-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Re: [Langcom] [Langcom-l] Konkani
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 01:32:27 +0530
From: Vishnu <vishnu@cis-india.org>
To: langcom@lists.wikimedia.org

Dear Santhosh, MF-Warburg and other LangCom members,

Yes, the current request from the Konkani Wikipedia community is to make
the Konkani Wikipedia live in the *Devanagari script*. It has been
mentioned in the request page on Meta and I have now highlighted it.[0]

Of course, the community also wants the LangCom to consider incubating
separate Konkani Wikipedia projects in Romi (i.e. Latin script) and
Kannada scripts - two other popular variants of Konkani. This will
ensure that the rich diversity of Konkani language and the knowledge in
all these three major script variants will flourish along with the
associated communities.

If I may be allowed, I would like to bring to the notice of the LangCom
members that CIS-A2K[1] has been putting focussed efforts on Konkani
Wikipedia and has managed to nurture and grow a volunteer community that
is now sustainable.

The multiple scripts (Konkani is written in 5 scripts) has been a great
challenge to understand and work with, especially when each script
variant is tied to specific religious and regional community and has
significant variations. We have left no stone unturned in objectively
finding a practical solution to this multiple script issue, including a
script converter. In this process we have consulted Konkani Wikipedians,
Konkani linguists, professors from Konkani Department at Goa University,
Konkani cultural experts, bureaucrats in the government, media personnel
and arrived at the conclusion of having separate Wiki projects for each
of the three script variants (i.e. Devanagari, Romi (Latin) and Kannada).

We have also requested Fr. Pratap Naik [2] a notable linguist, who has
worked on all the script variants of Konkani language for many years to
give his expert opinion in writing, which is available here [3]. This
note has been widely circulated and everyone, including the currently
active Konkani Wikipedians (majority of which edits in Devanagari
variant) believe that having three Konkani Wikipedias for the three
script variants is the way to go.

*May I reiterate that the current request is to only make the Konkani
Wikipedia, in Devanagari, live.*

It's been a huge personal learning for me about this rich language and
culture and I have some intimate context [4] on the multiple scripts
issue and would be happy to answer questions if the committee has any. I
am reasonably positive that we will see three active Konkani Wikipedias
soon. Having the Devanagari one live will only create a healthy competition.

Thanks,
Vishnu
CIS-A2K, Programme Director


[0]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_new_languages/Wikipedia_Konkani_2

[1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge/Work_plan_July_2014_-_June_2015/Konkani

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratap_Naik

[3]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:India_Access_To_Knowledge/Konkani_Wikipedia

[4] http://www.sfxkutamuae.com/news.asp?id=8698 (I have since then been
invited to be part of the Konkani Language Planning-Steering Committee
by the Global Konkani Conclave)


--
*T. Vishnu Vardhan*
Programme Director - Access to Knowledge
Centre for Internet and Society
www.cis-india.org <http://cis-india.org>