Translation

What this page is

This page addresses translation within Wikimedia projects, introduces the translators' list, pages for messages, and pages that need translating into every language, and introduces translators' communication channels. See also Translation subcommittee. Related general information can be found at translation process and multilingualism. Contacts with language/theme-oriented projects are also listed at Wikimedia embassy and Wikipedia languages.

See also: Localization statistics and MediaWiki localization

About translation within Wikimedia

There are thousands of multilingual editors in the Wikimedia community. Most spend their time on local wikis, oblivious to other communities. Here on the Meta-Wiki, there are also translation requests for translation into many languages at once. Shortly after it was set up, we distributed an international press release in August/September 2004 across the world in 12 languages within five days.

To practice your language skills on something short and sweet, see the Translation of the week. There is also a Translation practice course at Wikiversity: see the Spanish version and the English version.

How to translate a Meta article

To translate an article on Meta, see Meta:Interlanguage links. If you want to encourage translations into many languages at once, you can start by adding a multilingual sidebar like the one on this page.

You may also list an article or quote below for translation into every wikipedia language.

To translate an article on Wikipedia, go to the appropriate-language domain (e.g., fr.wikipedia.org for French) and create the translated page there; then add Wikipedia Interlanguage links to both the original and the translated articles.

Translators on meta

The past list since August 2006 is available at Translation/list.

Translator in the following language combinations

A loop consists of a Latin A, a Hiragana a and two blue arrows lying between them

This Translator translates from
English to French.

Search translators

Would you like to find a translator from a certain language to another? You may find translators by language at Translator in the following language combinations. Translators are sorted into categories by combinations of the two languages, thanks to the Transbabel template. Their competence in both languages may be found in the Babel templates on their user pages.

Would you like to join the Wikimedia translator team? Put Transbabel template(s) on your meta user page, to let other Wikimedians know which languages you can help them with. Visit our translation request pages to seek out a place where you can help. We Wikimedia translators always appreciate your offers of help, and hope you will enjoy working with us!

Translation requests

As a center of project coordination, meta offers you several translation requests. Most of requests are for translation into several core languages, ideally into every language. Current such requests are found at Translation requests. Requests on that page are mostly related to the Wikimedia Foundation issue. However, if a local project have a request for translation, either multilingual or single language, they are invited to submit their request at that page.

You may found extracts of such requests on Meta:Babylon, both foundation related requests and local community requests.

You may request mail translation on translators-l. Subscribers may forward the mail need to translate, with a note which language(s) you need, which destination you expect. If you would like to get the translation, set Reply-to: to your own address and note that. If you would like translators to disseminate other Wikimedia mailinglists, your clear note would be helpful.

As content translation, most of local projects have dedicated pages. For example, fr:Wikipédia:Traductions en cours, en:Wikipedia:Translations into English(en), etc. If you are interested in content translation in general and its global promotion, you may be happy to join Content translation group.

Communication channels

Babylon is the Wikimedia translators' center. It provides you latest news on translation on Wikimedia project and wiki-based communication chance with other translators. Don't confuse it with Babel, the general discussion place on meta.

For intensified discussions, you may want access other channels;

Mailing list translators-l (archives) serves you as mail-based communication way (traffic is low).
Real time communication is available on #wikimedia-translation; IRC channel by courtesy of freenode.net.