Tell us about Belarusian Wikipedia

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Belarusian

Wikimedia Statistics can be difficult to interpret. What is your impression, how many steady contributors do you have?
- According to observations of administrations, number of active supporters is 90-100 persons. --Maksim L. (talk) 21:48, 26 September 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Are your contributors mostly native speakers?
- Mostly, yes. Extremely few foreign people can speak Belarusian. --Da voli 09:11, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Where do your contributors live (regions/country)?
- As a rule, they live in the major cities (regional centers) of Belarus. --Da voli 09:11, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
How common is it that your contributors meet in real life?
- The process is starting. The active contributors met several times to discuss the current situation. Besides we had 2 Wiki Meetups in 2010 together with contributors to the Ru and Be-tarask editions. --Da voli 09:12, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Do you have special contacts with other Wikipedias (maybe in related languages)?
- I am wondering what is meant under 'special contacts'? The question is not concrete. --Da voli 09:16, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Do you translate a lot from other Wikipedias? Which ones?
- The bulk of imported content is translated from Russian, and some content goes other way, too. Some content is translated from Tarashkevitsa, and one might surmise the reverse flow (be->be(tarask)) is bigger. Yury Tarasievich 14:19, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is there a Wikimedia chapter in your country? How does your language relate to it?
- No, we don't have a Chapter in Belarus. We had organisational meetings and now we are preparing the necessary documentation to register the Chapter. --Da voli 08:42, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Are there work groups in other organizations about Wikipedia?
- No, not a single one. --Da voli 08:42, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

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?
- The Language and Literature Instytut (Division) of National Academy of Sciences is the main institution of the sort. The contact is mostly one-way, we know about them, and they hardly know about us. Yury Tarasievich 14:28, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Who (else) supports you?
- Nobody. Yury Tarasievich 14:28, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]
What does the public outreach for your edition look like? Do you have flyers, give lectures, training etc.?
- Articles about Belarusian Wikipedia are published in newspapers and electronic media. In November we were invited for a video program by the largest national Web portal TUT.BY. Flyers, lectures, trainings will be in the future when the local Wikimedia Chapter is officially registered. --Da voli 09:24, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Do you get feedback from readers?
What other encyclopedias exist in your language?
- Various paper editions, published by the state-owned 'Belarusian Encyclopedia' (first issues printed c. 1969-1970). Yury Tarasievich 14:28, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Does your edition concentrate on certain topics, like your region and language, or Latin Wikipedia on Roman history and Christianity?
- Some topics, like Belarusian history and culture, seem to be more appealing to the Belarusian-speaking editors. Yury Tarasievich 14:24, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]
- Geography and Administrative Division of Belarus are popular topics as well. --Da voli 08:47, 12 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]
Did your edition enjoy text donations, for example from older encyclopedias?
- Several authors of thematic data collections gave their permissions for use of their material. Yury Tarasievich 14:24, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is there a generally accepted norm about your language (spelling, dictionary, pronunciation)?
- Belarusian in its literary form is one of the state languages of Belarus. Plethora of normative literature, especially where the native layers of literary language are concerned. Some problems with transcriptions, due to the partly traditionalist nature of grammar. Yury Tarasievich 14:22, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]
How do you deal with different spellings, dialects etc. (like B.E. lift and A.E. elevator)?
- The academic dictionaries provide the ultimate resolution. Yury Tarasievich 14:22, 30 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]