Wikimedia Latina

Wikimedia Latina is a proposal to form a thematic organization with the aim to promote the development of the Latin content on Wikimedia projects and to promote the use and the knowledge of the Latin language.

The circle of interest is also extended to any study of the transformation of the Latin language into the modern languages. Basically the interest is extended to the Wikipedia:Philology.

Preamble

Please take care that this is only a project and nothing is set in a stone. These are only proposals and this is a page to start the discussion.

A list of helpful links for who doesn't know what means "affiliated organization":

• Wikimedia_Thematic_Organizations
• Requirements_for_future_thematic_organizations
• Guidelines_for_future_chapters_and_thematic_organizations
• Step-by-step_Thematic_Organization_creation_guide

Mission

1. Encourage Latin cultural organizations to use Wikimedia projects and to adopt the values of free culture and open access.
2. Promote and support Latin Wikimedia projects
3. Promote the use of Latin as "lingua franca"
4. Promote the philological studies of Latin
5. Promote the protection of ancient books and archives hosting documents in Latin or in old languages derived from the Latin language
6. Support endangered or minor Romance languages (Rumantsch, Ladin, Istriot, ...)

Wikimedia Latina coordination

Current outreach project

• Page created on January 27th, 2013

Meetings

...

Communications

Wikimedia Latina utilizes these methods for communications:

• .... - Wikimedia IRC Channel
• .... - Email discussion list

Wikimedia Latina content

Latin culture

The Latin language, since the expansion of the Roman Empire, developed over two millennia. In the second century B.C., it was a mature language and encroached upon areas where ancient Greek had enjoyed pervasive influence as a "lingua franca". Latin was the medium of medieval churches, courts, diplomacy, and intellectual communications, avenues of expression which continued, albeit diminished, even into the nineteenth century, for example in medical schools.

The Latin use today

The Latin language remains in use for pontifical statements of the Catholic church.

Libraries

A lot of valuable and ancient books are in Latin language. These books are hosted in some minor any endangered libraries (for instance some small ecclesiastical libraries).

Incunabula by language

Archives

In western Europe, as late as the nineteenth century, some religious records and historical documents were composed in Latin.

Inscriptions

Inscriptions in Latin constitute a vast and growing corpus. The study of artifacts bearing written Latin falls under the heading of Epigraphy.

Romance languages

Etymologies of many words in several languages (also in English) have roots from the Latin language. The Wiktionary projects ought to include etymological entries and compare the spread of derived words in current languages, even in dialects.

Endangered or minor languages

Vernacular Latin has the evidence of graffiti and marginalia, as well as documents, but it might be extracted from some minor languages like Limba Sarda or Rumantsch whose phonology may be of comparative interest.

Plan

Name

We will be initially incorporating as Wikimedia Latina if we get authority to use Wikimedia Latina from the WMF. This organization currently is not registered in any way.

Scope and territorial overlap with national chapters

• The territory of activity is everywhere in the world where there are people interested in achieving our mission.
• Initially the organization may be registered in the Switzerland as "international association" because Switzerland gives a lot of advantages (tax detraction, time for registration, access to public funds, etc.)
• It may be planned an office in Italy (probably Rome)
• Any other country can register the association locally

Related projects

• Vicipedia Latina
• Vicifons
• Vicilibri
• Vicivia (incubator)
• Any project included in any Wikipedia related to the Latin language or to the philology of the languages derived from Latin

Participants

Active members

• --Ilario (talk) 08:22, 27 January 2013 (UTC)

Supporters / interested participants

Not necessarily involved in leadership activities - but supporting the project's efforts.

1. Andrew Dalby (talk) 15:33, 28 January 2013 (UTC)
2. Rex Momo (talk) 09:14, 30 January 2013 (UTC)
3. εΔω 10:45, 28 February 2013 (UTC)
4. MF-W
5. Samuel J. Howard (talk) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
6. KuboF (talk) (for libraries in Slovakia in collabouration with WMSK) 23:35, 4 November 2014 (UTC)