Nov ialiste

Suggestion: Test adminship

Hi! I saw that you are a great and valuable contributor to the tests in your language - nov! I'd like to suggest you applying for a test administrator! You can read all about it at Incubator:Administrators. I'm sure such a dedicated editor as you will be able to use the function well. Good luck! — Timichal • 16:40, 26. Aug 2006

Test adminship granted

Hi! I sysopped you, meaning you are a test administrator now. Use your powers carefully and remember: do not use them outside of your Novial test. Good luck! — Timichal 00:39, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Hi, you can see some basic things about adminship at en:Wikipedia:Administrators - however, be aware it's not suited for Incubator. What I suggest is - use common sense, be bold and don't worry too much - every action made by you could be reverted if there's any problem. — Timichal

You are invited

Can you translate this simple sentences to novial and we shall begin to learn your language

http://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Test-WP/chal/%D0%92%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%87%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA

--Yaroslav Zolotaryov 20:19, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

Two sentences

1. I get the impression translations are disappearing.
2. Will the second sentence really be formulated as a "click here"? I had linked the whole sentence, on the assumption the text would at some point match that. But as you changed it I get the impression you really want it that way. If so: Why?

Aliter 16:34, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I started with the word "here" alone being the link. So I made the format the same for all. Nov ialiste

I'm not too fond of that, especially since "here" is precisely where you're not reading it. (That's the problem I had with the sentences when you asked on fy: - I didn't even get the purpose until I saw the other translations.) I would prefer "Read about [[xx:Novial|Novial]> in Xxian." Aliter

Yes, that could be better but I have the translations now as they are. I think they serve the purpose. Nov ialiste

Since you say it will only be temporary, I can see the point. Still, I dislike Click here-links, so personaly, I'd apologize and do it again. (Feel free to blame Aliter for coming up with a better idea; wouldn't be the first time.) Aliter

What do you mean by translations are disappearing? Nov ialiste

I copied the trick with the flag from the German, and I recall checking a Danish version. Neither are visible in the list anymore. Aliter

Thanks for telling me. I'll try to find the Danish version in the history (German is still there I think). Maybe somebody made a mistake when editing. Nov ialiste

They're back now. Aliter

I guess no other wikis use these but it provides some colour, fills some space (still a very small wikipedia, needs a lot of work) and emphasizes the international intention of Novial. Nov ialiste

Some other experiments do similar things. Most big Wikipedias have overcrowded front pages, and smaller Wikipedias are more than happy to squander space to match that. I'm not even sure it stresses internationality to need entries in each separate language. Though, it matches the need for explanation in the current state. (How is the new standard coming along? I didn't pay much intention after Novial'97 became Novial'98.) Aliter

I doubt whether that list will remain if it becomes a real wikpedia. It has already served to advertise Novial and get a few new articles written which was part of the idea. I do think it stresses the internationality of the language: "the international language Novial" is stated over 20 times in as many different languages. Also chance visitors may not know what the page is: not everyone in the world knows English or Finnish which were the only foreign languages before.. Nov ialiste

That's a step forward, I guess. But I learned Esperanto the single language way, which might explain why I would love to have a Novial Wikipedia that could introduce itself without needing any help. Aliter

I believe the "reform group" got nowhere useful. It's difficult to better a linguist like Jespersen and personally I see no great need to reform the language. I view the "reform group" as conlangers: change for the fun of it. No harm in conlanging but I don't think it helps promote IALs. Nov ialiste

Well, Petersen still saw room for change, and there really are reasons for it. Of course, since Novial allows alternatives on several points, this could ease phasing in an alternative to see if it might work. Conlanging, now that you mention it, does serve a purpose: look at Esperant'. Aliter

Several articles on Novial have been written in different languages now which is good. I wish people would translate the Novial wikibook so more people can study it in their own language. Thanks for your contribution. Nov ialiste 16:44, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

Rather than your talk page, I expect there might be more effective locations to express that wish. <smiles> Aliter 00:34, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It would require a lot of audacity to ask people to translate a whole book about a relatively unknown IAL. Where specifically, though, would you suggest? Thanks for all your feedback. Nov ialiste 00:57, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Rather than asking for a translation you could ask for someone interested in Novial, willing to (help) translate. Just pick the largest languages without a Wikibook on Novial and ask on the Wikibook and Wikipedia community talk pages. Alternatively, you could try to find a novialist who speaks that language on the net, and ask for help translating the book. Aliter 23:21, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Kurdish language

Please look here for the two sentences in the Kurdish language. --Bangin 15:14, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Novial Wikibook

The problem with the English book, BTW, is that the introduction and chapter titles stress The Hound of the Baskerviles too much. The reader somewhat gets the impression anyone who doesn't know the entire book by heart will probably fail to understand the wikibook. You might want to mellow that a bit and mention a few times you're just borrowing small pieces of text from the book. It's also a problem when translating, of course: Should the translator opt for a native language source, which means the examples will be different, or for translating the text so it can then be translated again? Aliter
(Shouldn't somone with a username Nov ialiste Babel at least nov-p? <smiles>) Aliter 23:21, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Using national flags to denote languages

You might want to read this. -- Dissident 05:38, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

The use of flags in association with languages is extremely widespread and familiar across the internet. If someone dislikes, for example, the use of the German flag with the German language they should ask whether indeed it should be called the German language. Similarly with the use of the UK flag. English is an official language in all parts of the UK (by common law) and the specifically English flags are not so well known worldwide.

I certainly did think about which flag to associate with the English language. Most of the English speakers around the world are used to such use of either the U.K. or U.S.A. flag (sometimes the 2 combined which doesn't look so good). If I were as pedantic as the author of that page (you?), I might use one of the English flags. However, that would be against the general internet convention and possibly perplex some people.

I let the translators choose which flag to associate. Interestingly the Latin translator chose the flag of the city of Rome, and he says his fellow Latin writers at the Latin Wikipedia had no problem with that association. If I had to choose myself I would have chosen the flag of the Vatican City because, if I am not mistaken, it is an official language there. Still, I now know what Rome's flag is along with a few others.