1 Notes on the Free Translation Project
2 *************************************
4 Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project is
5 a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
6 together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
7 A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
9 If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
10 assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
11 itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
12 need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
13 this package with messages translated.
15 Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
16 explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
17 available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
18 work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
20 When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
21 related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
22 `gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the
23 `intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
25 Quick configuration advice
26 ==========================
28 If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
29 should configure it using
31 ./configure --with-included-gettext
33 to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
34 package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
35 operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
36 the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
37 many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
38 charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
39 It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
40 of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
41 very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
42 to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
44 So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
45 you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
51 Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the programs
52 they contain can be made to speak your own native language. Most such
53 packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own ways to
54 internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
56 By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
57 messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
58 provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own
59 library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this
60 package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
61 the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use
62 special options at configuration time for changing the default
63 behaviour. The commands:
65 ./configure --with-included-gettext
66 ./configure --disable-nls
68 will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
69 internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
70 _totally_ disable translation of messages.
72 When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
73 configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
74 probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
75 will decide to use this. This might be not what is desirable. You
76 should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e.
77 if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
78 package is more recent, you should use
80 ./configure --with-included-gettext
82 to prevent auto-detection.
84 The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
85 and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
86 emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
87 extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
89 Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
90 LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
91 translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
92 `--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
93 together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
94 may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
95 `LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
96 codes, stating which languages are allowed.
101 As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
102 only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
103 `LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
104 and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
105 suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
106 prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
107 `export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
108 This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
111 You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
112 But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
113 example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
114 country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
116 The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
117 language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
118 on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
119 used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of
120 locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
121 `locale -a | grep '^LL''.
123 Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
124 English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
125 understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
126 This is done through a different environment variable, called
127 `LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
128 for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
129 set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
130 system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
131 read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
132 available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
134 In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
135 environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
136 to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
137 to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
138 (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
143 For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
144 people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
145 able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
146 Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
147 teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
148 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
151 If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
152 should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
153 The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
154 `-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
155 message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
159 Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
160 _actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
161 rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
162 you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
163 get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
164 coordinator for all translator teams.
166 The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
167 the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
168 programming skill, here.
173 Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
174 matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of December
175 2003. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
176 PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
177 translation percentage of at least 50%.
179 Ready PO files am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
180 +-------------------------------------------+
194 coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
196 darkstat | [] () [] |
197 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
199 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
200 error | [] [] [] [] [] |
201 fetchmail | [] () [] [] [] [] |
202 fileutils | [] [] [] |
203 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
211 gettext | [] [] [] [] [] |
212 gettext-examples | [] [] [] |
213 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] |
214 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
215 gimp-print | [] [] [] [] [] |
217 glunarclock | [] [] |
219 gnucash | [] () [] [] |
220 gnucash-glossary | [] () [] |
221 gnupg | [] () [] [] [] [] |
224 gpe-calendar | [] [] |
227 gpe-contacts | [] [] |
231 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] |
232 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
234 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
238 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
240 gpsdrive | () () () |
242 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
245 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
247 indent | [] [] [] [] |
251 kbd | [] [] [] [] [] |
254 libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
255 libgpewidget | [] [] |
256 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
260 lingoteach_lessons | () () |
265 man-db | [] () [] [] () |
267 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
268 nano | [] () [] [] [] |
269 nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] [] |
271 parted | [] [] [] [] [] |
272 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] |
275 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
278 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
279 sed | [] [] [] [] [] |
280 sh-utils | [] [] [] |
282 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
286 soundtracker | [] [] [] |
290 textutils | [] [] [] [] |
292 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
293 util-linux | [] [] [] [] [] |
294 vorbis-tools | [] [] [] [] |
296 wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
297 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
298 xchat | [] [] [] [] |
299 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] |
301 +-------------------------------------------+
302 am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
303 0 0 8 3 37 38 56 73 15 1 5 12 64
305 et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja
306 +----------------------------------------+
316 bison | [] [] [] [] |
317 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] |
320 coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
322 darkstat | () [] [] [] |
323 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
326 error | [] [] [] [] |
328 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
329 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
338 gettext-examples | [] [] |
339 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
340 gettext-tools | [] [] |
343 glunarclock | [] [] [] [] |
346 gnucash-glossary | [] |
347 gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
350 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] |
353 gpe-contacts | [] [] |
357 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] |
358 gpe-sketchbook | [] |
360 gpe-taskmanager | [] |
361 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] |
366 gpsdrive | () [] () () |
368 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
371 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
372 id-utils | [] [] [] [] |
373 indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
376 jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
380 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
381 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] |
382 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
386 lingoteach_lessons | |
390 make | [] [] [] [] [] |
392 minicom | [] [] [] [] |
393 mysecretdiary | [] [] |
395 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
398 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
401 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
405 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
406 sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
407 shared-mime-info | [] |
408 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
412 soundtracker | [] [] [] [] |
414 tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
415 texinfo | [] [] [] [] |
416 textutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
418 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
419 util-linux | [] [] [] [] () [] |
422 wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
423 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
427 +----------------------------------------+
428 et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja
429 21 1 25 86 24 24 8 10 38 31 1 23 32
431 ko lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
432 +-------------------------------------------+
433 a2ps | () [] [] () () [] [] |
436 anubis | [] [] [] [] [] |
437 ap-utils | [] () [] |
442 bison | [] [] [] [] |
443 bluez-pin | [] [] [] |
447 cpio | [] [] [] [] [] |
448 darkstat | [] [] [] [] |
449 diffutils | [] [] [] [] |
451 enscript | [] [] [] |
453 fetchmail | [] [] () |
455 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
464 gettext-examples | [] [] |
465 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] |
466 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
469 glunarclock | [] [] [] |
472 gnucash-glossary | [] [] |
474 gpe-aerial | [] [] [] |
475 gpe-beam | [] [] [] |
476 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] |
477 gpe-clock | [] [] [] |
478 gpe-conf | [] [] [] |
479 gpe-contacts | [] [] [] |
480 gpe-edit | [] [] [] |
482 gpe-login | [] [] [] |
483 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] |
484 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] |
486 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] |
487 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] |
488 gpe-today | [] [] [] |
489 gpe-todo | [] [] [] |
492 gpsdrive | () () () [] |
497 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
498 id-utils | [] [] [] |
502 jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
506 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
507 libgpewidget | [] [] [] |
508 libiconv | [] [] [] [] |
512 lingoteach_lessons | |
519 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
521 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] [] |
523 parted | [] [] [] [] |
524 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
530 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] |
533 shared-mime-info | [] |
540 tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
544 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
546 vorbis-tools | [] [] |
548 wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
551 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] |
553 +-------------------------------------------+
554 ko lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
555 12 0 1 2 12 10 60 4 4 38 25 35 76
557 ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
558 +-------------------------------------------+
559 a2ps | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
562 anubis | [] [] [] | 9
567 binutils | [] [] [] | 7
568 bison | [] [] [] | 14
569 bluez-pin | [] [] [] | 13
572 coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
574 darkstat | [] [] [] () () | 12
575 diffutils | [] [] [] [] | 22
576 e2fsprogs | [] [] | 5
577 enscript | [] [] [] | 12
578 error | [] [] [] | 15
579 fetchmail | [] [] [] | 11
580 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 17
581 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 29
589 gettext | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
590 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] | 11
591 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 21
592 gettext-tools | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 14
593 gimp-print | [] [] | 10
595 glunarclock | [] [] [] [] | 13
597 gnucash | [] [] [] | 9
598 gnucash-glossary | [] [] [] | 8
599 gnupg | [] [] [] [] | 17
600 gpe-aerial | [] [] | 7
602 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
603 gpe-clock | [] [] [] [] | 10
604 gpe-conf | [] [] [] | 9
605 gpe-contacts | [] [] [] [] | 11
606 gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 12
608 gpe-login | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 13
609 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
610 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] | 9
611 gpe-su | [] [] [] [] | 10
612 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] [] | 10
613 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
614 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 13
615 gpe-todo | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
616 gphoto2 | [] [] [] | 11
620 grep | [] [] [] [] [] | 26
623 hello | [] [] [] [] [] | 33
624 id-utils | [] [] [] | 12
625 indent | [] [] [] [] [] | 21
626 jpilot | [] [] [] [] [] | 9
628 jwhois | () () [] [] | 11
632 libc | [] [] [] [] | 20
633 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] | 13
634 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 27
638 lingoteach_lessons | () | 0
639 lynx | [] [] [] [] | 14
642 make | [] [] [] [] | 16
645 mysecretdiary | [] [] | 10
646 nano | [] [] [] [] [] | 17
647 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] | 17
649 parted | [] [] [] | 15
653 recode | [] [] [] [] | 20
656 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] | 15
657 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 23
658 sh-utils | [] [] [] | 14
659 shared-mime-info | [] [] | 4
660 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 17
664 soundtracker | [] [] | 9
666 tar | [] [] [] [] [] | 24
667 texinfo | [] [] [] [] | 14
668 textutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
670 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] | 29
671 util-linux | [] [] [] | 15
672 vorbis-tools | [] | 8
674 wdiff | [] [] [] [] | 18
675 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 23
676 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] | 14
677 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 8
679 +-------------------------------------------+
680 51 teams ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
681 120 domains 59 42 16 25 81 0 56 12 1 10 21 22 1260
683 Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
684 visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
685 used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
688 For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
689 which it applies should also have been internationalized and
690 distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
691 lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
694 If December 2003 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy
695 of this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most
696 up-to-date matrix with full percentage details can be found at
697 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
699 Using `gettext' in new packages
700 ===============================
702 If you are writing a freely available program and want to
703 internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
704 package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
705 License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means
706 in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
707 library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
708 library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
710 Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
711 the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
712 Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
713 developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
714 applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
715 `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
716 the translation teams.