[Foundation-l] Wikimania 2007 - get ready for the third edition.

[Cathy Ma]

I assume you mean "english as a foreign language" / "english as a second
language".  Perhaps those on this list who have experience with events
that cater to multilingual (and ESL/EFL) audiences can suggest how other
groups reach these goals.

I had the experience of doing conferences in Shanghai and Hong Kong as a
spotaneous translator and blogger - not sure if you guys noticed, there are
Chinese Wikipedians who translated the conference sessions through Skype
chatroom in real time this year.  Completely grassroot and self-initiated.
And the users (20-40 of them) were very excited.

Although I find a ratio of 50% international / 50% local interesting,
I believe a higher ratio of local people makes Wikimania lose its
"international" meaning altogether.

On the other hand irc-based (less costly, well, and less organized)
translation worked wonder last time when Rebecca
McKinnon<http://rconversation.blogs.com/>and I were translating on
#irc in English for the Chinese Blogger
Conference, so that people from knows what's going on even when (1) they
don't speak Chinese (2) they are not in the conference.  There were even
blogger from Bahrain writing up the final blog for us reporting all the
events and photos from flickr.

But key question is - are people *that* that interested in Wikimania?  This
year the conference is different in a sense I feel less international
presence was on the IRC, but it could be me.  I wonder, like what Delphine
said, how interested people are in coming for Wikimania?  It is a bit loose
this time, when compared to some other academic conferences, or even last
year's atmosphere.  Do we have themes like certain (academic) conferences*?
Even like O'reilly conferences they do post a big question and people
collectively answer that during and after the conference.  Or First Monday
conference that focused on the importance of open content publishing and its
future.  If we have something like that, will it lift the conference spirits
a bit?

Just random ideas.  :p  Feel free to coment.

*note:  I know!  Academic conferences are boring, and not sponteneous, but I
mean more like First Monday's or O'Reilly's Conferences though

-cathy

On 8/17/06, Delphine Ménard <notafishz at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 8/17/06, Aphaia <aphaia at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Sorry interception, but I prefer to say "have taken", "have been
> > taking" or just "is ongoing" ... because I have now many things to
> > discuss about its linguistic aspects ... I am now strongly hesitant to
> > call it an intenational event in its full meaning. I know most of
> > "int'l" computer related conf. are monolingual but Wikimania is not
> > only a specific-computer science-related-topic- oriented conference
> > but also aiming to a community event? And as a humanist who studies
> > philosophy, an int'l conf or session I have attended and first imagine
> > is at least bilingual. So, you won't be realized the monolinguality of
> > Wikimania beaten me heavily. It was really a shock when I learned not
> > only the ongoing conference at Boston but also Frankfurterkonferenz
> > had been also monolingual (de facto English), since I have read
> > possible interpretation and translation were discussed by mailinglist
>
> For the record, simultaneous translation is an enormous budget,
> especially when it comes to many languages. The question is always,
> which of the chicken or the egg comes first. ie. Would providing
> translation in say 5 languages actually bring enough people who speak
> those languages to make it worthwhile? Or would the so many people
> speaking one language present at the conference would make it
> worthwhile to have translation in that language? It is a tough call.
> In an ideal world, we'd be very very rich and could provide audio
> guides for every single language represented.
>
> Although I find a ratio of 50% international / 50% local interesting,
> I believe a higher ratio of local people makes Wikimania lose its
> "international" meaning altogether.
>
> > Besides my personal impression, as English speaker as
> > a foreign language, I found many "it would be much greater if ..."
> > like sorts at conference. Like transription providing for at least
> > keynotes (planeries). Due to the current workload, currently I have no
> > enough time to summarize my proposal for universal access to Wikimedia
> > things for "ESAFL/ESASL", so I expect you as those to input your
> > opinion frankly, and also expect the next year conf. is greatly
> > progressing at this point.
>
> I believe I can be hardly taxed of monolinguism activism myself, but I
> still believe that Wikimania in English, wherever it happens, makes
> perfect sense. That we facilitate the coming of speakers who do not
> speak English, and make sure they can express themselves in their own
> language, sure. That we provide translation for the language of the
> country that hosts the conference, why not. But in the end, English
> should remain the main language, even if we need to make sure that it
> is never an obstacle for people to come.
>
>
> Delphine
> --
> ~notafish
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>



-- 
MPhil Candidate,
Department of Sociology,
The University of Hong Kong
http://cathyma.com