Yoruba Wikipedia Article

Assigned:71.43.76.135

Summary: Interview Prof. Isola and Prof. Andewole and write article about their views on Wikipedia Yoruba and effect on language. Article to be included in press kit, etc.

Tasks: Write Article.

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BACKGROUND:

Seeking a reporter who would be willing to interview and write a story on Professor Isola and Professor Adewole, and their views on Wikipedia Yoruba, and how it is helping Yoruba language. Comproj were collecting case studies about wikipedia, and someone posted the following:

"News about the Yoruba wikipedia was broadcast on Radio today (11th June, 2007) at Orisun FM Radio, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Both Prof Isola and Prof Adewole who commented on the wikipedia were of the opinion that now that many Yoruba students are used to the internet, a wikipedia written in Yoruba will encourage them to develp more interest in the language."

Once this article is written, we probably would include it in press kit, etc. And have for reference for reporters etc.

TASKS:

Request sent to Wikinews, and they are interested, but need help researching the following questions. Please post all info here, and make more questions, if you see fit.There are so many Yoruba translators who are not yet informed about Wikipedia.

About Yoruba

Yoruba is a language, or range of dialects, spoken in West Africa and elsewhere. The region where Yoruba is traditionally spoken - the southwestern corner of Nigeria, the republics of Benin and Togo and mideastern Ghana - is commonly called Yorubaland.

There are 18.8 million first-language speakers of Yorùbá in Nigeria . It is also spoken in the United Kingdom and the US. The total number of native speakers of Yoruba is estimated at 19.3 million .

Yoruba developments in the US

In 1994, and working in consultation with the National Council of Organizations of Less Commonly Taught Languages (NCOLCTL) the African Language Teachers' Association (ALTA) formed a Yoruba Task Force to strengthen the field of instruction and to bring about the development of Yoruba teaching materials.

The Yoruba Language Task Force identified current teachers and programs in the field and has an advisory board.

Wikipedia Yoruba

The Yoruba language edition of Wikipedia was begun in 2002 and recently reached 500 articles, says Wikizine. Check Wikimedia Stats report. User:Loadewole is a leading contributor to Yoruba Wikipedia.

With due respect to earlier contributors, I am of the opinion that the truth should be told. First and foremost, it is only in Nigeria, United Kingdom, and the United States of America that this people are called Yoruba. This could be found in the published projects of Bishop Ajayi Crowther of 1856 by Queen Victoria and Britain. Reference on this subject will be published in my next edition. These people are popularly known as Anago in other parts of the world. They existed throughout Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean Islands. Even in some parts of Nigeria, they called themselves Anago, and not Yoruba, as well as along West African sea coast. The problem confronting this race is the inability to unify their alphabets, so as to recognize where they are. For instance, an 'I' in Yoruba in Nigeria is 'I' in India, but 'ee' in Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Use of the internet where Yoruba is spoken

Nigeria 5,000,000 people (3.1 per cent)

Benin 425,000 people (5.5 per cent)

Togo 300,000 people (5.4 per cent)

United Kingdom 37,600,000 people (62.3 per cent)

US 233,188,086 people (69.5 per cent)

Data source: Internet World Statistics

Yoruba experts

Professor Akinwunmi Isola is a Nigerian playwright, actor, dramatist, culture activist and scholar. He is also known for his writing in, and his work in promoting, the Yoruba language.

Professor Lawrence Olufemi Adewole is a Professor at the Department of African Languages & Literatures at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria. He is User:Loadewole at Wikipedia.

Questions for experts

Please sign your answers with a name or four squiggles. Thank you very much for contributing!

Q1. How fast is Wikipedia Yoruba growing at present? Not fast enough. Toludpilgrim (talk) 19:12, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Q2. How is Wikipedia Yoruba helping people to learn or practice the language?

Q3. Where do these learners live? in Nigeria and the diaspora. Toludpilgrim (talk) 19:12, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Q4 In your own words, why is it important for lots of people to speak Yoruba? To spread and keep the culture alive. Toludpilgrim (talk) 19:12, 29 March 2013 (UTC)

Q5. Are any new developments planned?

Q6. Has Wikipedia helped the Yoruba Language Task Force achieve its aims??

External links

The Yoruba Page

Yoruba Language Task Force bringing together Yoruba language teachers and to assisting them in the development and exchange of information and post-elementary level teaching materials. The website only contains events information up until 1997. Has Wikipedia helped the Task Force achieve its aims?

A list of universities with courses in Yoruba

The Yoruba Language page at the Wikiversity KnowCycle Project Including interwiki links.

References

[1] Yoruba, Languages of the World, National Virtual Translation Centre Washington DC.

[2] Internet World Statistics