Translation

Translation is a difficult job, but it has many rewards. A good translator can open dialogue, foster understanding and improve cooperation in cross-cultural multilingual settings. This learning project tackles translation from the bottom up starting with crude and simplistic methods, for and by inexperienced translators. Hopefully people who know what they are doing will join the effort.

Create translation table

We're going to do things the hard way, using OmegaWiki as a place to start. We create a translation table with the words, create, translation and table in their connotations for making a data table for translation:

Afrikaans	?	vertaling	???
Armenian	?	??	աղյուսակ
Belarusian	?	пераклад	???
Bengali	তৈরি	??	???
Bokmål	?	oversettelse	???
Breton	?	troidigezh	???
Castilian	crear	traducción	tabla
Catalan	crear	traducció	taula
Danish	kreere	oversættelse	tabel
Dutch	creëren	vertaling	tabel
English	create	translation	table
Esperanto	krei	traduko	tablo
Finnish	?	käännös	taulukko
French	créer	traduction	tableau
Georgian	შექმნა	??	ცხრილი
German	kreieren	Übersetzung	Tabelle
Greek	δημιουργώ	μετάφραση	πίνακας
Hebrew	?	??	טבלה
Hindi	बनाना	?	?
Hungarian	?	fordítás	???
Icelandic	?	þýðing	???
Italian	creare	traduzione	tabella
Japanese	創造する	翻訳	テーブル
Lithuanian	?	??	lentelė
Neapolitan	crià	??	???
Persian	?	ترجمه	???
Portuguese	?	??	tabela
Romanian	crea	traducere	tabel
Russian	?	перевод	???
Swahili	?	fanyiza	tafsiri	?
Swedish	skapa	översättning	tabell
Thai	สร้าง	การแปล	โต๊ะ
Turkish	yaratmak	çeviri	tablo
Vietnamese	?	??	bảng
Volapük	?	tradutod	???
Xhosa	?	inguqulo	???
Zulu	?	ukuguqulwa	???

We find those here, here and here. Notice that the tables not only come short of having all the words but they can reveal extra words. For example create in Dutch could also be scheppen and in German could also be erstellen, erschaffen, or schaffen. As an English user, I know that create could be substituted with make, produce, build and several other words without altering the meaning all that much. It is important to collaborate extensively in multilingual translation projects.

Seeding and expanding a translation table

The following translation table from meta was created by native French speaker and meta-wikipedian, Sam. It began as a tool for he and other Wikipedians who didn't comment their changes, leaving the comment line blank. Sam reasoned it might have been because they weren't sure of how to spell words correctly, use grammar, punctuation, etc. Originally named Wikispeling, the table began in his user space at the French Wikipedia and emerged at meta in the form of Wikispelling. Here's its genesis on 10 December 2004:

de	Deutsch	Korrektur (Korrekturen)	kleine Korrektur (kleine Korrekturen)	Rechtschreibung
en	English	correction (corrections)	minor correction (minor corrections)	spelling
fr	Français	correction (corrections)	correction mineure (corrections mineures)	orthographe
ro	Română	corectură (corecturi)	corectură minoră (corecții minore)	ortografie
xh	Xhosa	isilungiso (izilungiso)	isilungiso esincinci (izilungiso ezincinci)	izipelo

And here is the version 5 years later as of 31 July 2009:

en	English	[minor] correction ([minor] corrections)	spelling	grammar	punctuation	typography	please help with [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
af	Afrikaans	[kleine] verbetering ([kleine] verbeteringe)	spelling	grammatika	interpunksie	tipografie	Help asseblief met [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]!
als	Alemannisch	[chlini] Verbesserig ([chlini] Verbesserige)	Rächtschriibig	Grammatik	Interpunktion	Typografie	Hilf bitte mit [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]!
ar	العربية	[طفيف] تصحيح ([طفيفة] تصحيحات)	إملاء	قواعد	علامات ترقيم	مادة طباعية	من فضلك ساعد في [[m:Wikispelling|إملاء الويكي]]
ast	Asturianu	[pequeña] correción [pequeñes] correciones	ortografía	gramática	puntuación	tipografía	por favor, echanos un gabitu con la [[m:Wikispelling|Wikiortografía]]
ba	Bosnian	[mala] ispravka ([male] ispravke)	pravopis	gramatika	interpunkcija	tipografija	Molimo Vas da pomognete sa [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
bg	Български	[малка] корекция	правопис	граматика	пунктуация	оформление
br	Brezhoneg	reizhadennig [vihan] (reizhadennoùigoù [bihan])	reizhskrivañ	yezhadur	poentaouiñ	tipografiezh	Mar plij, skoazellit ac'hanomp gant ar [[m:Wikispelling|wikireizhskrivañ]]
ca	Català	[petita] correcció [petites] correccions	ortografia	gramàtica	puntuació	tipografia	Si us plau, ajudeu amb el [[m:Wikispelling|Viquiortògraf]]
cs	Česky	[drobná] oprava ([drobné] opravy)	pravopis	gramatika	interpunkce	typografie	pomozte prosím projektu [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
csb	Kaszëbsczi
cy	Cymraeg	cywiriad [bach] cywiriadau [bychain]	orgraff	gramadeg	atalnodi	teipograffeg	cyfrannwch at brosiect [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]], os gwelwch yn dda
da	Dansk	[mindre] ændring [mindre] ændringer	stavning	grammatik	tegnsætning	typografi	hjælp [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
de	Deutsch	[kleine] Korrektur ([kleine] Korrekturen)	Rechtschreibung	Grammatik	Interpunktion Zeichensetzung	Typografie	Bitte hilf mit [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]!
el	Ελληνικά	διόρθωση	ορθογραφία	γραμματική	στίξη	τυπογραφία	Παρακαλώ βοηθήστε με το[[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
eo	Esperanto	korekto [malgranda] korektoj [malgrandaj]	ortografio	gramatiko	interpunkcio	tipografio	bonvolu helpi per [[m:Wikispelling|Vikiortografio]]
es	Español	[pequeña] corrección [pequeñas] correcciones	ortografía	gramática	puntuación	tipografía	ayúdenos con el [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]], por favor
et	Eesti	[pisi] parandus ([pisikesed] parandused)	õigekiri	grammatika	kirjavahemärkide tarvitus	tüpograafia	Palun aita [[m:Wikispelling|Vikiõigekirja]] projekti
eu	Euskara		ortografia	gramatika	puntuazio
fi	Suomi	korjaus	oikeinkirjoitus	kielioppi	välimerkitys
fo	Føroyskt		stavseting	mállæra
fr	Français	correction [mineure] (corrections [mineures])	orthographe	grammaire	ponctuation	typographie	Aidez-nous avec ([[m:Wikispelling|l'orthographe]] SVP.
gl	Galego	corrección [menor] (correccións [menores])	ortografía	gramática	puntuación	tipografía	Axuda no [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]], por favor.
ga	Gaeilge	ceartúchán [beag] (ceartúcháin [bheaga])	litriú	gramadach	poncaíocht	clóghrafaíocht	Cabhraigí le [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]], le bhur dtoil
gv	Gaelg	kiartaghey	cairscreeu	lioar ghrammeydys grammeydys grammar	punkaghey	clougraafeeaght
he	עברית	תיקון [משני] תיקונים [משניים]	כתיב	דקדוק	פיסוק	טיפוגרפיה	אנא סייעו ב-[[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
hi	हिन्दी
hr	Hrvatski	(manje) ispravke	pravopis	gramatika	interpunkcija	slovoslaganje tipografija	Molim, pomozite [[m:Wikispelling|projektu Wikipravopisa]]
hu	Magyar	korrigálás javítás	ortográfia helyesírás	nyelvtan	írásjelek	tipográfia nyomdászat	Kérem segítsen a [[m:Wikispelling|Wiki projekt helyesírásánál]]
hy	Հայերեն		ուղղագրություն	քերականություն	կետադրություն
ia	Interlingua	correction [parve] (correctiones [parve])	orthographia	grammatica	punctuation	typographia	adjuta con [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]], per favor!
id	Bahasa Indonesia	koreksi	ejaan	tata bahasa	tanda baca	tipografi	Bantulah kami dalam mengoreksi kesalahan [[m:Wikispelling|ejaan]] di Wikipedia!
it	Italiano	[piccola] correzione ([piccole] correzioni)	ortografia	grammatica	punteggiatura	tipografia composizione	per favore, aiutateci con il [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
ja	日本語	校正	綴り つづり	文法	区切り	タイポグラフィー	[[m:Wikispelling|ウィキスペリング]]にご協力ください。
ko	한국어		맞춤법	문법
ksh	Kölsch / Ripuarisch	en [kleijn] Fobäßerong ([kleijn] Fobäßeronge)	et Boochstavveere	de Jrammatik	de Zëijschesäzong	de Typpojraffi	Sidd_esu joot, dooht dem [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]] hellefe!
ku	Kurdî / كوردی	serastkirina biçûk	rastnivîs	rêziman
la	Latina	erratum correctum	orthographia	litteratura	punctus	typographica
lb	Lëtzebuergesch
jbo	Lojban	cmalu dragau	valsi dragau	gerna dragau	pandi dragau		pe'u ko sidju fi la'o gy. [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]] gy.
ml	മലയാളം
ms	Bahasa Melayu	pembetulan [kecil]	ejaan	tatabahasa	tanda baca	tipografi	Bantulah kami dalam membetulkan kesalahan [[m:Wikispelling|ejaan]] di Wikipedia!
nds	Plattdüütsch
nl	Nederlands	[kleine] correctie ([kleine] correcties)	spelling	grammatica	interpunctie	typografie	Help alsjeblieft met [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]!
no	Norsk	[liten] korreksjon [små] korreksjoner	rettskrivning	grammatikk	tegnsetting	typografi	hjelp [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
pl	Polski	[drobna] poprawka ([drobne] poprawki)	pisownia	gramatyka	interpunkcja	typografia	pomóż poprawiać: [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
pt	Português	correcção [menor] (correcções [menores])	ortografia	gramática	pontuação	tipografia	ajuda [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]] por favor
ro	Română	corectură	ortografie	gramatică	punctuație	tipografie tipar	ajutați-ne la [[m:Wikispelling|Wikiortografie]], vă rugǎm
ru	Русский	[незначительное] исправление [незначительные] исправления	орфография	грамматика	пунктуация	типографика	Пожалуйста, помогите проекту [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
scn	Sicilianu	[piccola] correzzioni ([piccoli] correzzioni)	ortugrafia	grammatica	puntigghiatura	tipografia cumpusizzioni	per favori, aiutati-nui cun lu [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
sh	(Serbo-Croatian)	ispravljanje	ortografija pravopis	gramatika	interpunkcijski interpunkcija	tipografija slaganje
sl	Slovenščina	manjša poprava popravljanje	pravopis	slovnica	ločila	tipografija	Prosim, pomagajte [[m:Wikispelling|Wikipravopisu]]
sq	Shqip		ortografi drejtshkrim	gramatikë hyrje në shkencë		tipografi shtypshkrim
sv	Svenska	[liten] rättning ([små] rättningar)	stavning	grammatik	interpunktion	typografi	Hjälp till med [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]!
th	ไทย	แก้ไข[เล็กน้อย]	การสะกดคำ	ไวยากรณ์	เครื่องหมายวรรคตอน	การเรียงพิมพ์	มาร่วมกันช่วย [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
tr	Türkçe	[küçük] düzeltmeler	yazım imlâ	dilbilgisi	noktalama	tipografi	[[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]'e yardım ediniz!
tk	Türkmençe	[ujypsyzja] düzedişler	orfografiýa	grammatika	punktuasiýa	tipografika	[[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]e hemaýat beriň!
ur	اردو
uk	Українська	виправлення	правопис	граматика	пунктуація	друкування	Будь ласка, допоможіть [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
vi	Tiếng Việt	sửa chữa	chính tả	ngữ pháp	đánh dấu chấm câu	cách trình bày	xin trợ giúp [[m:Wikispelling|Wikispelling]]
wa	Walon	[pitit(s)] coridjaedje(s)	ôrtografeye	croejhete	pontiaedje	tipografeye	Vos nos ploz aidî avou l' ([[m:Wikispelling|ôrtografeye]].
zh	中文	[小]修正	拼写	语法	标点	排版	请帮助完善[[m:Wikispelling|维基拼写]]

You can see that manually generated and maintained wikitables can be worth all the trouble in the long term.

Computer-assisted translation

Computer-assisted translation.

This Wikiversity page is under construction. If you see a Red link, turn it into a Blue link. If you see something that needs Translation, translate it. If you don't agree with something or have a question, simply go to Talk:Translation with your concerns. This is a wiki!