Re: [edict-jmdict] JMdict internationalization effort - let's (finally) do it!

[Jim Breen <jimbreen@*********>]

On 11 January 2012 12:17, Alexandre Courbot <gnurou@gmail.com> wrote:

> I will have to re-think about how to update the source strings from
> new JMdict files if our translations are included, in particular about
> how to detect regressions (e.g. when source strings have changed and
> the translation needs to be checked again), but the scheme you propose
> should make things much easier for me too. I will try to come with
> something up quickly for you to try.

That would be good.

I have looked at the Transifex site, and I must say its usage doesn't
seem very intuitive. Also I see multi-sense JMdict entries display as
multiple entries, e.g. お使い. I hope that's not a problem.

It would be good to see the JMdict entries with their French glosses.
At present it all seems to be broken up by JLPT levels, which I find
difficult to navigate.

> One point I would like to ask you about, is whether other language
> sources (i.e. the sources that currently provided you with French,
> German and Russian translations for JMdict) are going to be updated as
> well. I have already imported them, and thus will provide you with
> translated strings you already have. We could address this, and
> greatly simplify the translation process, if we:
>
> 1) Decide that JMdict-i18n is the only source for translations in some
> languages (particularly languages that are active like French), or
>
> 2) Be more radical and totally switch to JMdict-i18n for translation.
> Divide and conquer, as you said. You would only have one source to
> import for all languages and no worries to have about translations
> anymore. This would make sense if no language has been receiving
> updates since a while, as it would allow JMdict-i18n to take over and
> ease contributions.

Let's get the French part working. Some of the other languages can
probably be folded in later as they are not part of ongoing projects. Others,
such as Japanese-German, are active projects, and it will be a matter
of working out a way of enhancing the data input. I have discussed with
Ulrich the possibility of putting JMdict sequence numbers into the Wadoku
database, for example.

Coming back to kanjidic2, as you know the initial French translations
were done by Alain Thierion, and Alain is pressing on with the
translations, taking them beyond just the 常用漢字. Also he is not
just translating the English meanings; he is going to other sources
including several 漢和字典. He and I are collaborating on this and I have
been correcting the meanings in kanjidic when he finds errors. I don't
know the state of the kanjidic2 French translations in the Transifex system,
but for now I think I want to stay with Alain's translations, as I
have confidence
in what he is producing.

Cheers

Jim

-- 
Jim Breen
Adjunct Snr Research Fellow, Clayton School of IT, Monash University
Webmaster: Hawthorn Rowing Club, Treasurer: Japanese Studies Centre
Graduate student: Language Technology Group, University of Melbourne