Proposal:Simple Wikipedias

Status (see valid statuses)

---

The status of this proposal is:
Request for Discussion / Sign-Ups

Strategic Priorities

Every proposal should be tied to one of the strategic priorities below.

Edit this page to help identify the priorities related to this proposal!

1. Achieve continued growth in readership
2. Focus on quality content
3. Increase Participation
4. Stabilize and improve the infrastructure
5. Encourage Innovation

Share this:

See also: Proposal:Wikipedia exclusively for Kids

Summary

http://simple.wikipedia.org/ -- an encyclopedia written at a simpler reading level -- may be appropriate for languages other than English

Paper encyclopedias always existed in 2 forms. The scholarly works that gave a definitive adult view for educated people and the so called children's encyclopedias which gave a broad simplified view of a subject to those exploring knowledge for the first time. Not just children.

I grew up surrounded by childrens encyclopedias and they played an important part in my education.

I believe that Wikipedia needs to develop the equivalent of childrens encyclopedias in all its languages alongside each main language offering.

The Simple English Wikipedia leads the way in this . Lumos3 23:27, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Proposal

The Simple English encyclopedia should be given more attention and its key educational role recognized. Similar projects should be encouraged in all languages, e.g., Simple French, Simple German, etc. However, it is clearly not feasible to offer simple versions of all languages immediately. The languages that should be simplified first are those that are most commonly learnt as second languages - Simple English Wp is commonly used by people learning english, as it provides information in a simple form.

Motivation

The acquisition of knowledge is an ascending ramp and we need to talk to people who for whatever reason; age , language skill, or ability, need an easy approach as much as the bright and educated. Some Wikipedia articles are steeped in complex language , I suspect this is a way of massaging the egos of the authors rather than as an attempt to explain a subject.

Children and beginning language learners of all ages are likely to benefit.

Key Questions

How to encourage the grassroots momentum that drives the creation of new Simple Wikipedias?

How to overcome the intellectual snobbery that prevents people writing in a simple way?

Which non-English languages would benefit from a simple Wikipedia?

Of those, which have enough interest to reasonably expect that they would attract more good edits than vandalism?

Potential Costs

Costs would be in promoting the idea that such Wikipedias are worthwhile. Once the argument is made they will be created by volunteer effort.

Community Discussion

Do you have a thought about this proposal? A suggestion? Discuss this proposal by going to Proposal talk:Simple Wikipedias.

Want to work on this proposal?

1. fr33kman ^-simpleWP- 04:18, 4 July 2010 (UTC)