[Foundation-l] naming of things in kosovo

[Mike Dupont]

I think that at least a consistent listing of both names is needed,
expecially on the links. I have had to fight with simple unwillingness to
list both names in serbian and albanian on all things.

On Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 4:48 PM, Fred Bauder <fredbaud at fairpoint.net> wrote:

> > Hi there, I have seen a big problem in getting people to contribute in
> > kosovo to wikipedia
> > except the Kosovo article, there they dont call in *Kosovo and
> > Metohija*i,
> > so I think there is a president for the english and albanian names in
> > wikipedia.
> > most of the names are in serbian, with strange characters that I cannot
> > even
> > type.
> > this offends most contributors and prevents locals from contributing.
> > also the serbs erase all albanian names from the referring links so I
> > cannot
> > even find what I am looking for.
> > I would like to start to rename the articles to the albanian english
> > spellings with normal typiable characters. Ideally we would use the
> > albanian
> > names and encourage the locals to edit. Right now there is a minority
> > serb
> > group that is making life unpleasant for the local contributors.
> > see
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gjeravica
> >
> > can someone guide me on this.
> > thanks,
> > mike
> >
> > --
> > James Michael DuPont
> > Member of Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova and Albania flossk.org
> > flossal.org
>
> My advice is to take it easy. We have had this dispute in other areas of
> the world, notably in the case of place names in Poland, most of which
> was under German control at some point and has a German name for nearly
> every possible location. Gdansk, Danzig, was a particular problem. I
> don't remember exactly how that was resolved, but I do remember all the
> fireworks.
>
> Start by creating redirects from all Albanian names to the existing
> articles if they are in Serbian, and vice-versa. Here's a tip, even if
> you can't type something, you can always copy and paste it, for example:
> &#272;eravica (Albanian: Gjeravica; Serbian Cyrillic:
> &#1026;&#1077;&#1088;&#1072;&#1074;&#1080;&#1094;&#1072;). I don't know
> that a redirect from
> &#1026;&#1077;&#1088;&#1072;&#1074;&#1080;&#1094;&#1072; would be
> necessary. That way every one can find their way around.
>
> I see an unsigned note on the talk page of &#272;eravica:
>
> Main reason to change, authors
>
> Listen, let me present you with the biggest reason to change the name,
> the local people are offended with the serbian names. They live there,
> and they feel that wikipedia is biased to serbia. This is a major reason
> not to contribute to wikipedia. It has been a big problem all the time.
> The few vocal serbs who are pushing to keep the old name dont even live
> there and cannot contribute much. the people who do live there and can
> write are being excluded.
>
> 12:45, 9 November 2010 (UTC)
>
> This is a familiar story to me, a lot of new people have moved to where I
> live and find even the name of a prominent mountain "offensive", see
> http://www.14ers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27964 I, of course, find
> them offensive. That said, Wikipedia, while a bit safer than armed
> combat, is not a battleground and there is little patience for edit
> warring. As far as prejudice, I'm pretty sure some Serbians feel
> Wikipedia is biased against them, and there may be a little truth in
> that. They have a poor public image.
>
> Wikipedia administrators will not put up with sustained ethnically-based
> edit warring. However, any one place will have one name under our
> conventions. How to decide? My intuitive idea is to tolerate Serbian
> names for places that figure prominently in Serbian history, for example
> the names of Serbian monasteries, palaces, forts, or battlefields, but
> use Albanian for place names that now are predominately Albanian. There
> is no Kosovo section at Wikipedia:Naming conventions (geographic names)
> but that is where to set some guidelines after discussion with involved
> editors.
>
> In the case of Poland the discussion was extensive and guidelines are at
> Wikipedia:Manual of Style (Poland-related articles) That is the sort of
> resolution to work towards.
>
> So, talk, as you are, on talk pages; be patient; realize the other side
> also feels put upon and ask for help when you hit rough spots. Imposing a
> rule from above would be paternalistic and oppressive and it would be
> good if it could be avoided.
>
> Fred Bauder
>
>
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-- 
James Michael DuPont
Member of Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova and Albania flossk.org
flossal.org