Mark Williamson ti 2004/11/3 EP 08:50 sia-kong:
The thing is though, it's not like I sent 20 messages in a row asking for a Friulian Wikipedia, I wrote one, and responded to peoples questions and objections. To not do that might seem like I no longer want it created.
Unfortunately perception is not necessarily a rational process. Ideally those 20 or so messages should have come from, say, a couple posters other than yourself, of whom at least one should claim to be a proficient speaker. (A certain moral authority is thrown in when that proficient speaker further claims to be a native speaker, or at least belong to the language's associated ethnicity. This appeals to deep-rooted notions of ethnolinguistic essentialism as encouraged by the same nation-states whose policies have directly or indirectly contributed to the destruction of many languages and dialects in the name of unity -- see [[en:List of state mottos]].)
Regardless, your enthusiasm/advocacy for linguistic diversity is not only admirable but supported by a number of international institutions or movements (Declaration of Linguistic Rights [UNESCO]; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [UN, section 27]; European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages [EU], etc). Of course, Wikimedia is not bound by them in any way (not at least until Jimbo has succeeded in taking over the world ;) ) No, but it's nice to know Wikimedia is not merely being silly or sentimental.
Anyway, for better or worse, it'd help if Friulian speakers are here to argue the case.