The Linguist

Chartered Institute of Linguists AUTUMN 2025 The Linguist 15 FEATURES Second, while different speech communities might highlight different protagonists based on national pride or on what they learnt at school, these competing historical narratives also stem from the availability of sources in that language. This uncovers a matter of missing translation: hardly any Brazilian, Portuguese or Mozambican book about aviation would mention Clément Ader – and what does not get translated is just as important as what does. Who gets to write history? Wikipedia is among the most multilingual platforms on the internet. However, being multilingual does not mean being equitable. Many of Wikipedia's templates, plug-ins and editing tools are only available in English, and largely draw on English-language coding conventions. In other words, while anyone can edit, those who are fluent in English often find it easier to participate in this space. This sets up a subtle but significant form of gatekeeping. If you are not confident with the platform's English-centred backend, your contributions might be limited or never be made at all – which is a real problem for a platform entirely based on user-generated content. What is at stake, then, is who gets to write history and produce knowledge. In many countries, Wikipedia is among the most accessible sources of information available and a first stop for students, journalists and curious minds. But if its articles differ drastically by language – whether in tone, emphasis or even fundamental 'truths' – we are faced with the question: whose knowledge are we accessing? The airplane is not the only example of this phenomenon. Another fascinating case is Wikipedia's coverage of the 1982 Falklands/ Malvinas War. While the article in English refers to an 'Argentine invasion', the Spanish page speaks of a 'British occupation'. 2 A similar pattern emerges in articles about Vladimir Putin. Wikipedia in Ukrainian devotes two of its four introductory paragraphs to detailing how Putin has been condemned by the UN, the US and the International Criminal Court. The article in Russian, by contrast, mentions these sanctions and arrest warrants in only one of six introductory paragraphs, subsequently focusing largely on his career and political achievements. Meanwhile, the English page has long been under extended confirmed protection, a response to the heated 'edit wars' that broke out after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 3 These contrasting accounts are not just a semantic matter; they reveal deep geopolitical and ideological divides that carry over into editorial decisions. And this pattern repeats across topics, from science and history to pop culture, which hints at how the national origins of editors and the availability of sources in certain languages help shape knowledge on digital media. Multiple inventions, multiple wars Disagreements between Wikipedia editors – which can be observed by peeking into the 'Talk' and 'View history' metapages accompanying each article – are not just about facts, but about the kind of story each editor wants to tell. In a world where disinformation spreads fast and where tech companies increasingly use AI to translate content automatically, understanding the limits of language – and of translation – becomes key. Wikipedia shows that every verifiable historical fact is a mosaic of situated knowledges and linguistic power dynamics. While this can be frustrating for those seeking 'the one right answer', it is also what makes Wikipedia remarkable: it is an archive of human perspectives permanently under construction – and, almost certainly, already different from the moment this article was written. So next time you search for who invented the airplane or who won a war, consider reading these articles in another language. You might find a different hero. And you will definitely find a different story. Notes 1 Fians, G (2024) 'After All, Who Invented the Airplane? Multilingualism and the grassroots production of historical knowledge on Wikipedia'. In Language and Communication 99, 39-51 2 Góngora-Goloubintseff, JG (2020) 'The Falklands/Malvinas War Taken to the Wikipedia Realm: A multimodal discourse analysis of cross- lingual violations of the Neutral Point of View'. In Palgrave Communications 59 (6), 1-9 3 Fians, G (2024) 'Liberdade na enciclopédia livre: Entre culturas colaborativas e participação tecnoliberal na Wikipedia'. In Horizontes Antropológicos 30 (68), 1-31 © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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