Suggestion! Think before you answer!
Please everyone, help me out here!
I was very dissapointed to read the thread "what is borrito in spanish". Please read this and tell me what you think!
I feel so sorry for the well-meaning individual who needed clarification on a Spanish word, and no one took the time to think before they answered. Do you think this person will ever come back to the forum or trust the site for advice after this experience? Please, people! Think, before you answer! That way we don't become the "burro" our hapless "newbie" was accused of being.
12 Answers
I don't know that I see anything wrong with that thread. "Boritto" as posted is not a word. "Borro" = dull, dumb. "Borrito" = little dummy etc...it would seem... and he might have meant "burrito" but without more context how could anyone have "thought" any better about their answer? No offense intended.
How can it be "right" to call someone "dumb" or treat them like they are dumb for asking a question? We are all here to learn, and as all of us here are at different learning levels there should be no "dumb" question. Honestly when we feel the need to belittle someone's question instead of helping them by pointing them in the right direction, it shows our need to feel superior. Maybe it's because we are treated the same by those who know more than we do. I do know that this type of response is not conducive to a great learning environment. I understand the need to have more information to make a good answer. Who needs to be rude just because information is not provided. What would be in order in that case would be a simple, repectful request for more info, or to direct the individual to some other resources that are available.
I think the best point to be made, though, is made by the "newbie" himself. It is obvious that he did not expect to be insulted when asking for help.
Renarules is right, the poster was called retarded by a member who has been banned from this site.
This kind of posting is not acceptable on this forum.
I have to agree with Jeezzle on this one. Because it will be easier for discussion, I am adding a link to the thread in question.
I read through this thread twice. Of course I could have missed something, but to me, people were giving honest answers and opinions to the poster's question.
We have discussed being friendly and polite a lot in this forum. There was a bit of a problem with sarcasm in the past. However, since the time when all of the discussions about welcoming and encouraging newbies in the forum took place, things have been soooo much better.
Of course this is my opinion. I do agree that newcomers should be made to feel welcome. You are one-hundred percent correct about this Renae. For the most part, I think we do a fairly good job of that though. thread in question
Renaerules is right, the poster was called retarded by a member who has been banned from this site.
I saw the offensive post too, apparently just moments before or after hLsbookworm did, because seconds later she had deleted his comments. One thing it would be good to notice, Renae, is that this comment was posted by a member who apparently had just signed up, possibly with the intention of responding in the way he did to that particular comment. I checked his profile and it was the only thing he had done. Even his user name was a bit offensive.
Those are the kind of people that we just can't stop from doing what they want, for a little while. Also those are the kind of people that are not going to read threads like this. 
So although one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel, I'd like to think we are not simply apples that can all be spoiled by the rude conduct of one person who is just passing through with the goal of causing a stink.
I have asked a lot of shtupid irelevent and shockingly spelt questions 
but can honestly say I have been answered with good humour and have been amazed at how "well behaved" all are . But I think that "Renarules" was right to bring up that subject because it is easy to become complaisant and let our guard drop , thank you all for ,just ,well for just being you all. 
Yes, I agree that no question should be too newbie and that all should treated fairly and nicely in these forums.
However, what should we do if a question is something like "what does comer mean in spanish"? If words/phrases are complicated or aren't in the dictionary, then by all means, ask a question about them. But if they can be answered better by the dictionary than any of us, it doesn't really make sense to post a question. What is the policy on this?
Nicole, I have to add at this point that there was also a post made by Firecracker25 that has since been deleted. In his response, he expressed polite dismay that he had received ridicule instead of an answer to his question. I cannot figure out why it would be deleted as it was polite and did not contain offensive language. Why the administration felt it necessary to erase this entry, I don't know, but now every trace of the incident is gone, making me seem crazy!
I don't understand the problem.
Hacer de una pulga un elefante.
Yes, Nicole, you did miss something! There was an answer posted to the thread that was extremely rude and basically called the poster really, really, dumb, but used the word ret$rded, (which to me is as bad as swearing, but everyone has their opinion). Needless to say the post was subsequently flagged three times, and then deleted. The context of the thread seems very different now.
No one called anyone dumb, they also suggested tha meaning of the word was dummy as burro is used to mean dummy.
You are completely right, crazyjuggler! We shouldn't help with a direct answer when the question is easily answered by our learning resources. This said, we have a responsibility to politely refer them to the resources available to them. The "newbie" may not yet be aware of the easily accessed tools at their disposal or how they are required to research things for themselves before leaping into a question.
To treat them rudely, without thought for their circumstances is ignorant on our own part!
I have seen quite a few threads go through the forum where the question was misunderstood or poorly treated by the first 4 or 5 people who did not take the time to understand the need of the individual before a truly discerning individual helped the poor discouraged victim out!
I am not asking you to encourage laziness or idiocracy, I simply am suggesting we "think before we leap!"
