When you wonder in what languages MediaWiki has been localised, and to what extend the localisation is usable, BetaWiki has some great statistics.
The Localisation statics show the languages that have a central localisation and the percentage of the messages that have been done. It clearly shows that the MediaWiki localisation leaves a lot to be desired; for some 144 languages less then half of the messages have been localised. At this moment there are 235 languages known to MediaWiki. When you compare this to the 253 language that have a Wikipedia and add the languages that are starting in the Incubator, you get a clear picture of how much effort is needed to better support the readers of MediaWiki projects.
When you look at the statistics, the glass is half full, and it is filling. On average five languages are introduced every month and more then 500 messages are translated every day. The languages that are in the Incubator are doing well Seeltersk for instance has done an astonishing 99,3%.
One of the latest innovations in the BetaWiki are the core top 500 messages, they contain the most important messages and with these messages translated, MediaWiki is usable for a language. BetaWiki has a dedicated team of people that make MediaWiki and as a consequence MediaWiki projects usable for many people. With your help, we can improve the localisation even further. One message at a time will slowly but surely provide proper support for all the languages MediaWiki supports.
Thanks,
GerardM
3 comments:
Hello Gerard
There are also linguistic projects using the excellent MediaWiki software, but completely outside Wikimedia and of its satellites.
Thus for example, the Wikikrenteem site, free library of texts in [b]Kotava[/b], use an interface and messages entirely translated into Kotava language. Only a small part of the messages specific to the functions of administration or advanced management of the images were not translated yet.
Best regards. Webmistusik
In January an update will be published to the ISO-639-3. Kotava is being considered for a code. When it indeed does gets its code, it will make eminent sense to have this artificial language as part of MediaWiki proper.
Personally I would not be opposed for Kotava to be localised in the Betawiki. The issue would be that it needs a private code until the ISO code is granted.
Thanks,
GerardM
Just for fun I have imported the messages from Wikikrenteem into http://translatewiki.net (see http://translatewiki.net/w/?task=reviewall&group=core&language=avk&limit=100&title=Special%3ATranslate). If you create a user account and follow a short procedure, you could start working on it. You will be creating messages for the lastest version of MediaWiki (1.12). You are currently running MediaWiki 1.6.
Once the ISO 639 code has been issued, we will immediately add it to the source code base.
Cheers! Siebrand
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