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 free software will gradually become able to speak many
7 languages. A few packages already provide translations for their
10 If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
11 assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
12 itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
13 need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
14 this package with messages translated.
16 Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
17 explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
18 available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
19 work on translations can contact the appropriate team.
21 When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
22 related 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.
26 Quick configuration advice
27 ==========================
29 If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
30 should configure it using
32 ./configure --with-included-gettext
34 to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
35 package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
36 operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
37 the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
38 many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
39 charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
40 It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
41 of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
42 very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
43 to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
45 So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
46 you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
52 Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the programs
53 they contain can be made to speak your own native language. Most such
54 packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own ways to
55 internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
57 By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
58 messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
59 provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the included GNU
60 `gettext' library will be used. This library is wholly contained
61 within this package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior
62 installation of the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required.
63 Installers may use special options at configuration time for changing
64 the default behaviour. The commands:
66 ./configure --with-included-gettext
67 ./configure --disable-nls
69 will, respectively, bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
70 internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
71 _totally_ disable translation of messages.
73 When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
74 configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
75 probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
76 will decide to use this. This might not be desirable. You should use
77 the 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
79 more recent, you should use
81 ./configure --with-included-gettext
83 to prevent auto-detection.
85 The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
86 and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
87 emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
88 extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
90 Internationalized packages usually have many `po/LL.po' files, where
91 LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
92 translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
93 `--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
94 together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
95 may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
96 `LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
97 codes, stating which languages are allowed.
102 As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
103 only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
104 `LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
105 and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
106 suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
107 prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
108 `export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
109 This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
112 You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
113 But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
114 example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
115 country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
117 The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
118 language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
119 on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
120 used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of
121 locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
122 `locale -a | grep '^LL''.
124 Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
125 English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
126 understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
127 This is done through a different environment variable, called
128 `LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
129 for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
130 set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
131 system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
132 read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
133 available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
135 Special advice for Norwegian users: The language code for Norwegian
136 bokma*l changed from `no' to `nb' recently (in 2003). During the
137 transition period, while some message catalogs for this language are
138 installed under `nb' and some older ones under `no', it's recommended
139 for Norwegian users to set `LANGUAGE' to `nb:no' so that both newer and
140 older translations are used.
142 In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
143 environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
144 to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
145 to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
146 (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
151 For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
152 people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
153 able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
154 Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
155 teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
156 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
159 If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
160 should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
161 The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
162 `-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
163 message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
167 Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
168 _actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
169 rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
170 you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
171 get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
172 coordinator for all translator teams.
174 The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
175 the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
176 programming skill, here.
181 Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
182 matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of January
183 2004. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
184 PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
185 translation percentage of at least 50%.
187 Ready PO files af am ar az be bg bs ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
188 +----------------------------------------------------+
200 bluez-pin | [] [] [] |
203 console-tools | [] [] |
204 coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
206 darkstat | [] () [] |
207 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
208 e2fsprogs | [] [] [] |
209 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
210 error | [] [] [] [] [] |
211 fetchmail | [] () [] [] [] [] |
212 fileutils | [] [] [] |
213 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
221 gettext | [] [] [] [] [] |
222 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] |
223 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] |
224 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
225 gimp-print | [] [] [] [] [] |
227 glunarclock | [] [] |
229 gnucash | [] () [] [] |
230 gnucash-glossary | [] () [] |
231 gnupg | [] () [] [] [] [] |
234 gpe-calendar | [] [] |
237 gpe-contacts | [] [] |
241 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] |
242 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
244 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
248 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
250 gpsdrive | () () () |
252 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
255 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
257 indent | [] [] [] [] |
258 iso_3166 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
259 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
262 iso_4217 | [] [] [] [] |
267 kbd | [] [] [] [] [] |
270 libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
271 libgpewidget | [] [] |
272 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
276 lingoteach_lessons | () () |
281 man-db | [] () [] [] () |
283 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
284 nano | [] () [] [] [] |
285 nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] [] |
287 parted | [] [] [] [] [] |
288 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] |
291 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
294 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
295 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
296 sh-utils | [] [] [] |
298 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
302 soundtracker | [] [] [] |
306 textutils | [] [] [] [] |
309 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
310 unicode-han-tra... | |
311 unicode-transla... | |
312 util-linux | [] [] [] [] [] |
313 vorbis-tools | [] [] [] [] |
315 wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
316 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
317 xchat | [] [] [] [] |
318 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] |
320 +----------------------------------------------------+
321 af am ar az be bg bs ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
322 4 0 0 1 9 4 1 40 41 60 78 17 1 5 13 68
324 et eu fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja ko lg
325 +-------------------------------------------------+
326 a2ps | [] [] [] () () |
336 bison | [] [] [] [] |
337 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] |
341 coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
343 darkstat | () [] [] [] |
344 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
347 error | [] [] [] [] |
349 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
350 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
359 gettext-examples | [] [] |
360 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] |
361 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
364 glunarclock | [] [] [] [] |
367 gnucash-glossary | [] |
368 gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
371 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] |
374 gpe-contacts | [] [] |
378 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] |
379 gpe-sketchbook | [] |
381 gpe-taskmanager | [] |
382 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] |
387 gpsdrive | () () () |
389 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
392 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
393 id-utils | [] [] [] [] |
394 indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
395 iso_3166 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
396 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] [] |
399 iso_4217 | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
403 jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
407 libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
408 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] |
409 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
413 lingoteach_lessons | |
417 make | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
419 minicom | [] [] [] [] |
420 mysecretdiary | [] [] |
422 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
425 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
428 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
432 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
433 sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
434 shared-mime-info | [] [] [] |
435 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
436 silky | () [] () () |
439 soundtracker | [] [] |
441 tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
442 texinfo | [] [] [] [] |
443 textutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
446 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
447 unicode-han-tra... | |
448 unicode-transla... | [] [] |
449 util-linux | [] [] [] [] () [] |
452 wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
453 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
455 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] |
457 +-------------------------------------------------+
458 et eu fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja ko lg
459 22 2 1 26 106 28 24 8 10 41 33 1 26 33 12 0
461 lt lv mk mn ms mt nb nl nn no nso pl pt pt_BR ro ru
462 +-----------------------------------------------------+
463 a2ps | [] [] () () [] [] [] |
466 anubis | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
467 ap-utils | [] () [] |
473 bison | [] [] [] [] [] |
474 bluez-pin | [] [] [] |
479 cpio | [] [] [] [] [] |
480 darkstat | [] [] [] [] |
481 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
483 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
485 fetchmail | [] [] () [] |
486 fileutils | [] [] [] |
487 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
496 gettext-examples | [] [] [] |
497 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
498 gettext-tools | [] [] |
501 glunarclock | [] [] [] [] |
503 gnucash | [] [] () [] |
504 gnucash-glossary | [] [] |
506 gpe-aerial | [] [] [] [] |
507 gpe-beam | [] [] [] [] |
508 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] |
509 gpe-clock | [] [] [] [] |
510 gpe-conf | [] [] [] [] |
511 gpe-contacts | [] [] [] [] |
512 gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] |
514 gpe-login | [] [] [] [] |
515 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] |
516 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] [] |
517 gpe-su | [] [] [] [] |
518 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] [] |
519 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] |
520 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] |
521 gpe-todo | [] [] [] [] |
524 gpsdrive | () () [] |
526 grep | [] [] [] [] [] |
529 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
530 id-utils | [] [] [] [] |
531 indent | [] [] [] [] |
532 iso_3166 | [] [] [] |
536 iso_4217 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
540 jwhois | [] [] [] [] () |
545 libgpewidget | [] [] [] |
546 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
550 lingoteach_lessons | |
552 m4 | [] [] [] [] [] |
553 mailutils | [] [] [] |
556 minicom | [] [] [] [] |
557 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
558 nano | [] [] [] [] [] |
559 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
561 parted | [] [] [] [] |
562 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
565 recode | [] [] [] [] |
568 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] |
571 shared-mime-info | [] [] |
578 tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
579 texinfo | [] [] [] [] |
583 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
584 unicode-han-tra... | |
585 unicode-transla... | |
586 util-linux | [] [] [] |
587 vorbis-tools | [] [] [] |
589 wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] |
592 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] |
594 +-----------------------------------------------------+
595 lt lv mk mn ms mt nb nl nn no nso pl pt pt_BR ro ru
596 1 2 0 3 12 0 10 69 6 7 1 40 26 36 76 63
598 sk sl sr sv ta th tr uk ven vi wa xh zh_CN zh_TW zu
599 +-----------------------------------------------------+
600 a2ps | [] [] [] [] | 16
609 binutils | [] [] [] | 8
611 bluez-pin | [] [] [] | 14
615 coreutils | [] [] [] [] | 16
617 darkstat | [] [] [] () () | 12
618 diffutils | [] [] [] | 23
619 e2fsprogs | [] [] | 6
620 enscript | [] [] | 12
621 error | [] [] [] | 15
622 fetchmail | [] [] | 11
623 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 17
624 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 29
632 gettext | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
633 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] [] | 14
634 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 22
635 gettext-tools | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 14
636 gimp-print | [] [] | 10
638 glunarclock | [] [] [] | 13
641 gnucash-glossary | [] [] [] | 8
642 gnupg | [] [] [] [] | 17
645 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] | 13
646 gpe-clock | [] [] [] | 10
648 gpe-contacts | [] [] [] | 11
649 gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
651 gpe-login | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
652 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] | 13
653 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] | 9
654 gpe-su | [] [] [] | 10
655 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] | 10
656 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] | 12
657 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
658 gpe-todo | [] [] [] [] | 12
659 gphoto2 | [] [] [] | 11
663 grep | [] [] [] [] | 26
666 hello | [] [] [] [] [] | 34
667 id-utils | [] [] | 12
668 indent | [] [] [] [] | 21
669 iso_3166 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 27
670 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] | 16
673 iso_4217 | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 24
675 jpilot | [] [] [] [] [] | 9
677 jwhois | () [] [] | 11
681 libc | [] [] [] [] | 20
682 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] | 13
683 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 27
687 lingoteach_lessons | () | 0
694 mysecretdiary | [] [] | 10
695 nano | [] [] [] [] | 17
696 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] | 17
698 parted | [] [] [] | 15
702 recode | [] [] [] | 20
705 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] | 15
706 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 24
707 sh-utils | [] [] | 14
708 shared-mime-info | [] [] | 7
709 sharutils | [] [] [] [] | 17
713 soundtracker | [] [] | 7
715 tar | [] [] [] [] [] | 24
716 texinfo | [] [] [] | 14
717 textutils | [] [] [] [] | 16
720 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] | 29
721 unicode-han-tra... | | 0
722 unicode-transla... | | 2
723 util-linux | [] [] | 15
726 wdiff | [] [] [] | 18
727 wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 24
728 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] | 15
729 xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] [] [] [] | 11
731 +-----------------------------------------------------+
732 63 teams sk sl sr sv ta th tr uk ven vi wa xh zh_CN zh_TW zu
733 131 domains 47 19 28 83 0 0 59 13 1 1 11 0 22 22 0 1373
735 Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
736 visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
737 used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
740 For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
741 which it applies should also have been internationalized and
742 distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
743 lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
746 If January 2004 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of
747 this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most up-to-date
748 matrix with full percentage details can be found at
749 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
751 Using `gettext' in new packages
752 ===============================
754 If you are writing a freely available program and want to
755 internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
756 package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
757 License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means
758 in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
759 library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
760 library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
762 Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
763 the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
764 Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
765 developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
766 applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
767 `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
768 the translation teams.
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