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How to start a new Wikipedia
Other languages: , , , (he) ...So, you want to start a new language Wikipedia? Beware that it'll be a lot of work and it will take many hours to make your language ready to go live. You need a good knowledge of your language and one of the languages in the multilingual Wikipedia.
Go to your language's Wikipedia through Complete list of language wikis available. If your language is not on the list, then contact wikipedia-l to get it set up and list it on proposals for new projects. In your posting you should provide some informations such as the exact name of the language, the language code and the number of speakers.
This is the most difficult and time consuming work. You need to either find the php file of the active Wikipedia in the language you know best at Locales for the Wikipedia Software or retrieve it per CVS from the source code. Or, you can ask wikitech-l and they will be able to help you find the file.
Go to Wikipedia in other languages (get or ask for your logos). You need to ask a developer to help you install your logo. Check out the list of developers who might help you (hint : Brion, Tim Starling, Shaihulud etc...). See also Wikipedia raster name.
Well, some pages are usually protected, so you may need someone with sysop status very soon. Add your request on Requests for permissions.
You may create your own main page, or go to the Main Page of another Wikipedia and think about how you can translate it into your language. Later, click "Edit this page" and translate everything, but leave the formatting tags. The tags create the format and the links in the page.
You will need to create a welcome page similar to . You can just translate that, or you can write something original. Hopefully, you already have a link from the Main Page to the Welcome page and you can just click that and start writing the text.
You need to translate in your language.
Another helpful link : .
Many Wikipedias have a list of languages at the bottom of their Main Page. If the page is unprotected, you can add your language there. If the page is protected, you should request someone else add the link on the Main Page's talk page - see Wikimedia Embassy for people to help you. Once you have added it to one or more Wikipedias, users of other languages will add it to theirs.
You need a page where writers and editors can put write their name and location. Just use the page of as a base and translate it in your language.
Find appropriate newsgroups, forums, discussion lists, etc. where people would be interested to learn that the Wikipedia has started in their language. Offer to write an article for a local paper about your involvement in the project and its cultural value to society. Lecture at conferences where the topic would be appropriate. Create a small brochure or poster about Wikipedia in your language. Add a link to Wikipedia in your email signature. Tattoo the word Wikipedia to your forehead.
Now your language is ready for the public! Try to convince your friends to join the project and explain how the Wikipedia works. Thanks for your hard work! Also, here are some steps you might want to take to make your Wikipedia even better:
You want to have a high quality encyclopedia. Write a few tips for writers.
Are there webpages in your language about how to write? Maybe you would want to add a dictionary or a grammar guide here. Put in everything that could be useful for writers.
Because encyclopedias have dates, you will need to have an index for them. Translate the calendar into your language. Luckily, this doesn't have to be done for quite a while after the beginning.
It is recommended that you subscribe to the to know what is going on. It is also a place where you can draw on the experiences of the other wikipedias.
Establish a local Wikimedia Embassy for multilingual cooperation! (set yourself a page so that we can contact you more easily, and give a name for a contact)
If you want to have a central point about what is going on in the whole wikipedia community, go to goings-on. (keep yourself inform on what is going on in the wikimedia community)
If you want to know who's setting up a new language wikipedia, such as the recent Hebrew Wikipedia, is the point man.
Find your language
Translate the interface
Get your logo
Get a sysop status
Start on the pages themselves
Set Main Page
Welcome page
How to edit a page
Add a link to the main pages of other Wikipedias
Prepare the Wikipedians page
Promote your Wikipedia
Add a style guide
Add resources for writers
Translate the calendar
Establish cooperation between your language wikipedia and the others
