WikiIslam:Instructions for Translators
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This page aims to provide step-by-step instructions for new translators at WikiIslam; from creating an account to announcing a completed translation on the main page.
Stages
Initial Steps
This section covers everything needed prior to beginning a translation.
Creating an Account
Because most translations are initially hosted on the English language version of WikiIslam, it is essential that prospective translators create an account prior to starting any work. IP edits to translations will usually be reverted on the English language version of WikiIslam in order to minimize vandalism. This will obviously not be the case if and when a dedicated sub-domain is opened in any particular language.
To create an account, new users should click on the Create account link at the top right of the page. They will need to provide a username and password, as well as answer a visual "anti-spam" test. Those who already have an account, should login using their details.
Choosing an Article
Once logged in, new translators should decide on what article to translate. There are many recommended articles to choose from on the "WikiIslam:Translations" page. These select articles serve as a showcase for the general quality the site aims for.
Alternatively, an article from the topics listed on the site map can be chosen. However, before beginning translation work on an article not in the "recommended" list, it is advisable for new translators to leave a message on the Translation Project's forum page or on their own talk page mentioning what they would like to translate. This allows administrators to make sure a project that is difficult to complete or is not optimal in some way is not started.
It is also recommended that new translators check that their article of choice has not already been translated into that particular language. All translations can be accessed via the sidebar to the left, under the "Translations" heading.
Islamic Sources
Translating Content
This section covers everything needed for the actual translation process.
Post-Translation
This section covers everything needed once the translation process itself is complete.
Additional Notes
Alterations in Translations
Translations should always remain faithful to the original English work, retaining their scholarly tone and information. If for localization purposes an editor thinks there should be some slight alterations made, they must first be discussed with others on the talk page.
Steps for a Translation
- Go to Help:Contents. Translate the title of your chosen article and type that into the "Create Page" box. If any of these characters exist in the title, avoid using them: brackets, commas, colons, semi-colons etc. These can be added into the title later by using {{page_title|Desired page title}}.
- After clicking "Create page" you will see a blank page.
- Open another window. Then go to your chosen article and click the 'Edit' button. You will now see the text and all the wiki-formatting of the target article.
- Copy and paste the entire thing into the new page you created. In Windows, Select all text and then CTRL-C; CTRL-V to paste.
- You can now start your translation. Delete the English text as you go. You can also keep another window open which has the original article in a regular view (non-editable).
- After you are done, you can preview or save the page. To make sure you don't lose your work, please see the "Saving your Work" section on the Help page. You can also simply 'copy' all the text. You can also do intermediate saves if you have to interrupt your work, or if it's a long page.
- To find what you have been working on, click the 'My contributions' link at the top right.
Examples
| Source text | Translated text | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Women | X | Suppose X is the translation of Women. For plain text, write the output in plain text (as expected). |
| [[Women]] | X (or) [[Women|X]] | This is a link to an English article (or redirect). Suppose X is the translation of Women. You can remove the brackets and just write X, or write [[Women|X]] |
| <ref> This is a plain text reference</ref> | <ref> (translate into your language)</ref> | This is a plain text reference. Leave the ref tags intact and translate the rest. |
| <ref> This is a reference with a link</ref> | <ref> (leave code format intact; translate the rest)</ref> | This is a reference with a link. Maintain the code formatting for the reference and link and translate the rest |
| [[Category:Women]] | This is a category. | |
| {{Template:Muslim Statistics}} or {{Template:Muslim Statistics}} | This is a template. | |
| Quote | ||
| Quote with reference | ||
| Quote with linked reference | ||
| Section Heading | ||
| Images | ||
| Bold and Italics text | ||
| Quran and hadith templates | ||
| {{main|Allah}} | (remove this text) | This is a link in a sub-section. Unless that link exists in your language, you can remove this text. |
Anything like <code> should be left unchanged, for example <ref>, <br> (or <BR>).