I really really hate how "mul" labels were implemented. Not being able to list the languages included in the "mul" means we are *losing information*
Is a label empty because no one added it, or because this language happens to correspond with the value inside the "mul" field? WHO KNOWS, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL.
I thought I would get accustomed to it, but the more I use it, the more I actually actively hate it.
#Wikidata
I would have wanted to be able to add SEVERAL mul (because for a lot of things there are several languages sharing a label, if only because we deal with many regional languages, etc.) and to be able for each cluster of "mul" label to add ALL the languages codes which were inside the cluster.
Then we wouldn't have lost information.
And yes, I understand such a solution would have been much harder to develop and implement.
But I've worked for a decade to translate labels for languages which are not rich in Wikidatians, and the current implementation of "mul" feels very much like spitting on our hard work.
And maybe, in addition to the "mul" clusters a "default" label, which would have had the title in the original language for written works for example, or the name in the native language of the person, etc.
There are many cases too complex for a default label, but also millions where it would make sense and would be easier to query than having to check the different possibles properties #wikidata
Harmonia Amanda
Tpt
RainbowFrog