Question is : what is the *most* important message
to
convey, that we are multilingual, or that we are an
encyclopedia ?
Of course, it is that we are an encyclopedia, but it
is fine to have one list on the non-English
Wikipedias, because we've already been suppressed to
using subdomain names instead of the prestigious www.
Most people read only one language. Nobody can read
30 languages.
(very few anyway). Even people who can read more
than one language
have a preference.
You're an American, right? I live in Rotterdam
(although I'm an American too) and I don't know anyone
here who would only read Wikipedia in one language. I
know people who go first to Wikipedia, simple
*because* it's the only multilingual encyclopedia in
existence (from what I know, correct me if I'm wrong)
and it's incredibly enlightening to see the different
POV that articles get in different languages and my
European friends thinks it's funny to see how often
the English language articles in Wikipedia are biased
toward an American POV.
*Everyone* on the Esperanto Wikipedia can (and does)
read two languages and most can read three or four.
Most of the people who would have Internet access and
would read Wikipedia can and will read more than one
language! The majority of people who would only read
Wikipedia in one language would be in the United
States, England and Australia which is 0.6% of the
world population...
I think the French wikipedia is correct in not
placing language lists
on three sides of the main page the way we do in
English. I can find
my four languages on one list. I don't need three
lists.
The three lists on the English Wikipedia is a
temporary measure until we can make www a multilingual
portal and then we can eliminate the extra language
lists on
en.wikipedia.org and move it down to one
language list. The other question is, how many first
time visitors will see their languages on just one
list? How many would even notice the language list at
all if it wasn't shown three times?
Having the language list three times is there to
appease the people who find it offensive that www
isn't a multilingual portal. Don't forget that it was
one of the reasons why the Spanish Wikipedia broke off
from us AND why it won't rejoin.
I don't understand why I seem to be coming across
like some kind of
rude crank on this. I don't mean to. I apologize
again to everyone.
I have nothing against anyone's language or anyone's
wikipedia. I
just don't see the point of the redundant,
inconsistent information on
available languages.
Well, it's because you don't see language
discrimination around you everyday. People in French
Canada are getting their native language shoved aside
by English and they needed laws to protect them. Most
countries of Europe don't have laws to protect their
languages and are getting run over by English. Some
job offers are only for English native speakers which
means that even if your English is perfect, but you
aren't a native speaker, you're not getting the job.
This can be quite an emotional issue for some,
especially those who are fighting against language
discrimination full-time. That's why I'm here in
Rotterdam volunteering for TEJO (
www.tejo.org).
Language discrimination is a tough issue and it's not
going to go away anytime soon... I just want to add,
that I don't think that you personally are
discriminating, but that you're simply not aware of
the problem. I hope I wasn't too harsh, it's just
that I feel quite strongly about these issues...
Chuck
=====
Learn Esperanto! -
http://www.lernu.net/
Enciklopedio:
http://eo.wikipedia.org/
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