h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello,
My space entry is gone and pending moderation for about six weeks now. I know, it is in German, but it is only one sentence and it means: "What would you prefer: strawberry icecream in august or sitting in a box being eaten by a skeleton?". It is a quotation by G. Henschel, as I marked below. Now I am not sure what the problem is. Is copyright law as strict you cannot even quote a single phrase, even when you indicate the author? Or is it just that I have to translate it? Either way I would like to have a personal space again, so if you could please tell me what is wrong, so I can fix it.
As well my poting (Nr. 3) to conversation F 69113 is pending moderation and therefore not readable for four weeks now. I just don't have a clue what's wrong with it. Could you help me?
Thanks Lotte

As foreign languages are not allowed on h2g2, then you'll have to remove it to stop your space being hidden. If you click the edit button on the right hand side, it will bring your space back so that you can take it out.

Coming from a scientific background I frequently use Latin and Greek phrases for which there is no meaningful English tanslation. I haven't written any scientific entries yet but if I do I'd hate for an entry to be removed because it contained a Latin, Greek or other language phrase or word that could not be meaningfully translated to English.

For example there is a fungus called Aspergillus Niger which is used in a number of biotechnological processes, or the common bacterium Escheria Coli which is probably the most widely known bacterium, and lets not for get Saccromyces Carlsbergensis which is a yeast used in the brewing of lager. Are we banned from posting about these because we can't translate their name.

I assume that foriegn language phrases that are commonly used in English writing (for example eg, pro rata, per diem, per annum, sic, 'Que sera, sera' &c) are OK?


Stephen

Is it not even allowed if I put a translation next to it? And I do not mean to be impolite, but if I really have to take it out by all means could not anybody have told me so instead of leaving me for weeks with a message that tells me not to edit my space because otherwise everything would just take longer?
Would you be so kind to have a look at my abovementioned conversation posting and tell me what was wrong with it?
Thanks, Lotte.

Yes Stephen,

Latin & Greek are fine. As are words in common English usage.
Peta

Translations cannot 'officially' be posted by Researchers or confirmed by on site friends, I'm sorry. I'm sure that you wouldn't post obscene material or links onto h2g2, but there's no way that a a moderator can be sure that the translation offered, is, in fact, the correct translation.

I know that the vast majority of current Researchers would never post anything obscene in a foreign language and put a 'incorrect' translation up, but it *is* an incredibly easy loophole. It would be very, very easy for someone to do this, if we allowed English/other language postings up without checking, someone *would* take advantage of this.

The moderation Guidelines page does talk about postings and entries in foreign languages, but I do understand that you probably haven't read this page, so just didn't know.

Hope this helps

Peta