| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Poll: How many different countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Julian Holmes 
Japan
Local time: 01:59
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| Did not vote | Jul 21, 2012 |
Mario Chavez wrote: That's why I didn't vote on this poll.
Because I cannot vote. There is no "None" option.
And judging by the low turnout (540 or less than 1/2 the average at around this time), a lot of other Prozians have been locked out of this poll. So results are meaningless. 
Now, if I consider Tokyo a different country (they don't have a thick Kansai accent and flavor their food differently) -- I live in Kyoto -- then maybe I could wangle a 0.5, but it still wouldn't count as a 1.
I am at a loss. I can't vote and get my Browniz. Bang goes the weekend! 
| | | | Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 10:59
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Guatemala, I loved Antigua, the former capital city. The weather is OK and there are a lot of foreigners learning Spanish.
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Barbara Carrara wrote:
What about None/Zero?
I have not travelled any place this year, nor do I expect to do so in the second half of 2012.
Should I feel guilty about it? Guess not.
The question is "How many countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012", so unless you have been on the high seas and not touched any port, in Antarctica, or in the International Space Station, you, and everybody else has been in at least ONE country.
My country (Mexico),is pretty big and I have not left it this year, bt if you asked me in how many Mexican states I have been in since the beginning of 2012, I would say 9.
| | | | wonita (X)
China
Local time: 12:59
China, Germany and Austria. But I need longer to travel to Frankfurt than to Vienna or Prag, so I often spend a weekend in Austria.
[Edited at 2012-07-21 17:54 GMT]
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Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 17:59
I have been IN one country for the last three years and nine months: Portugal.
| | | | Rolf Kern
Switzerland
Local time: 18:59
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam
This option is missing. Did the ProZ staff, that normally is very obturate, not notice this mistake?
| | | | | Thre countries | Jul 21, 2012 |
I have been in three countries (Portugal, Spain and France) as a student and as a teacher.
| | | | Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
French to English
+ ...
| On the moon? | Jul 21, 2012 |
The only way you'd need a zero here would be if you hadn't been in any country since the start of the year. It doesn't ask how many countries have you travelled to, but how many you have been IN, i.e. including the one where you usually live.
On that basis, I've been in England, where I live, and have travelled to Austria for a skiing holiday, via Friedrichshafen airport, which is in Germany, so 3 in total.
Simples!
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Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 10:59
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
Normally that would be two at least several times a week because I live within walking distance of the border crossing, but until the drug war and crime wave is over I'm not going to Cd. Juárez or any part of Mexico for any reason. On this side things are peaceful.
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 01:59
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| The "difference" to our answers lies in the question | Jul 22, 2012 |
Jose Arnoldo Rodriguez-Carrington wrote:
The question is "How many countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012", so unless you have been on the high seas and not touched any port, in Antarctica, or in the International Space Station, you, and everybody else has been in at least ONE country.
The question is NOT "How many countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012". It is "How many different countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012?"
"Different" is a long word. It can't be missed.
And, the operative word here is different, meaning "elsewhere" or "other" (probably and hopefully not meaning "strange" or even "weird").
If the question had been "How many countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012?" then the options are fine since almost everyone does not live on the high seas, in an airport transit lounge or on the Moon. And, I would have answered at least "1" like all other Prozians.
However, the question is "How many different countries have you been in since the beginning of 2012?"
Then I would have liked the option of answering "None" since this poll implies and presumes that I have travelled to or been in a country other than my country of residence, and I have not stepped foot outside Japan. I was mulling a couple of wicked nights in Seoul, though.
And, if the taken-for-granted answer is "1" when it is assumed that "everybody else has been in at least ONE country" then this makes the poll additionally meaningless.
It's pitiful that the only discussion generated by this poll is about its wording and interpretion.
It's like asking "Do you breathe air?" and the only option provided is "No"
So, the "None" option is missing (@Rolf Kern and others, thank you!) because I have not been "in" or "to" a different country since the beginning of 2012.
I'm wondering what my other famous half, Watson, would have made of all this? 
Made small edit
& added last line
[Edited at 2012-07-22 04:16 GMT]
[Edited at 2012-07-22 07:08 GMT]
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
Hebrew to English
| I also suspect the "in" was actually meant as "to" | Jul 22, 2012 |
Non-native English which wasn't caught, it's just not natural English to ask someone "how many [different] countries have you been in?". So I wouldn't quibble too much over being on the moon and I wouldn't base my answer on not-really-accurate English.
[Edited at 2012-07-22 07:38 GMT]
| | | | Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
French to English
+ ...
| Oh, for heaven's sake | Jul 22, 2012 |
The question reads fine as it stands. Different can mean assorted, as in how many different colours are there - that doesn't necessarily exclude the colour you're looking at! It's perfectly possible to be in a country, you don't have to travel to it. How pernickety can you get? I'm very much a native English speaker and I have no problem with the poll question at all. What I do have a problem with is people constantly sniping and criticising! If you don't like the question, or there isn't an app... See more The question reads fine as it stands. Different can mean assorted, as in how many different colours are there - that doesn't necessarily exclude the colour you're looking at! It's perfectly possible to be in a country, you don't have to travel to it. How pernickety can you get? I'm very much a native English speaker and I have no problem with the poll question at all. What I do have a problem with is people constantly sniping and criticising! If you don't like the question, or there isn't an appropriate answer for the way you interpret it, just DON'T ANSWER.
Rant over.
Have a good Sunday, everyone.... ▲ Collapse
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 18:59
Member (2006)
German to English
| five or more | Jul 22, 2012 |
if you count driving through other countries to visit relatives
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:59
Hebrew to English
Claire Cox wrote:
The question reads fine as it stands.
Or there wouldn't have been 2 pages of quibbling.
The whole thing could have been avoided with better wording "How many different countries have you visited....". Although it still would have been better to have a "zero" option in the answers to placate people who intepret not travelling to a different country as not counting as one.
I also don't see what's wrong with asking for precision and clarity in language use on a site for language professionals, sorry!
[Edited at 2012-07-22 10:49 GMT]
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 01:59
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
Ty Kendall wrote:
I also don't see what's wrong with asking for precision and clarity in language use on a site for language professionals, sorry!
[Edited at 2012-07-22 10:49 GMT]
We're professionals because we're very picky about our words!
End of matter
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