Minority languages on the web

Thanks for your comment, James. Still, even when we take the 14 languages of Canvas' interface in account, the web presents worlds that are mainly geared towards the larger languages. As for MAP/Bloomfire: yes different languages are welcomed, but search options etcetera remain impossible. We still have a long way to go.

Right Bob, there's no question about the Internet being our future. But I think the writers of the article do have a point in questioning the overall democracy of the Internet. It is a big leap forward - no doubt, but in our enthusiasm we may forget the people who do not have access to it. The post was only intended as a reminder that the whole issue of language distribution on the Internet is far from solved. (Spoken from a "minority" Dutch perspective.)

I like Stephen's suggestion! It seems to me that there is already the technology for it, if someone could convince a commercial company that they could sell it for a profit. Or perhaps the guys at OpenOffice could be motivated. to create an operating platform. But I have difficulty with the concept that the internet SHOULD BE democratic, that all languages should be represented. The people of many languages could not care less that no one of their language is using the internet. They are oral communicators. Only a few of each is yet to be interested in the world outside their view. I, as a Bible translator, am interested in communicating to them orally in their oral styles. In the process of their consciousness of the Christian message, some of them will probably be interested in other societies. I suggest that the process is natural and will happen at its own pace.

I don't think that any of us is advocating the idea that all languages should be represented on the web. But we face the problem that many websites and platforms that could be useful for translators are simply not accessible to them. For instance: I know that some of the translators in my groups would be very interested in some of the materials posted on Bloomfire, but they simply lack the proficiency in English to read them. As James mentioned in the first comment: Bloomfire welcomes all languages, true, but how can speakers of smaller languages access Bloomfire in the first place? I think the main point of the article is simply to question an all too optimistic view of the Internet's democracy and the openness, and to emphasize the fact that regarding smaller languages Internet has its limitations.

The kind of access that you are talking about can come about only as someone of those minority languages crosses over to a language that is on the internet. But is there something that blocks a person of any language starting websites that is a given language specific, with the leads in that language? What would prevent a group of a given language creating their own 'Bloomfire"? Will it not happen when enough people are interested? It seems to me that we who are outside such languages are not the persons responsible or should even be involved with such. Granted, the Bible Societies might facilitate the creation of offshoot 'Bloofire's. But such things normally grow out of need, not out of estimated need.

Creating another "Bloomfire"-type of platform is exactly what local translation organizations are thinking of for Russian and/or Turkic language (in Cyrillic) environments. And yes, you are right, these things should be initiated out of real need, and not out of esteemed need by outsiders. But again, the only thing the article wants to do is to tone down the general optimism by majority language speakers about the democracy of the Internet. I think most of us who work with smaller languages can sympathize with that.

Amen to your last statement! About an hour ago, I talked with an IT person who is very skilled in programming. He says that voice recognition programs are getting better, but he perceives that a website that responds to voice commands is a long way off, (perhaps 11-12 month? my joke). He recognized that it perhaps anyone could create the platform, but a bilingual in the LWC would be needed assist each monolingual to initiate his or her use of any website created.