[Foundation-l] Preservation of cultural diversity and minority languages

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

On 2/9/08, Yaroslav M. Blanter <putevod at mccme.ru> wrote:
> I must admit I am lost.
>
> If the argument goes that every language is unique and that by keeping
> every language inside WMF (let us forget about extinct and artificial
> languages for the moment, they are not an issue here) actually helps
> establishing the neutral point of view, then the preservation of
> endangered languages IS a goal of WMF. Obviously, not a primary goal, but
> a secondary goal.
>
> To me, if we say this is NOT a goal of WMF means WMF should not care
> whether the language is endangered or not. It only should care about the
> most efficient way to spread of the information. Just, you know, counting
> bytes per unit time. Then, indeed, a question can be raised  why the
> languages with the purely bilingual support should be supported.
>
> I can not really connect the two things. To me, they sound like mutually
> exclusive.
>
>

I think you are eliding a telling comment that geni made. Namely that
we are as much about collecting information, as we are about
spreading it.

Please do understand that I for one am of the opinion that for reasons
of comprehensivity, the english language wikipedia must remain a
special concern, and for which reason the current swing away from
an aspiration towards comprehensiveness on the english language
wikipedia is to me a deeply regrettable developement.

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, ~ [[User:Cimon Avaro]]