On 5/26/11 3:05 PM, Milos Rancic wrote: > * If literacy is low and there are no efforts to improve it, efforts > should go that way. > * Is it about the language without writing system? If yes, efforts > should go that way.
I guess I'd say what efforts "should" be taken should depend on what the language speakers in question want from us. Are there communities who would like to create a Wikipedia in their language but cannot, for some reason that we can assist with? Have they requested our assistance? Are there other organizations based in the relevant regions that already have opinions on and projects in areas like literacy, internet access, writing systems, etc.? (If not, is it because of lack of interest, political difficulties, or some other reason?) I'm a bit worried that a more centralized approach will repeat the old pattern of Europeans and Americans telling people in other parts of the world what they ought to do with their languages/culture/education. The 19th-century missionaries who inventing writing systems to translate their materials and "enlighten the natives" (a legacy Ethnologue is associated with) doesn't seem like what we'd want to repeat. I'd much rather see us work with initiatives and organizations originated by people who are actually from a community of language speakers. Plus, Wikimedia as a generic global NGO dedicated to education/literacy/development/internetaccess/etc. would be a significant mission-creep away from things we're actually good at. (All "imo", of course.) -Mark _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
