Re [2]: Interpreter Strip

Cheryl -

You brought up a very good point, and I've spent some time
debating this with myself. (I almost had to call in a
moderator because the debate became too raucous! ;-) I'm
passing this on to SCOUTS-L as well, because I believe your
question is very thought-provoking and maybe makes us consider
how we go about such recognitions.)

To summarize for the rest of the list, I said "I would argue
AGAINST using the "honor" system for adults, because it creates
one set of requirements for adults and one for boys..."
You said what if "... the Adult's mother tongue was Spanish?"
or "... a youth whose mother tongue was Spanish?"

I believe that I would STILL argue for a test, but such a
person should have no problem passing the test. Part of my
reasoning is the written portion of the requirements: just
because I can speak a language doesn't mean that I can write in
it. The other part has to do with form: it is very important
that the Scouts see that the same requirements apply to
everybody -- no more and no less. The requirements do not state
an exception for people who are bi-lingual, so we should not
add one.

You also stated a concern with Castillian vs. Western
Hemisphere Spanish (a Spanish teacher might think Castillian
horribly ungrammatical -- and vice versa, I suspect). The same
could be said of a person born and raised in Bavaria trying to
converse with a U.S. high school/college German teacher ...
"low" German (Bavaria) is sometimes almost unintelligible to a
speaker of "high" German. Nevertheless, I believe that the
teacher could recognize the person's ability and pass him/her,
regardless of the teacher's opinion of the grammar.
(Fortunately, the requirements DON'T say anything about grammar
or even spelling!)

NOW, if you -- or your son -- were the only person in town who
spoke, say, Russian, and had actually completed the
requirements in some manner (perhaps traveled to Russia a few
years back and corresponded with some of the folks you met, or
had grown up in Moscow and attended school there), I would have
no trouble with your stating that "I have done all the
requirements, therefore I am entitled to wear the strip." But
if at all possible, I'd like to perform the requirements as
stated.

Thanks for all that food for thought.

YiS
Chuck Batteau -- SM, Troop 751, Glen Allen VA USA
-------------------------------------------------
CHARLES.R.BATTEAU@BellAtlantic.COM
I used to be an Eagle ...
maybe they meant an hour a DAY! :-)

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