able to find the documentation I need in English, rather than having it in a combination of languages, such as French, Russian, Japanese or Korean.

[RayoGlauco]

I cant say how many times i have used bad words to describe that excel translates the formulas to your locale, i hope someone was fired for that decision.

I hope he/she will burn forever in the programmer's hell.

I live in Catalonia, Spain, where there are two official languages. You can modify an Excel sheet on one computer (spanish locale) and then open it on another computer (catalan locale) and have problems with Excel functions in a different language.