Template talk:User language category

Numbering

Imho, numbering fluency inside the categories differently from the labels in the boxes, is silly counter-intuitive. Nice to have the more fluent ones listed first, but you imho cannot sacrifice consistency for it. --Purodha Blissenbach 11:00, 10 June 2008 (UTC)

The sort key is clearly explained and linked in the category text: "This category sorts German speakers by order of fluency (1=native, 2=fluent, 3=intermediate, 4=basic)." This is far more meaningful and intuitive than the counterintuitive order using the same characters would cause (if you're looking for translators, you don't expect to be given the worst speakers first). The sort key is not equivalent to the proficiency code, it is just a way to sort the category; we could even use !"#$ if those are less confusing.

For every use of the category I can think of, it is more useful to view the most proficient users first. Usability is much more important than consistency with a number that is not relevant to the category.

—{admin} Pathoschild 20:57:48, 17 June 2008 (UTC)

Hi Pathochild, could you then correct them, please. They don't make any sense as they are listed on the page: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:User_la where la_N means like a native speaker and la_0 means hardly intelligible.--Rafaelgarcia 22:37, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Oh after rereading your comment I think I understand. the explanation after en: isn't meant to have anything with the proficiency rating. It's confusing though...oh well--Rafaelgarcia 01:03, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately that can't be helped, due to the way categories are sorted. —Pathoschild 01:22:18, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

If sorting from the top (5–0) is difficult, we could try to maintain consistency by sorting from the bottom but with a negative start point (-5–0), which would allow ru-4 and ar-1 to be -4 and -1 in shorthand and also allow -4 to precede -1 on a scale where priority lessens as user skill level descends. As the IELTS test and a plethora of other systems for determining competency in a given language provide greater numbers for increased proficiency, it is sensible that our template graphics already follow this overwhelming trend. Either way, i would also like to see some scripting to allow The following 200 pages are in this category, out of XXX total. to further show where in the category of users (e.g., 1–200) the reader is viewing. I am also disappointed that; despite French being an official language of the AU, the EU, the OAS, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the UN; a user with preferences set to French must translate from English or Spanish, other world languages, in order to understand the backwards ratings system when going there to get help from someone proficient in Spanish. If such users should happen to have endangered native tongues, to barely know French, and also to not know the other two languages, they are likely to click on the 4 or 5 link based on the graphic or previous experience. The possible user situation described above and ones like it are prevalent in the least educated societies that need Wikimedia the most. It is confounding that we do not at least have a few preference-based translations instead of forcing English on everyone. Warmest Regards, :)—_thecurran Speak your mind ^{my past} 17:03, 18 January 2010 (UTC)

Parser function sorts differently

Please see Template talk:User language#Parser function sorts differently. - dcljr 08:37, 31 January 2012 (UTC)