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Vikidia:Babel

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On Vikidia, the noun Babel (an allusion to the Tower of Babel) refers to the user language templates aiding multilingual communication by making it easier to contact someone who speaks a certain language. The idea originated on the Wikimedia Commons and has also been implemented on Meta-Wiki and some of the other Wikipedias to varying extents. To participate, you can add the Babel template to your user page by following these instructions:

  • Start off with {{#Babel:.
  • Next add one of the following codes for each language you speak or understand, separated by | (vertical bar or pipe), where xx should be replaced by the Wikipedia code for that language. The general usage of each code level is as follows (note that not all languages have all levels, but you may create the template you are missing); the numbering is approximately analogous to the ILR scale, though this is coincidental:
    • xx-0 if you cannot understand the language at all. Do not use it for every language that you don't know, but only when there is some reason why you might be expected to know it. For example, one may be of Italian descent, but does not speak the Italian language, or if one is Canadian but does not speak French. Similarly, one may usefully edit a project without speaking the language, such as adding links or images to Japanese Wikipedia without speaking Japanese.
    • xx-1 for basic ability - enough to understand written material or simple questions in this language.
    • xx-2 for intermediate ability - enough for editing or discussions.
    • xx-3 for advanced level - though you can write in this language with no problem, some small errors might occur.
    • xx-4 for 'near-native' level - although it's not your first language from birth, your ability is something like that of a native speaker.
    • xx-5 for professional proficiency. Note that this template is currently only available for a few languages.
    • xx (no hyphen or number) for native-born speakers who use a language every day and have a thorough grasp of it, including colloquialisms and idioms.
  • Then finish by adding closing braces: }}

Example of use[edit | edit source]

{{#Babel:en|fr-4|de-3|nl-2|it-1|ru-0}} will have for result:

Babel user information
en-N This user has a native understanding of English.
fr-4 Cet utilisateur dispose de connaissances proches de la langue maternelle en français.
de-3 Dieser Benutzer beherrscht Deutsch auf hohem Niveau.
nl-2 Deze gebruiker heeft basiskennis van het Nederlands.
it-1 Questo utente può contribuire con un livello elementare in italiano.
ru-0 Этот участник не владеет русским языком (или понимает его с трудом).
Users by language