Wouter Steenbeek wrote: Besides, I think the Wikipedia phaenomenon is a tool to make languages emancipate and being used aside.
I'd rather say "could be, in the best case". But I think that potential is often highly overrated. I guess here at wikipedia-l we're all language enthusiasts to some degree (ofterwise we'd probably not be subscribers). What has happened a lot in the past was this: one of those "language geeks" in Europe, Northern America or wherever stumbled across some native language of Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Arctic, Native America or so on the Internet and noticed that there isn't a Wikipedia for that language. So he or she requested one. With the best of intentions, of course. Sometimes they'd even think that the mere existence of a Wikipedia might improve the status of a language not officially recognised / marginalized / threatened. IMHO, that's _quite_ naive, a WP could never be more than one small piece of a puzzle. We can really do a lot here but I think believing we can change the world's language landscape is on the verge of hubris.
If a Wikipedia, as a secondary or tertiary effect, proves to benefit a certain language or community - fine. But in my opinion new editions should never be created for those secondary or tertiary aims but only for the primary one: the spread of knowledge. However, like most of the time, I can understand Wouter's intentions, too.
Boris
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