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Wikipedia 'List of...' Infobox: Temporal Drift in Language of Foreign Words
This page measures the prevalence of non-native words appearing in the structured data of Wikipedia's 'List of...' articles. We analyse infoboxes to identify foreign terms, providing insight into how global influences shape encyclopedic content over time. Our analysis highlights trends in linguistic borrowing, offering a unique perspective on cultural exchange and the evolving nature of language within a collaborative knowledge base.
The data originates from a systematic scan of millions of Wikipedia 'List of...' articles. We calculate the percentage of infoboxes that contain at least one foreign word, as well as the average number of foreign words present per infobox. We also identify the most frequently encountered foreign words, revealing common patterns of linguistic integration.
Understanding this temporal drift is crucial for appreciating the dynamic interplay between languages in the digital age. It offers a granular view of how global communication influences even the most formalised written content, demonstrating the subtle but significant impact of international exchange on our collective vocabulary.