For more information on using Launchpad to help translate WiserEarth, visit the Launchpad Getting Started Tutorial or for more information on this localization work, please contact Camilla

This WikiPage is based on the LaunchPad Localization Guidelines

Overview

This guide contains specific information about translating software into your language. It contains details about what strings should be translated and what not, what are plural forms and other things you should be aware while translating software using Launchpad Translations (Rosetta) or any other tool. We recommend that you use this guide to help you with your translation work. There are also language-specific guidelines available on Launchpad: List of language-specific guidelines

Basic rules for checking translations quality

Below are listed some common sense rules to follow during the translation work in order to improve the translation quality:

• If a translation does not make sense to you and your grandmother, it is definitely wrong!.

• Make your translation useful and adapt to the context. Don't follow always the original text". Like for example "Tile children" may sound funny in many languages so try "Arrange windows as a tile". The original text is not always the correct one.

• Launchpad doesn't allow screengrabs to be used, so we recommend that you keep a window open to the WiserEarth site when translating to check to see how and where the text being translated is being used. If you are unsure of the context of the translation and this is required to ensure the correct translation, send a message to Camilla asking for context together with the number of the translation

• When you have translated a string, read it again and see if there are any errors or if the translation sounds right in your language.

• Generally the WiserEarth site uses the third person for its content. Therefore rather than saying 'We think that', it will say 'Members of the WiserEarth community think that...'.

• Always ensure that at least one other team member review your translations.

• Translation consistency is an important aspect of translation quality. You can check the translation of a word / phrase in multiple free software project using the Open Tran website.

• We suggest that each translation entered is reviewed by one other person, so check the box "someone should review this translation" if you are the first person to translate the field. If not, you can select a suggestion already made by someone else and then leave this box unchecked. Once the initial version of the site is launched in your language, we will get the chance to re-review all the fields to make sure they are correct.

• Please feel free to add to these guidelines (by adding comments/suggestions in the comment box below) to improve our translation process and do keep in touch with other translators or the person leading the translations

• Use your local translation group and the call out box to ask any questions about the translation work, or send a WE message to your translation group leader.

Plural forms

While English language has 2 plural forms, your language may have 2 or more plural forms. We recommend that you use the formal plural form for your translation of the WiserEarth site.

Example:

English: You

French: Vous (i.e. not 'tu' which is the familiar form of 'you' in French)

Menu accelerators / shortcuts

Different development languages and frameworks use different ways to signify which key within a string should be used as a keyboard shortcut. Sometimes you may see an underscore (e.g. Save _As) at the beginning or within a word, it may well be a keyboard shortcut.You should place the underscore, ampersand or whichever other control character directly in front of the letter you want to use as the shortcut.

You should try to use the WiserEarth site to see how the software works on your keyboard. This should allow you to see how the shortcuts are being used and what keyboard shortcut needs to be recommended, based on the local language you are translating into.

Common Errors/examples of things not requiring translation

Suggestions will go here....

If you have any suggestions of common errors etc, please let me (Camilla) know. Thanks