Last month, I got a mail about how to use a Firefox extension named “Bookmark Backup”. As was often the case, the sender misunderstood I wrote that application, while the actual author was Pike. Then I replied as below.
I’m afraid you sent the message to wrong e-mail address. I have no idea about “Bookmark Backup”, though I feel sorry for being unable to help you.
Regards.
@MY_NAME@, aka Torisugari
Actually, ‘I have no idea about “Bookmark Backup”‘ was not correct, because I remembered vaguely that I’d read a forum thread about it at mozillazine forums a few years ago. Though I’d happened to forget who created it till I searched it on the web to write this blog, in the end, I have some information about Pike, probably at least a bit more than the sender does. I was not fair. Anyway, at that time, I sent the above soon.
Yesterday (2007-02-14), I received a mail from him again, saying he got aware that he should have post his question to Pike. In the mail, he continued:
If you do not live in the “States”, you have a very good command of American English.
Sincerely,
@HIS_NAME@
Well, I live in Japan and have never been abroad, so maybe I have a very good command of American English. To tell the truth, however, I didn’t understand what he meant by “command” at a glance. Even after I browsed some articles on “command” including Wikipedia/Wiktionary, I’m not 100% sure. Apparently, I don’t have a good command of American English! The only difference I know between American and British is “favorite” – “favourite”, because, you know, “Favorites” is one of technical terms around browsing features, which means “Bookmarks” in Internet Explorer. Of course, I have no clue why my mail looked a la American English at all. I’m very curious, at the same time, I’m totally at a loss.
Nonetheless, I got a bit happier to know he understood what I’d like to say. It’s not bad, indeed. It’s regrettable for me not to understand what he meant. Maybe he was implying something ironical, deeply depending on the contexts, but I’d like to take it a compliment on my ability of writing English, especially in American style. Until someone elaborates on these messages…
Extend Everything 