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Translation of, for, and by the People
 
Keywords
collaborative translation, community translation, crowdsourcing, CT3, language service providers, volunteer translators

Abstract
The move toward more asynchronous, geographically dispersed translation projects involves multiple, concurrent translators collaborating via the internet. They employ Web 2.0 services and concepts, with web-based translation memory tools and servers operating in real time. Buyers expect to benefit from an increased speed of translation and perhaps the ability to deal with greater volumes of content at the same or lower costs.

Open-source communities have long applied the collaborative modus operandi to localizing offerings such as the Ubuntu operating system with tools like Launchpad. Then Google and Sun Microsystems took up the practice with volunteer localizers for search and NetBeans, respectively. In early 2008, Facebook launched sites in Spanish and German using translations that were voluntarily performed by its own members and rapidly added new languages based on that approach.

The three concepts of community translation, collaborative technology and processes, and crowdsourcing  have already begun encroaching on each other, to the point that they have blurred the boundaries between and among them. Thus, we refer to the conglomeration of these three elements as CT3 (pronounced “CT-cubed)” as well as using the increasingly synonymous individual terms.

Benefits
In General:  This report defines community translation through the experiences of four accomplished early adopters. Four case studies provide abundant fodder for discussion and emulation, while our analysis of best practices introduces planning, community development, and technology platforms to the topic.
For Buyers:  Language service providers have a definite role in community translation. This report outlines where LSPs fit and why they're important to the process and practice.
For Suppliers:  Buyers expect to benefit from an increased speed of translation and perhaps the ability to deal with greater volumes of content at the same or lower costs. This report outlines the best practices of companies that want to enlist the aid of external user communities and internal employee communities to increase the number of languages into which they translate, pump up the volume of content, and accelerate their entry into new markets.

Physical Details
Authors: Donald A. DePalma and Nataly Kelly
Date: 19 December 2008
ISBN: 978-1-933555-60-7
Pages: 38

Companies
Facebook, Microsoft, Plaxo, Sun Microsystems

Table of Contents
  • Topic
    • Why You Should Care about Community Translation
    • Structure of the Report
    • Earlier Reports on the Topic
  • Cases
    • Community? Collaborative? Crowdsourcing?
    • Four Companies that Practice CT3
  • Facebook
    • Facebook Applies Social Networking Expertise to Translation
      • An Application Development Platform Makes Translation Easier
      • Strategic Categorization of Content and Languages
    • Three Motivators: Speed, Quality, and Reach
      • Collaborative Translation Satisfies the Need for Speed
      • End-User Involvement in the Translation Process Boosts Quality
      • A Collaborative Approach Extends the Company’s Global Reach
    • Building a Strong Community – What Facebook Does Best
    • Community Translation Offers Old and New Challenges
  • Microsoft
    • End-User Passion Guides Community Projects at Microsoft
      • Microsoft Constructs a Community Forum for Terminology
      • MTCF Translation Projects Follow a Clearly Defined Process
      • Challenges in Running a Successful Community Project
    • Microsoft Uses Community Feedback to Test Terminology
      • If You Build It, They May or May Not Come
      • Engagement Levels Are Encouraging despite Challenges
  • Plaxo
    • Community Experience Facilitates Collaborative Translation
    • Translation Portal Serves as a Central Gathering Place
      • Roles Makes the Portal Useful to Diverse Team Members
      • Users Suggest Future Translation Portal Feature Enhancements
    • Major Questions that Plaxo Faced
    • What Plaxo Concluded from Its Experiments
  • Sun
    • Sun Develops a Web 2.0 Virtual Translation Community
    • Community Projects Are Only As Good As Their Members
      • What Motivates People Differs by Sponsor and Participants
      • Sun Keeps Community Translation Project Members Engaged
    • Translation Communities Require Hands-On Management
    • Sun Measures Community Projects in Concrete Ways
  • Analysis
    • Planning for CT3: "There Are People Out There Willing to Help"
    • CT3 Member Development: Build and Support the Community
      • Principles for Managing a CT3 Community
      • Best Practices for Creating a Robust, Sustainable CT3 Community
    • Enabling CT3: Building a Platform for Collaboration
    • CT3 inside the Firewall: The Corporate Model
  • Figures
    • Figure 1: Facebook Translations Application Home Page for Irish Gaelic
    • Figure 2: Microsoft Terminology Community Forum
    • Figure 3: Plaxo Translation Portal
    • Figure 4: Sun Community Translation Monitoring via Pootle
  • Tables
    • Table 1: Quantitative Measurements of Community Translation Success
    • Table 2: What Motivates CT3 Participants
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