Is there any plans for WikiTree UI in other languages?

+27 votes
512 views
Not all my relatives speeks English.
in WikiTree Tech by Stanislav Hostomský G2G4 (4.8k points)
retagged by Keith Hathaway
Same story with me. Almost none of my relatives speak English, so this site is useless for them. It is exactly what stops me from adding more information to this site.

Another highly useful option would be possibility to enter names in multiple languages.

4 Answers

+14 votes
 
Best answer
This is something we would like to add, and almost certainly will at some point in the future.

However, we have been delaying it for as long as possible. Once we "internationalize" all the features with multi-language options, every added feature and change will involve a lot more development and testing.
by Chris Whitten G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
selected by Stanislav Hostomský
Thaks for the explanation. That I can understand, unability of GEDCOM export for me and probably any other with accents in the ID is surely on the list witch will preceede this big step. :) Don't be offended by pointing out bugs and wanted features, I`m programmer with testing experience so little more focused on details, by the way I can help in theese areas if You would be interested.
Thank you, Stanislav!
Hello Chris,

I asked about different languge versions of Wikitree not realising the question had already been asked.

In your answer to Stanislav you mention a delay in order to "ïnternationlize" all the features, etc.  I would suggest not to delay, make a selection on the Wikitree Homepage for languages.  Begin with only the profile page translated in let's say Spanish, leave the other pages in English until time allows to have them translated.  This however could involve server capabilities of which I know nothing.  Which could mean I'm sticking my head into business where it does not belong.

In reality, my experience with getting people to look at things written in English when English is not their mother language has been met with failure.  My mother-in-law is a typical European and if you show her something not written in Spanish or Catalans she behaves like a vampire forced to look at a crucifix.  She just will not even look.  And she's very typical.  The French are even worse.  They feel when something is important, it'll be written in French.

The local city halls and churches here are full of records and typically are not sent to the central government.  The records are set in boxes and on shelves and are not going to be opened to just anyone wanting to copy the information, information which is centuries old.

When I began my Wikitree experience I was quite shocked at how my ancestors appeared originally in South Carolina but divided up and eventually were on both sides during the civil war, Indiana vs Georgia. , What a shame if they would have only had the Wikitree they would have known better.  And this could even prevent future conflict once people realise they're fighting amongst themselves

I wish you success with this.  A Nobel Peace Prize could sit in your cabinet once your efforts show people that we really are a one family world.

Regards
Thank you, Vincent. :-) Points well taken.
Dear Chris,

what is the status of the internalization of the UI? At the moment, I use a commerical family tree and I'm very unhappy about it. I uploaded already the GEDcom here. I would like to invite my Family members, but many of them do not speak English. I just want to know, if there is a roadmap or some expected date, when wikitree will have different UI languages.

Best,
Hi Andre,

I'm sorry to report: No time soon.

It's not being worked on. My apologies.

Chris

@Vincent: "The French are even worse.  They feel when something is important, it'll be written in French."

C'est exact ;-).

@Chris: I strongly disagree. Internationalization (i8n) and localization (i10n) take some time the first time, that's true. But when the infrastucture is provided, introducing a new feature has no real overhead: you can provide the feature in English and inform the language volunteers that some texts need translation. As soon as more than two or three non Americans will use WikiTree, you'll get the translations.

I've worked on a software written for 8 languages. Yes when an end user is translating Tawaineese into English it a may a bit different than the original and testing software using the non American way of writing dates and floats may be an issue, but it's a question of will: if the audience is not supposed to be WASP, then the UI translation has to be prioritized.

Chris,

we could start a project with some of the language volunteers to start translating some pages in an organized way. I have experience as Projectmanager for the translation of an UI in 6 languages. If you'd like, I can make a headstart and set up a translation matrix. Other volunteers can join in as we go along.

By the time you are able to implement a multilingual UI most of the work will allready been done.
I will help with it, I'am native Czech speaker.
Any progress here? My offer of help as Czech speaking programmer is still on!
Hi Stanislav.

What Martyn mentions regarding translating pages has been moving forward quickly in some languages. Be sure to connect with http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Language

We're also thinking we'll experiment with Google Translate's tools for live translations. They're imperfect but that would be easy for us, and the Language Volunteers' translations could supplement them.

Chris

Sorry, but Google translator can be seen as taking text as input and garbage as output. It may help vonlunteers typing less. It may help people believing they have understood but the "translation" can have exactly the opposite meaning. So avoid it if you don't understand a language at all.

And if Google translator doesn't understand a word, it keeps it. So you translate back and... it seems to work. AFAIK, ther's no automatic way to know if the translation is correct or not.

If you want to introduce an automatic translator, please add such a warning before the usage.

Hi Chris,

  Can I help with UI translation? I can speak czech, english, php, C++ C#...
+4 votes
Stanislav,

We have members who speak different lanquages and also under  the "find" tab on the right hand side of your profile page, there is a section called "Volunteers needed".  Here, you can add to a glossary of words for different languages or volunteer to help others who can't speak English.
by Living Hammond G2G6 Mach 8 (86.5k points)
What Stanislav is asking for, is a UI, not the translation of some common terms.

A glossary is helpful, but doesn't answer the need.

To demonstrate the idea how translation can look like a created an example on my site. In the Right upper corner You can choose language or Show Or hide translated texts. If You click on some translated text, You can change the translation or add another language.

Thanks, a perfect demonstration of what you're requesting.

The initial request was made in 2013. Any progress on the WikiTree side?
+4 votes
I asked myself the same question, and found this thread. I guess it's still not being worked on?

My understanding is, that the underlying website structure would have to be changed at first, the translations itself could then be done easily by volunteers? (and improved step by step)

I think the translation of the UI (or for the beginning, part of it) in different languages would for sure be an factor to increase the attractiveness of this website for international users!  :)
by Norbert Gitzl G2G6 Mach 2 (27.4k points)
+3 votes

Would translatewiki be of help? Or is WikiTree's underlying software different from other wikis' open source programming?

by Oliver Stegen G2G6 Pilot (137k points)

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