DCMI Translation Task Group
Task Group Proposal - Guidelines for translations
It was proposed at DC2007 that a Task Group is set up to work on guidelines for dc term translations. The goal of this Task Group is to ensure quality in the translation of DC terms for languages and to do this by establishing guidelines and best practice to assist translators.
The name of this group is: DCMI Translation Task Group
Members of Task Group
- Stefanie Rühle, State and University Library, Goettingen
- Karen Rollitt, National Library of New Zealand
- Shigeo Sugimoto, University of Tsukuba
Meetings
Report of the DCMI Localization and Internationalization Community Meeting, 22 September 2011, held at The Hague, Netherlands
Meeting announcement of the DCMI translation Task Group Workshop, DC 2011 The Hague, 22 September 2011 [1]
Report of the DCMI Localization And Internationalization Community Meeting, 22 October 2010, held at Pittsburgh, DC2010
Meeting announcement: DCMI Localization & Internationalization Meeting, DC2010 Pittsburgh, 22 October, 16:00-17:30
Report of the DCMI Localization and Internationalization Community Meeting, 13 October 2009, held at the National Library of Korea
Report of the DCMI Localization and Internationalization Community Meeting, 25th September 2008, held at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin
Scope of the Guidelines
The following is suggested content/ideas for the DCMI translation guidelines:
- Background information about DC developments
- Current status
- Variations in current practice
- Recommended documents to translate
- To translate: DCterms elements and/or qualifiers, comments and definition
- Definitions for the document
- Priorities for tranlation
- Recommended workflow process for a translation project
- Getting agreement on who does the translation
- Resourcing
- Peer review etc
- What to do with the translation once complete
- Publishing locally
- Publishing internationally
- Ongoing maintenance of translations
Phase 1: Tasks
The Task Group will over 2009-2011 develop guidelines for those wishing to translate local DC documentation to local languages.
Phase 1: Develop on this wiki draft documentation for each of the following topics:
- Background about DCMI and Dublin Core developments [2]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 May 2011
Status: in progress
- Background on current status of language versions [3]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 Jan 2011
Status: in progress
- Benefits of developing language versions of DC documentation [4]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 April 2011
Status in progress
- What DC documentation to create language versions with recommended priorities [5]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 June 2010
Status:Final draft
- Developing language versions locally and publishing translations [6]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 December 2010
Status:Agenda item of DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group meeting 22 October, 2010
- Maintaining local translations [7]
- DCMI Translation Task Group Task Group by 1 May 2011
Status: not started
- Case studies [8]
- Send request for case studies projects to DCMI Localization And Internationalization Community, October 2010 and February and May 2011
Status: in progress
- Guidelines available for review by DCMI Translation Task Group September 2011
Phase 2: Report and recommendations
Submit to DCMI Advisory Board and DCMI Oversight Committee "Guidelines for translating DCMI documentation" with recommendations and issues, by 31 November 2011.
Issues
The following have been identified at DCMI Localization And Internationalization Community meetings and DCMI Translation Task Group meetings as issues to resolve for Guidelines for Translating Dublin Core Specifications
1. How to have authorized versions of DC translations when DCMI are unable to approve all language translations. For discussion: W3C see the original W3C documents as the Official documents [9]. There are two more categories, Authorised and Unoffical translations. Maybe DCMI could also differentiate the really good DCMI translations written by organisations who follow good process and review, versus those that put together by volunteers and students.
W3C say: "Translations are usually prepared to help the communities around the World understanding the W3C technologies and, as such, most of them have an informative, unofficial character. However, in some cases, the translations are meant to be used for official purposes, too, such as referencing in local and regional standards, or as part of organizational policies or regulatory processes. To develop such translations, W3C has also defined a process for Authorized W3C Translations which ensures transparency and community accountability in the development of authorized translations under the oversight of W3C" [10]
It would be useful for DCMI to consider this, especially when in some instances the local translation of DCMI document also becomes the national standard.
2. DCAM is difficult to translate. Solution: DCMI to recommend as low priority for translation.
3. Links to local translations from DCMI website disappear. Solution: DCMI to request all translations in a .pdf format.
4. Owners of translations are sometimes difficult to trace. Solution: DCMI to request all translations in a .pdf format AND request provenance metadata.
5. Alerts to new translations when new added to page: Translations of DCMI Documents [11]. Solution: DCMI to add RSS feature to page/s.
6. Presentation of DC translations on DCMI website is producer oriented.
7. Is there a need for a high level document providing introduction to DC specifications for local translations.
8. Document format of the Guidelines, that is, Guidelines for Translating Dublin Core Specifications provided as a web page or as pdf.
9. And provide other support for translators? e.g. FAQ, Ask a Question; Contact, Listservs.
10. Ways in which DCMI can support translators adding to the DC Registry.
11. Ways in wihich DCMI can encourage translators, example, via DC-Internationalisation and DC-General (maybe DC Registry) Listservs could do a call for translations. International Translation Day on 30 September has been suggested.
12. DCMI provide some form of acknowledgement to national organisations that have produced translations that have been through some kind of due process e.g. peer review