Languages & Fandom - A Poll

[rodo]

First of all: This is all lian's fault. And the fault of the anonymous person who so generously gifted me with two months of paid time (&hearts). This is also a follow-up post to my last post about fandom and language, in a way. It's also my first poll, so please tell me what I could have done better.

Note: For the purpose of this poll, I won't define "fandom" or "(language) fandom". I'll leave that up to you.

Poll #247 fandom & language

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 259

View Respondents

What language(s) do you use to participate in fandom?

View Answers

English
259 (100.0%)

German
33 (12.7%)

French
18 (6.9%)

Italian
4 (1.5%)

Dutch
2 (0.8%)

Japanese
13 (5.0%)

Chinese
3 (1.2%)

Spanish
20 (7.7%)

Finnish
0 (0.0%)

Swedish
5 (1.9%)

Russian
8 (3.1%)

Czech
1 (0.4%)

Portuguese
2 (0.8%)

Norwegian
3 (1.2%)

Polish
1 (0.4%)

Hungarian
1 (0.4%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
1 (0.4%)

Greek
0 (0.0%)

Filipino
1 (0.4%)

Indonesian
1 (0.4%)

Hebrew
1 (0.4%)

Danish
4 (1.5%)

Arabic
0 (0.0%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
4 (1.5%)

What language(s) do you use to write and translate fic?

View Answers

English
208 (95.4%)

German
22 (10.1%)

French
9 (4.1%)

Italian
2 (0.9%)

Dutch
2 (0.9%)

Japanese
7 (3.2%)

Chinese
3 (1.4%)

Spanish
15 (6.9%)

Finnish
1 (0.5%)

Swedish
0 (0.0%)

Russian
8 (3.7%)

Czech
1 (0.5%)

Portuguese
2 (0.9%)

Norwegian
0 (0.0%)

Polish
0 (0.0%)

Hungarian
0 (0.0%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
0 (0.0%)

Greek
1 (0.5%)

Filipino
0 (0.0%)

Indonesian
0 (0.0%)

Hebrew
1 (0.5%)

Danish
2 (0.9%)

Arabic
0 (0.0%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
5 (2.3%)

What language(s) did and do you use to read fic and/or follow canon?

View Answers

English
259 (100.0%)

German
37 (14.3%)

French
31 (12.0%)

Italian
7 (2.7%)

Dutch
1 (0.4%)

Japanese
28 (10.8%)

Chinese
5 (1.9%)

Spanish
22 (8.5%)

Finnish
3 (1.2%)

Swedish
5 (1.9%)

Russian
11 (4.2%)

Czech
2 (0.8%)

Portuguese
3 (1.2%)

Norwegian
4 (1.5%)

Polish
2 (0.8%)

Hungarian
2 (0.8%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
0 (0.0%)

Greek
0 (0.0%)

Filipino
2 (0.8%)

Indonesian
0 (0.0%)

Hebrew
1 (0.4%)

Danish
7 (2.7%)

Arabic
0 (0.0%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
1 (0.4%)

What languages do you use to read/write meta?

View Answers

English
249 (97.6%)

German
20 (7.8%)

French
6 (2.4%)

Italian
1 (0.4%)

Dutch
1 (0.4%)

Japanese
3 (1.2%)

Chinese
1 (0.4%)

Spanish
14 (5.5%)

Finnish
2 (0.8%)

Swedish
2 (0.8%)

Russian
7 (2.7%)

Czech
1 (0.4%)

Portuguese
0 (0.0%)

Norwegian
1 (0.4%)

Polish
1 (0.4%)

Hungarian
1 (0.4%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
0 (0.0%)

Greek
1 (0.4%)

Filipino
0 (0.0%)

Indonesian
0 (0.0%)

Hebrew
1 (0.4%)

Danish
1 (0.4%)

Arabic
0 (0.0%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
2 (0.8%)

What is your first language (two or three if you were raised bi- or trilingual)?

View Answers

English
137 (53.1%)

German
38 (14.7%)

French
12 (4.7%)

Italian
3 (1.2%)

Dutch
6 (2.3%)

Japanese
1 (0.4%)

Chinese
10 (3.9%)

Spanish
21 (8.1%)

Finnish
5 (1.9%)

Swedish
10 (3.9%)

Russian
8 (3.1%)

Czech
2 (0.8%)

Portuguese
3 (1.2%)

Norwegian
4 (1.6%)

Polish
2 (0.8%)

Hungarian
2 (0.8%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
0 (0.0%)

Greek
1 (0.4%)

Filipino
4 (1.6%)

Indonesian
0 (0.0%)

Hebrew
3 (1.2%)

Danish
9 (3.5%)

Arabic
1 (0.4%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
14 (5.4%)

What languages do you speak/are you able to read/have you learned?

View Answers

English
228 (89.4%)

German
104 (40.8%)

French
114 (44.7%)

Italian
30 (11.8%)

Dutch
11 (4.3%)

Japanese
38 (14.9%)

Chinese
13 (5.1%)

Spanish
76 (29.8%)

Finnish
6 (2.4%)

Swedish
26 (10.2%)

Russian
20 (7.8%)

Czech
3 (1.2%)

Portuguese
8 (3.1%)

Norwegian
14 (5.5%)

Polish
5 (2.0%)

Hungarian
1 (0.4%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
1 (0.4%)

Greek
3 (1.2%)

Ancient Greek
14 (5.5%)

Latin
46 (18.0%)

Esperanto
1 (0.4%)

Filipino
4 (1.6%)

Indonesian
1 (0.4%)

Hebrew
7 (2.7%)

Danish
17 (6.7%)

Arabic
3 (1.2%)

Other constructed languages (e.g. Klingon - please specify)
1 (0.4%)

Other (please specify)
32 (12.5%)

What was your first fandom (language)?

View Answers

English
204 (78.8%)

German
26 (10.0%)

French
3 (1.2%)

Italian
0 (0.0%)

Dutch
3 (1.2%)

Japanese
1 (0.4%)

Chinese
0 (0.0%)

Spanish
9 (3.5%)

Finnish
1 (0.4%)

Swedish
2 (0.8%)

Russian
4 (1.5%)

Czech
0 (0.0%)

Portuguese
0 (0.0%)

Norwegian
1 (0.4%)

Polish
2 (0.8%)

Hungarian
1 (0.4%)

Turkish
0 (0.0%)

Korean
0 (0.0%)

Greek
0 (0.0%)

Filipino
0 (0.0%)

Indonesian
0 (0.0%)

Hebrew
0 (0.0%)

Danish
1 (0.4%)

Arabic
0 (0.0%)

Other (please specify in the comments)
1 (0.4%)

What was your first fandom (media)?

View Answers

TV Series
94 (36.4%)

Movie
15 (5.8%)

Book
87 (33.7%)

RPF
7 (2.7%)

Game
9 (3.5%)

Anime
33 (12.8%)

Cartoon
2 (0.8%)

Musical/Play
2 (0.8%)

Comic
1 (0.4%)

Manga
8 (3.1%)

What was your first fandon (e.g. Harry Potter)

View Answers

Did you participate in this poll?

View Answers

Yes
258 (100.0%)

PS: I would appreciate it if you would pimp this poll.

Comments

[solesakuma]

It's the same with Spanish, so I tend not to rec Spanish fic. Except my flist. My flist is filled with awesome Spanish writers. (They totally spoiled me. XP)
I have a half-baked theory about 'quality' and maturity of the fandom and all, actually, that applies to meta as well. XP

It was the same for me. At first I followed them translated into Spanish but with time, I'd rather listen to the original voices and all. Thankfully, Latin American cable TV is mostly subbed so...
And,OH, BAD FRENCH SUBTITLES. As if it wasn't hard enough to follow them dictionary in hand. XD

[rodo]

I wish people who aren't obvious idiots who can't type would rec German fic (seriously, some of the recs I read had the quality of a youtube comment *shudder*).

"Quality" and "maturity" are some of the aspects, yes. I think it also has to do with being educated to use these sites/methods of interacting. No, social networking sites are not horribly confusing, and yes discussing meta and writing recs are important activities in fandom.

Germany get almost everything dubbed, which is sad for those of us who prefer subtitles. My French sucks big time, but I still understood enough to notice mistakes. Now that is sad.

[solesakuma]

One of the things I've noticed is that the best writers, many times, don't actually post their Spanish fics in the Spanish fandoms and are far more into the English one. I don't kno how it works in German fandom though.

The platforms really do change fandom, don't they? LJ/LJ's clones/DW are far more adequate for discussion, in my mind.

[rodo]

the best writers, many times, don't actually post their Spanish fics in the Spanish fandoms and are far more into the English one.

Same in the German fandom, really. Some people don't because not everyone in Germany actually learned English, but a lot of people prefer to read (and sometimes write) in English. I prefer to read in English but I still write mostly in German. I love the language, for one.

LJ/LJ's clones/DW are far more adequate for discussion, in my mind.

They are indeed. I hate forums and other places for discussions like crazy if they aren't threaded because they are just so impractical and hard to follow if more than two or three people use them. (Had the discussion yesterday, a friend just wouldn't believe me when I told her.)

[solesakuma]

I prefer to read in English but I still write mostly in German. I love the language, for one.

I have no real preference regarding reading. Well, it actually depends on the fandom. There are some I can't read about in Spanish.
And I write in Spanish because I adore the language (it's mine!!!) except, again, for one fandom in particular.

I hate forums and other places for discussions like crazy if they aren't threaded because they are just so impractical and hard to follow if more than two or three people use them.

When Spanish fandom moved from MLs to forums, I left fandom. Then I found LJ and threaded discussions.
For fic, LJ holds no actual advantage but for meta? It's ten times better than forums. MLs compare a little better than forums, though.