RE: [huml-comment] PC-33 -Section 4.4.6-race

["Dennis E. Hamilton" <dennis.hamilton@acm.org>]

That's an useful case.  Thank you.  I can relate to that.  Here's how it
looks to me:

1. I think what I would really do is be confused and unsure.  I don't know
that I would have the sense to ask the right questions.  I would also be
concerned about the communication being ineffective.  And it is a reliable
prediction that I'd feel awkward and the experience would be unsatisfying.

2. Seeing this set forth as a little puzzle, the only thing I can see to do
in the hypothetical situations is (in my job as the clerk) to ask questions.

2.1 Asking where they are from would not help, because I don't have
sufficient world knowledge to have that help me.

2.2 I might do that just to have more communication and ask some question
about their customs, especially gestures that mean yes and no.

2.3 But that has never occurred to me before, outside of the context here.

3. So, since I am new on the job and I don't know about the different
cultures of the people who will be looking at my apartments, it is all
pretty chancy.

4. My next question: Where is Human ML in this?  How would I, the clerk be
aware of it, and if unaware of it, how would its existence bear on this
scenario?

-- Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Bullard, Claude L (Len) [mailto:clbullar@ingr.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 11:26
To: 'dennis.hamilton@acm.org'; humanmarkup-comment@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: RE: [huml-comment] PC-33 -Section 4.4.6-race


Let me start with a scenario based on a simple but real
example and ask some questions.

You are a clerk at an apartment building.   A foreign
individual is at your counter asking to rent an apartment.
Every time you ask a question, when they answer "yes",
they shake their head from side to side.  When they
answer "no", they shake their head up and down.  If
you are a Westerner, you typically consider side to
side a gesture for "no", and up and down to be "yes".
It is late, you are tired, and you find yourself
confused by the person at the counter.

1.  Which sign should you accept, the verbal answer
or the head bob?  Remember, they may have a bad command
of English and/or may not understand your question.

2.  Would a knowledge of the country of the person's
origin help you make that decision?

3.  What would you do to find out?

len

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis E. Hamilton [mailto:dennis.hamilton@acm.org]

Oops, you're way ahead of me.

Thanks.  And Amen.

Can you construct a humanly understandable use case for this, that reveals
the essential use of HumanML to accomplish it?  That would certainly be
illuminating for me.