dorai@psyche.rice.edu (Dorai Sitaram) (12/29/89)
When I see the list of soc.culture.* groups, I notice a yawning hole where soc.culture.german should be! This hole is particularly gaping considering the recent demolition of the Wall, but single-shot sensational upheavals aside, scg would be an appropriate medium for postings on the people, culture, customs, events, hopes and fears in the German(-speaking) part of the world. How about it? I can't imagine there would be anything less than overwhelming (read newsgroup-forming) interest, both among Germans and non-Germans, in creating such a newsgroup. The group need not confine itself to the (currently) two Germanys, but also address Austria and Switzerland. (The name "german" would then be negotiable, I guess, except in the sense "German-speaking." This kind of superset group would be along the tradition of soc.culture.arabic, soc.culture.indian, soc.culture.nordic and soc.culture.latin-america.) Anyway, IMHO, scg (or whatever the name) is long overdue, and it would be a very interesting group should it materialize. Currently, there is no other group where would-be-scg topics can be aired, except maybe s.c.nordic, and that by a long stretch of the imagination. This posting is only an informal suggestion. I'm hoping some German/Swiss/Austrian (or someone tremendously into these countries) who also is knowledgeable about newsgroup formation will issue a formal call for discussion and subsequently votes. --dorai "just a Germany-watcher with a fragile familiarity with the language" -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It may be that the gulfs will wash us down; It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------