Somali, Portuguese and Kurdish Reach Remarkable Milestones in Wiktionary
For language enthusiasts and learners worldwide, Wiktionary serves as an invaluable tool for exploring the growth and evolution of languages, while also expanding one's vocabulary in a methodical and self-directed manner.
In this article, we will explore some of Wiktionary's notable milestones from September 2023, with the aim of fomenting your curiosity whilst demonstrating how this resource can serve as a means to enhance your knowledge in different languages.
What is Wiktionary?
Wiktionary, a dynamic, collaborative project striving to define the essence of words in every language, stands as a project under the Wikimedia Foundation, the same organisation behind Wikipedia.
Designed as a comprehensive lexical database, Wiktionary offers insights into words, encompassing definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, translations, and more. Contributors worldwide engage in enhancing and expanding entries, rendering it a collaborative and ever-evolving resource for language and linguistic enthusiasts.
Wiktionary News
Every month, Wiktionary releases a list of major milestones, presenting distinctly interesting statistics that bring us closer to understanding how languages progress within their platform.
Reviewing the highlights for September 2023, several significant events graced the headlines:
Somali Wiktionary Surpasses 2,000 Entries:
The Somali Wiktionary achieved a remarkable milestone of 2,000 entries. This achievement signifies the inclusion of hundreds of words from an underrepresented language in a vast database, marking a significant presence in one of the most prominent free online dictionaries worldwide.
Portuguese Wiktionary Reaches 400,000 Entries:
The Portuguese Wiktionary celebrated a milestone of 400,000 entries. Portuguese stands as one of the most requested languages for translation and interpreting services at Vandu Languages, reflecting the global demand for understanding and engaging with this community.
Kurdish Wikipedia Achieves 60,000 Articles:
While not directly related to Wiktionary, the Kurdish Wikipedia attained a notable milestone of 60,000 articles. This achievement holds immense significance for the Kurdish-speaking community, enhancing their access to knowledge and international sources in their native language.
Simple English Wiktionary
One of Wiktionary’s compelling features is its Simple English category, an English dictionary employing the simplest words available to facilitate vocabulary acquisition for non-English speakers.
In September 2023, the Simple English Wiktionary surpassed a total of 50,000 pages, hosting an extensive array of word definitions, and aiding students across the globe in learning new vocabulary.
The Significance of Wiktionary
A vibrant community of volunteers, language enthusiasts, scholars and experts breathes life into Wiktionary. This collaborative spirit fuels the perpetual expansion and refinement of its content.
A phenomenal attribute of this process is that contributors are encouraged to adhere to Wiktionary's guidelines, cite reliable sources, and collaborate with fellow enthusiasts, ensuring the accuracy and quality of the content.
Each entry in Wiktionary typically includes definitions, usage examples, and related terms, providing a comprehensive understanding of a word. It often provides detailed etymological information, revealing the historical origins and development of words, and enriching understanding of language evolution.
For learners around the world, it can serve as a practical instrument to access information about over 160 languages, thereby expanding their opportunities to acquire a new language from the convenience of their own homes.
Vandu Languages
Vandu Languages is an agency renowned for providing translation, interpreting, and health and social care bilingual advocacy services. We extend our offerings to a diverse UK and international clientele.
Vandu Languages acts as a bridge between languages, ensuring effective communication and understanding across linguistic boundaries. We are dedicated to supporting language diversity, furthering the goals of platforms like Wiktionary in creating a more linguistically inclusive world.
Our linguists, professionally trained and proficient in cross-cultural communication, collectively speak over 135 different languages. Some of our most requested languages across the county include Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Polish, Mandarin, Portuguese, Kurdish and Pashto. Moreover, we stand prepared to provide additional support for requests requiring other foreign languages.
We invite our readers to use the following links to access more detailed information about each of the services we provide:
Interpreting Services
Translation Services
Health and Social Care Bilingual Advocacy
