Tell us about Dagbani Wikipedia

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Dagbani Wikipedia

The Dagbani Wikipedia was officially launched on Juny 30, 2021. It was a test Wikipedia in Incubator for quite some years. However, thanks to the tireless work of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, which was started in 2019 and became very active in 2020, there has been a lot of progress made on the Dagbani Wikipedia. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:14, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Questionnaire

Contributors

Wikimedia Statistics can be difficult to interpret. What is your impression, how many steady contributors do you have?

The Dagbani Wikipedia has about 2-3 active, steady contributors at any given time. Currently, a few of the Dagbani Wikipedia's most active editors are:

Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Are your contributors mostly native speakers?

Yes, thanks to the rapid ascent of digital literacy and widespread Internet access in Ghana and Africa in general. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Where do your contributors live (regions/country)?

Ghana, and also countries around the world with Ghanaians living abroad, as well as linguistics enthusiasts. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

How common is it that your contributors meet in real life?

The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group meets in Tamale, Ghana. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Other Wikipedias

Do you have special contacts with other Wikipedias (maybe in related languages)?

Sabon Harshe is active on the Hausa Wikipedia and other African-language small wikis. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Do you translate a lot from other Wikipedias? Which ones?

Mostly the English Wikipedia, since English is the most widely spoken lingua franca in Ghana. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:17, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Organization and support

Is there a Wikimedia chapter in your country? How does your language relate to it?

We have the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Are there work groups in other organizations about Wikipedia?

Your Wikipedia and the linguistic community

Is there a language institution for your language, like an Academy, or a club of people interested in your language? Do you have contact with them?

There is no official institution, but Tony Naden produces many excellent linguistic resources for the Dagbani language. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Who (else) supports you?

We are part of the Global Open Initiative, which aims to help groom the skills and talents of Ghanaian youths through volunteering. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:14, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

What does the public outreach for your edition look like? Do you have flyers, give lectures, training etc.?

The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group has done a lot of public outreach in Ghana. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Do you get feedback from readers?

Not at the moment, but as the Dagbani Wikipedia expands and becomes better known, we hope to gain feedback from readers. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:06, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

What other encyclopedias exist in your language?

None at the moment. The Dagbani Wikipedia is the first online encyclopedia in the Dagbani language. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Content

Does your edition concentrate on certain topics, like your region and language, or Latin Wikipedia on Roman history and Christianity?

As of July 2021, most of our articles are about:

People of Ghana, such as former heads of state of Ghana
WikiProject Medicine, which includes mostly articles about tropical diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic
Dagomba culture
Plants and animals (stubs started by Sabon Harshe, based on the works of Tony Naden and Roger Blench)

Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Did your edition enjoy text donations, for example from older encyclopedias?

This is something that we are looking forward to. For example, the Dagbani Qur'an translation by Sheikh Muhammad Baba Gutubu could be a good candidate for a text donation. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:10, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Language

Is there a generally accepted norm about your language (spelling, dictionary, pronunciation)?

Yes, we generally try use:

Naden, Tony. 2014. Dagbani dictionary. Webonary.

Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:07, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

How do you deal with different spellings, dialects etc. (like B.E. lift and A.E. elevator)?

Dagbani has Western and Eastern dialects. We try to use Naden's spelling when possible, but generally accept dialectal variations when users from outside the main Tamale area contribute. Sabon Harshe (talk) 02:03, 29 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Links

Main/Front page of your Wikipedia: http://dag.wikipedia.org