Requests for new languages/Wikipedia Cham

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Request for a new language edition: Wikipedia Cham

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submitted

verification

final decision

Discuss the creation of this language project on this page. Votes will be ignored when judging the proposal. Please provide arguments or reasons and be prepared to defend them (see the Language proposal policy). The language committee needs to verify the language is eligible to be approved. Check that the project does not already exist (see list). Obtain an ISO 639 code Ensure the requested language is sufficiently unique that it could not exist on a more general wiki. Ensure that there are a sufficient number of native editors of that language to merit an edition in that language.

• The community needs to develop an active test project; it must remain active until approval (automated statistics, recent changes). It is generally considered active if the analysis lists at least three active, not-grayed-out editors listed in the sections for the previous few months.
• The community needs to complete required MediaWiki interface translations in that language (about localization, translatewiki, check completion).
• The community needs to discuss and complete the settings table below:

What	Value	Example / Explanation

Proposal
Language code	cm (SIL, Glottolog)	A valid ISO 639-1 or 639-3 language code, like "fr", "de", "nso", ...
Language name	Cham	Language name in English
Language name	الچمية	Language name in your language. This will appear in the language list on Special:Preferences, in the interwiki sidebar on other wikis, ...
Language Wikidata item	Q241146 - item has currently the following values: English label: Cham native label (P1705): ꨌꩌ instance of (P31)/subclass of (P279): language / Chamic Wikimedia language code (P424): writing system (P282): Cham number of speakers, writers, or signers (P1098): 400,000	Item about the language at Wikidata. It would normally include the Wikimedia language code, name of the language, etc. Please complete at Wikidata if needed.
Directionality	RTL	Is the language written from left to right (LTR) or from right to left (RTL)?
Links		Links to previous requests, or references to external websites or documents.
Site URL	cm.wikipedia.org	langcode.wikiproject.org

Settings
Project name	ويكيفيديا	"Wikipedia" in your language
Project namespace	ويكيفيديا	usually the same as the project name
Project talk namespace	بينچڠ ويكي	"Wikipedia talk" (the discussion namespace of the project namespace)
Enable uploads	yes	Default is "no". Preferably, files should be uploaded to Commons. If you want, you can enable local file uploading, either by any user ("yes") or by administrators only ("admin"). Notes: (1) This setting can be changed afterwards. The setting can only be "yes" or "admin" at approval if the test creates an Exemption Doctrine Policy (EDP) first. (2) Files on Commons can be used on all Wikis. (3) Uploading fair-use images is not allowed on Commons (more info). (4) Localisation to your language may be insufficient on Commons.
Optional settings
Project logo	[[: ]]	This needs to be an SVG image (instructions for logo creation).
Default project timezone	Asia/Phnom_Penh	"Continent/City", e.g. "Europe/Brussels" or "America/Mexico City" (see list of valid timezones)
Additional namespaces		For example, a Wikisource would need "Page", "Page talk", "Index", "Index talk", "Author", "Author talk".
Additional settings		Anything else that should be set
Once settings are finalized, a committee member will submit a Phabricator task requesting creation of the wiki. (This will include everything automatically, except the additional namespaces/settings.) After the task is created, it should be linked to in a comment under "final decision" above.

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Proposal

Objective

To create a Cham language edition of Wikipedia, aiming to preserve, promote, and develop the Cham language and culture by providing free, high-quality information in Cham.

Background

The Cham language is an Austronesian language spoken by the Cham people, primarily in Vietnam and Cambodia. Despite its rich history and cultural significance, Cham is classified as a vulnerable language by UNESCO, with a declining number of speakers. Establishing a Cham Wikipedia would serve as a digital repository for Cham knowledge, offering a platform for speakers to contribute and engage with their language.

Goals

1. Preservation: Document Cham vocabulary, grammar, literature, and traditions to ensure the language remains accessible to future generations.
2. Education: Provide Cham-speaking communities with access to educational resources in their native language.
3. Community Engagement: Encourage Cham speakers and enthusiasts to contribute to the project, fostering pride in their linguistic heritage.
4. Promotion: Increase global awareness of the Cham language and culture.

Proposed Steps

1. Research and Initial Setup:
   1. Conduct a needs assessment to determine the interest and feasibility of the project.
   2. Establish partnerships with Cham linguistic and cultural experts.
2. Recruitment of Contributors:
   1. Reach out to Cham-speaking communities and organizations for volunteers.
   2. Provide training on Wikipedia editing and content guidelines.
3. Content Development:
   1. Prioritize key content areas, such as:
      1. Cham language grammar and vocabulary.
      2. Cham history, traditions, and culture.
      3. Educational topics like science, geography, and mathematics.
   2. Translate high-quality articles from existing Wikipedia versions.
4. Technical Implementation:
   1. Work with the Wikimedia Foundation to establish the Cham Wikipedia project.
   2. Ensure proper language support, including Cham script (Aksara Cham) and Romanized Cham.
5. Awareness Campaigns:
   1. Promote the project through social media, community events, and partnerships.
   2. Host workshops and competitions to encourage participation.
6. Monitoring and Growth:
   1. Regularly review and update content for quality and relevance.
   2. Expand the contributor base through ongoing outreach efforts.

Challenges

• Limited number of fluent Cham speakers.
• Potential lack of technical skills among contributors.
• Ensuring accurate representation of Cham script in digital formats.

Potential Impact

• Empower Cham-speaking communities by providing access to free, high-quality information in their language.
• Contribute to global efforts to preserve endangered languages.
• Strengthen Cham cultural identity and pride.

Conclusion

The Cham Wikipedia project represents a crucial step toward safeguarding the Cham language and culture for future generations. By leveraging the collaborative power of Wikipedia, this initiative can ensure that the Cham language remains a vibrant and living part of our shared human heritage.

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This proposal is open for discussion. Please share your thoughts and suggestions below.

Discussion

Dear creator @裕仁少女:, neither cm or cmp are valid codes as far as I've checked, there are two valid codes, however, that cja for Western Cham, and cjm for Eastern Cham, also both are having separately test projects on Incubator: incubator:Wp/cja and incubator:Wp/cjm, so which one are you requesting between Western or Eastern? --Liuxinyu970226 (talk) 07:25, 13 January 2025 (UTC)