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Add multicultural communication guidelines #1788

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31 changes: 31 additions & 0 deletions developer-workflow/communication-channels.rst
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Expand Up @@ -22,6 +22,37 @@ in return.
.. _Diversity Statement: https://www.python.org/psf/diversity/


.. _multicultural-communication:

Communicating across cultures and languages
===========================================

Not every contributor writes English as a first language, and phrasing that
feels neutral in one culture can read as blunt or rude in another.

**Assume good faith.** If a message feels abrupt, it's probably a language
barrier or a different communication style rather than rudeness. If you're
unsure what someone meant, ask: "I want to make sure I understand: are you
saying X?"
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@willingc willingc Apr 20, 2026

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feels neutral in one culture can read as blunt or rude in another.
**Assume good faith.** If a message feels abrupt, it's probably a language
barrier or a different communication style rather than rudeness. If you're
unsure what someone meant, ask: "I want to make sure I understand: are you
saying X?"
feels neutral in one culture can read as blunt or rude in another.
**Practice active listening.** Try to focus on understanding the message before reacting.
**Confirm Understanding.** Ask open-ended questions and paraphrase to avoid misunderstandings. If you're
unsure what someone meant, ask: "I want to make sure I understand: are you
saying X?"

I would like us to remove "Assume good faith." It is often used as an excuse or escape hatch for bullies to insincerely disregard other people.


**Use translation tools freely.** If English isn't your first language,
translation software or AI tools can help you check that your message has the
tone you intend. Getting the phrasing wrong can make a reasonable point sound
more aggressive than it is.
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@willingc willingc Apr 20, 2026

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Suggested change
**Use translation tools freely.** If English isn't your first language,
translation software or AI tools can help you check that your message has the
tone you intend. Getting the phrasing wrong can make a reasonable point sound
more aggressive than it is.
**Use translation tools freely.** If English isn't your first language,
translation software or AI tools may help you check that your message has the
tone you intend. Getting the phrasing wrong can make a reasonable point sound
more aggressive than it is.


**Watch out for rhetorical questions.** They read as hostile in text even when
that's not the intent at all:

* Instead of "Why do you think it is wrong?!", try "That doesn't sound right
to me. Here's why: …"
* Instead of "Did you even read the docs?", try "The relevant documentation
is at …"

**Be patient with newcomers.** If someone doesn't know how things work here,
point them to the right docs or give them the context they need. Criticism
without guidance isn't helpful.


.. _mailinglists:

Mailing lists
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion triage/issue-tracker.rst
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Expand Up @@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ Disagreement with a resolution on the issue tracker

As humans, we will have differences of opinions from time to time. First and
foremost, please be respectful that care, thought, and volunteer time went into
the resolution.
the resolution. Keep in mind that contributors come from many different cultural
and linguistic backgrounds; see :ref:`multicultural-communication`.

With this in mind, take some time to consider any comments made in association
with the resolution of the issue. On reflection, the resolution steps may seem
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