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11 Notes on the Free Translation Project
2***************************************
3
4Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project is
5a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
6together, so that free software will gradually become able to speak many
7languages. A few packages already provide translations for their
8messages.
9
10 If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
11assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
12itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
13need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
14this package with messages translated.
15
16 Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
17explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
18available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
19work on translations can contact the appropriate team.
20
21 When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
22related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
23`gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the
24`intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
25
261.1 Quick configuration advice
27==============================
28
29If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
30should configure it using
31
32 ./configure --with-included-gettext
33
34to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
35package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
36operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
37the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
38many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
39charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
40It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
41of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
42very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
43to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
44
45 So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
46you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
47included `libintl'.
48
491.2 INSTALL Matters
50===================
51
52Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the programs
53they contain can be made to speak your own native language. Most such
54packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own ways to
55internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
56
57 By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
58messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
59provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the included GNU
60`gettext' library will be used. This library is wholly contained
61within this package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior
62installation of the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required.
63Installers may use special options at configuration time for changing
64the default behaviour. The commands:
65
66 ./configure --with-included-gettext
67 ./configure --disable-nls
68
69will, respectively, bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
70internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
71_totally_ disable translation of messages.
72
73 When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
74configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
75probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
76will decide to use this. This might not be desirable. You should use
77the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e. if the file
78`intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this package is
79more recent, you should use
80
81 ./configure --with-included-gettext
82
83to prevent auto-detection.
84
85 The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
86and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
87emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
88extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
89
90 Internationalized packages usually have many `po/LL.po' files, where
91LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
92translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
93`--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
94together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
95may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
96`LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
97codes, stating which languages are allowed.
98
991.3 Using This Package
100======================
101
102As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
103only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
104`LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
105and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
106suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
107prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
108`export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
109This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
110all.
111
112 You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
113But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
114example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
115country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
116
117 The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
118language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
119on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
120used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of
121locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
122`locale -a | grep '^LL''.
123
124 Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
125English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
126understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
127This is done through a different environment variable, called
128`LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
129for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
130set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
131system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
132read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
133available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
134
135 Special advice for Norwegian users: The language code for Norwegian
136bokma*l changed from `no' to `nb' recently (in 2003). During the
137transition period, while some message catalogs for this language are
138installed under `nb' and some older ones under `no', it's recommended
139for Norwegian users to set `LANGUAGE' to `nb:no' so that both newer and
140older translations are used.
141
142 In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
143environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
144to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
145to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
146(Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
147
1481.4 Translating Teams
149=====================
150
151For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
152people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
153able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
154Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
155teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
156`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
157area.
158
159 If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
160should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
161The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
162`-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
163message to `[email protected]', having this message body:
164
165 subscribe
166
167 Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
168_actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
169rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
170you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
171get started, please write to `[email protected]' to reach the
172coordinator for all translator teams.
173
174 The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
175the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
176programming skill, here.
177
1781.5 Available Packages
179======================
180
181Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
182matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of April
1832005. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
184PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
185translation percentage of at least 50%.
186
187 Ready PO files af am ar az be bg bs ca cs cy da de el en en_GB
188 +-------------------------------------------------+
189 GNUnet | |
190 a2ps | [] [] [] [] [] |
191 aegis | () |
192 ant-phone | () |
193 anubis | [] |
194 ap-utils | |
195 aspell | [] [] [] [] |
196 bash | [] [] |
197 batchelor | [] |
198 bfd | |
199 bibshelf | [] |
200 binutils | [] |
201 bison | [] [] |
202 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] |
203 clisp | [] [] |
204 console-tools | [] [] |
205 coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
206 cpio | |
207 cpplib | [] [] [] |
208 darkstat | [] () [] |
209 dialog | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
210 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
211 doodle | [] |
212 e2fsprogs | [] [] |
213 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
214 error | [] [] [] [] |
215 fetchmail | [] () [] [] [] |
216 fileutils | [] [] |
217 findutils | [] [] [] |
218 flex | [] [] [] |
219 fslint | [] |
220 gas | |
221 gawk | [] [] [] |
222 gbiff | [] |
223 gcal | [] |
224 gcc | [] |
225 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] |
226 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
227 gettext-tools | [] [] |
228 gimp-print | [] [] [] [] |
229 gip | |
230 gliv | [] |
231 glunarclock | |
232 gmult | [] [] |
233 gnubiff | () |
234 gnucash | [] () () [] |
235 gnucash-glossary | [] () |
236 gpe-aerial | [] [] |
237 gpe-beam | [] [] |
238 gpe-calendar | [] [] |
239 gpe-clock | [] [] |
240 gpe-conf | [] [] |
241 gpe-contacts | |
242 gpe-edit | [] |
243 gpe-go | [] |
244 gpe-login | [] [] |
245 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] |
246 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
247 gpe-su | [] [] |
248 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
249 gpe-timesheet | [] |
250 gpe-today | [] [] |
251 gpe-todo | [] [] |
252 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
253 gprof | [] [] |
254 gpsdrive | () () |
255 gramadoir | [] [] |
256 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
257 gretl | |
258 gsasl | [] |
259 gss | |
260 gst-plugins | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
261 gstreamer | [] [] [] [] [] |
262 gtick | [] () |
263 gtkspell | [] [] [] |
264 hello | [] [] [] [] |
265 id-utils | [] [] |
266 impost | |
267 indent | [] [] |
268 iso_3166 | |
269 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] [] |
270 iso_3166_2 | |
271 iso_3166_3 | [] |
272 iso_4217 | |
273 iso_639 | |
274 jpilot | [] |
275 jtag | |
276 jwhois | |
277 kbd | [] [] [] [] |
278 latrine | () |
279 ld | [] |
280 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
281 libextractor | |
282 libgpewidget | [] [] [] |
283 libgsasl | |
284 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
285 libidn | |
286 lifelines | [] () |
287 lilypond | [] |
288 lingoteach | |
289 lynx | [] [] [] [] |
290 m4 | [] [] [] [] |
291 mailutils | [] |
292 make | [] [] |
293 man-db | [] () [] [] |
294 minicom | [] [] |
295 mysecretdiary | [] [] |
296 nano | [] () [] |
297 nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] |
298 opcodes | [] |
299 parted | [] [] [] [] |
300 psmisc | |
301 ptx | [] [] [] |
302 pwdutils | |
303 python | |
304 radius | [] |
305 recode | [] [] [] [] [] |
306 rpm | [] [] |
307 screem | |
308 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
309 sed | [] [] |
310 sh-utils | [] [] |
311 shared-mime-info | [] [] |
312 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
313 silky | |
314 skencil | [] () |
315 sketch | [] () |
316 solfege | [] |
317 soundtracker | [] [] |
318 sp | [] |
319 stardict | [] |
320 tar | |
321 texinfo | [] [] |
322 textutils | [] [] [] |
323 tin | () () |
324 tp-robot | [] |
325 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
326 unicode-han-tra... | |
327 unicode-transla... | |
328 util-linux | [] [] [] [] |
329 vorbis-tools | [] [] [] [] |
330 wastesedge | () |
331 wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
332 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
333 xchat | [] [] [] [] |
334 xkeyboard-config | |
335 xpad | |
336 +-------------------------------------------------+
337 af am ar az be bg bs ca cs cy da de el en en_GB
338 10 0 0 2 7 4 0 41 43 3 52 90 20 1 15
339
340 eo es et eu fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it
341 +-----------------------------------------------+
342 GNUnet | |
343 a2ps | [] [] [] () |
344 aegis | |
345 ant-phone | [] |
346 anubis | [] |
347 ap-utils | [] |
348 aspell | [] [] |
349 bash | [] [] [] [] |
350 batchelor | [] [] |
351 bfd | [] |
352 bibshelf | [] [] [] |
353 binutils | [] [] |
354 bison | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
355 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
356 clisp | [] [] |
357 console-tools | |
358 coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
359 cpio | [] [] |
360 cpplib | [] [] |
361 darkstat | [] () [] [] [] |
362 dialog | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
363 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
364 doodle | [] [] |
365 e2fsprogs | [] [] [] |
366 enscript | [] [] |
367 error | [] [] [] [] [] |
368 fetchmail | [] |
369 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
370 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
371 flex | [] [] [] |
372 fslint | [] |
373 gas | [] [] |
374 gawk | [] [] [] [] |
375 gbiff | [] |
376 gcal | [] [] |
377 gcc | [] |
378 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] |
379 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
380 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
381 gimp-print | [] [] |
382 gip | [] [] [] |
383 gliv | () |
384 glunarclock | [] [] [] |
385 gmult | [] [] [] |
386 gnubiff | () () |
387 gnucash | [] () [] |
388 gnucash-glossary | [] [] |
389 gpe-aerial | [] [] |
390 gpe-beam | [] [] |
391 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] |
392 gpe-clock | [] [] [] |
393 gpe-conf | [] |
394 gpe-contacts | [] |
395 gpe-edit | [] [] |
396 gpe-go | [] [] |
397 gpe-login | [] [] [] |
398 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] [] |
399 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
400 gpe-su | [] [] [] |
401 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] |
402 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] |
403 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] |
404 gpe-todo | [] [] [] |
405 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] [] |
406 gprof | [] [] [] |
407 gpsdrive | () () [] () |
408 gramadoir | [] [] |
409 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
410 gretl | [] [] [] |
411 gsasl | [] [] [] |
412 gss | [] |
413 gst-plugins | [] [] [] |
414 gstreamer | [] |
415 gtick | [] [] [] [] [] |
416 gtkspell | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
417 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
418 id-utils | [] [] [] [] |