In a world where information is at our fingertips, the dominance of major languages can sometimes overshadow the voices of minority languages. However, this narrative is being challenged by online platforms like Ext Wikipedia, a website that aims to preserve and promote indigenous languages.
Ext Wikipedia, available at https://ext.wikipedia.org, is a project under the Wikimedia Foundation that offers a space for the Extremaduran language, spoken by approximately 200,000 people across Spain and Portugal. Launched in 2006, the website allows users to contribute articles, literature, and cultural references that are vital for this language’s preservation and growth.
The website serves as a platform for Extremaduran speakers to connect with each other, establish a sense of community, and share their knowledge and cultural heritage. By providing a digital space for this minority language, Ext Wikipedia enables its speakers to showcase their unique history, traditions, and literature to a wider audience.
Competitors in the digital space catering to minority languages include platforms like Lingua Libre and Amara. Lingua Libre is an open-source platform that focuses on recording and sharing pronunciations of words and phrases in various languages, while Amara facilitates the translation and subtitling of videos to make them accessible to multiple language speakers.
While these platforms foster linguistic diversity, Ext Wikipedia stands out for its comprehensive approach to language preservation, combining the documentation of vocabulary and grammar with the creation of a multimedia-rich encyclopedia. This holistic approach allows Extremaduran speakers to explore and learn about their own culture in their mother tongue.
As digital inclusion becomes increasingly important, initiatives like Ext Wikipedia play a crucial role in safeguarding linguistic diversity. By supporting and promoting languages on the brink of extinction, these platforms ensure that every voice, regardless of its size, has a chance to be heard on the global stage.
Link to the website: ext.wikipedia.org
