Since its conception, CC licenses were “ported” not only to different legal ecosystems, but specially to different languages across the world. This was a translation effort coordinated for the licenses, but what about other types of documents and information? Last year, the
Faces of the Commons report pointed out the need to highlight the diversity of languages inside the network, both as a way to celebrate that diversity but also to create spaces where the concerns of speakers of other languages different from English are heard.
The availability of information in your local language empowers people and enables participation. A coordinated initiative between the network and HQ to expand the availability of information in other languages will contribute to a more diverse and vibrant commons. As stated by the FoC report, “language is the first Commons”, as it entails the cultural background of the different communities that are part of the network.
The goal of this session is to start a conversation about how to boost and support efforts to build the commons in other languages different from English and make them more accessible. We’ll discuss what we need to do in order to put this working group together, what we want to achieve, and which tools we need to achieve that.
Session outcomes
- Identify and map the people in the network and at CC HQ who would be interested in being a part of a translation working group;
- Exchange lessons learned out of the process of the legal translations so that we can improve the processes;
- Analyze the current technical and legal infrastructure and processes for doing translations and understand CC HQ policies regarding translations (taking into account the differences between official and unofficial translations and categories of text to which they apply);
- Help establish a formal/permanent mechanism and criteria for doing translations and acknowledge the work of contributors;
- Identify priority translation projects and pages;
- Organize network-wide translation activities in order to improve the availability of information about CC in other languages (website, leaflets, etc).
Working documents
AGENDA FOR THE MEETING
= Introductions: Identify and map interested participants (10 min): “Say your name, institution, areas of interest”.
Presentation by George Hari Popescu (CC HQ):
= Brief report of the translation achievements of 2017
= Acknowledge and express gratitude to those who participated in translations of the 4.0 licenses
= Official and ported translations and the difference between the two
= Current policies, processes (steps) and technical and legal infrastructure used for translations (including tools that are used - Google Docs, staging server, Transifex -, engagement with the legal team when necessary, etc.).
Goal, objectives, activities for the Translation Working Group= Identify the goal of the TWG. What and why do we need it? What do we want to achieve? Which ones are going to be our milestones?
= Discuss how the group will organize itself and work together (meetings, processes, etc.)
= Discuss interactions that the TWG will have with other platforms / working groups
= Identify priority translations (what CC content should be translated?).
= Commons in other languages: how can we better help to allow more translations of creative content (not related to CC or the licenses) available in as many languages as possible and make them more usable? (i.e., PD works that are only in major languages)
= Identify ideas to better promote the 4.0 licenses
Discuss how the translation process can be improved= How can the process be unified and simplified?
= How can we credit contributors?
= How are other organizations addressing translations and featuring the work of their collaborators?
= In person: Eddie Avila from Global Voices will explain how they work at GV
= Wrap-up with some conclusions (15 min)
= Follow up: join us at #translation-wg on Slack!
