Languages Spoken NC

Hey Everyone!

Don't forget the languages spoken notecard is on Volunteer HQ. Though many have translators out and use them, some still like a person that can actually speak the specific language.

If you are not on the notecard or would like to be off the notecard. Please IM me in-world and let me know.

I'll need your name, languages, and what volunteer groups you are in.


*example*

celeste arnaz
spanish (not really just example)
Mentor

Thanks Ya'll!

Thanks for insisting, Celeste Be persistent!

I would like just to remind my fellow volunteers that the translator is not a tool for work — it's, at most, a way to give the bare minimum of help.

From the reaction of many people that regularly answer on the volunteer channels, it seems to me that many believe blindingly in this amazing translator technology to the point of actually and truly expecting it to work like magic.

Speking fluently 4 languages and understanding at least another one, I can fully atest that rather the reverse is true:

1. Most translating tools, to work better, need to work in a context — this mostly means that the longer the text you're translating, the better the tool will work, since it might be able to infer what you're saying from previous or forthcoming paragraphs, and thus "understand" what is going on.
   
   In SL, all the translators can work with is broken sentences. It's not much more than opening a dictionary, translating words literally, and putting it together in a sentence. It doesn't go better than that; it has no idea of multiple possible translations from the same sentence.
   
2. The quality of the translations is usually (say, way over 50%) so garbled and confusing, that only a very patient and persistent listener will be able make out anything of what you're trying to tell them. If they're desperate to know what you're telling, they will try to do their best. Otherwise, the cost of trying to understand you at all is very high, and they'll quickly give up.
   
3. Many are not even aware of what a "translation tool" is; I've seen some not even understanding that they were being addressed as all. In spite of some of the Volunteers explaining that they are using a translator and thus the quality of the communication might be low, some of the addressed newbies can't even understand that, so poor is the translation, and they get offended because they think you're making fun of them because you're a newbie.
   
4. Even in the case of the newbie being very patient and willing to try to understand what you're saying, you'll be at the mercy of three caveats: slang, abbreviations, and typos. Make sure that at the very least you'll never employ those. Keep to sentences that are in perfectly worded English — make sure you have nouns and verbs in the sentence, and that each is spelt out flawlessly. Although results might improve slightly, you will be hardly surprised that things like: "Please rez your objects on the sandbox" come so utterly wrong in some languages, that nobody will understand it.
   
5. Remember, newbies are not stupid. The ones that will have fun with your sentences will stay around for a laughter or two, and appreciate your efforts of entertaining them. However, others will feel frustrated because nobody here speaks their language, and will quickly leave in disappointment — trust me, nobody will want to live in a place where these translators are employed as the only means of communication!
   
   Instead, pointing them out to national groups who speak their language is the best way to make sure they'll see that there is a lot of variety in Second Life, and that around 43% of all residents come from outside of the United States, staying often together on their own language groups. As soon as they can find those groups, they'll be happy to stay, and both thank you for pointing it to them and appreciate your efforts.

Again: Don't trust blindingly on this kind of technology. Watch the video at Hamlet's blog and pay close attention to what the translated English looks like. Now imagine: that's the kind of translation people get (for your information: I tried very precise and easy, gramatically flawless sentences, to hope for as good a translation into English as possible; the choice of vocabulary was the simplest I managed to find for each sentence). Would you be able to follow simple instructions if someone talked to you like that? Or, more precisely: would your eagerness to learn how SL be enough to keep you around with broken/incomplete/ununderstandable sentences to help you with your first steps?

Every newbie is a different person, and I'd say that many would indeed have enough patience. Still, it's far more efficient to have someone who talks your language helping you out. The difference is astonishingly great.

Thus, keep encouraging Celeste to make her notecard as complete as possible. This is nothing to speak against the translators' creators — they can only make their products as good as the available translation technology is good. They are certainly a very nice party gag, an icebreaker, and, sometimes, a first tool to have people patiently wait until someone comes around who does speak the language. At the very least you can say something like: "I'm sorry, I can't help you, I'm using an automatic translator to write this, but I'm trying to get you someone who speaks your language quickly". This will come out broken and clumsily, but at least the newbie will understand that you're not offending them or pulling a prank, but genuinely concerned and trying to help you to the limits of the available technology — and very likely thank you for that.

Non-native English speakers (about 600-700 million on the Internet) don't expect to get help in their own language, specially on "brave new worlds", where English is the dominant language. They're used to being patient, and don't get overwhelmingly disappointed if no one talks to them in their language — they have been around for ages and know what to expect. However, the bold ones who are willing to come to a virtual world that is fully in English, knowing that help will be scarce, documentation unexistent, and they can't even figure out what the buttons/commands/menus are, should be very encouraged, early on, and praised for their courage and open-mindedness. Remember, they have managed to go through the whole registration process not understanding a single word, and through Orientation Island, very likely going on to Help Island "by mistake" (since they're clueless of the difference). Most of them are eager socialisers, being used to social Webs in their own language, and finding that Second Life could become something similar. Their first step is to find someone who points them to a community of people who speak the same language, to be able to ask further questions. As soon as they manage to do that, they will never leave Second Life again — like the English-speakers

Be prepared to make the best possible impression on these poor guys that have mastered to enter a brave new world where nothing is written in their language!

So, don't feel too frustrated when people as for a native speaker of some language on the IM group chat... it just means that the translator is not enough to help people out, and we still need a native speaker...

Here's Gwyn's post after a pass through a translator, just to give you an example

Would like to thank, units were constantly! I just want to remind volunteers, the work is not a translation tool, its largest grant for a minimum of help. The response from many people, volunteers on a regular basis to answer channels, it seems to me that many people think that the translation of technical terms is extremely alarming, in fact, it really looks like magic. 4, language understanding fluid speking at least once, I fully atest, but the contrary is true : * The most translation tools, and better play its role needs areas, which mainly refers to the longer version of the better tools you work, because it can infer that you will be before or paragraphs, and "understands" what happened. In the evening, All translation work can be broken. not create than dictionary, language translation from and to include it with a sentence. But that does not than to; many may not know the translation from the same sentence. * quality of the translation is usually (that is, more than 50% of the methods), Thailand and confusion, Only a very patient and persistent audience can see any you want to tell them. If you know you say desperate, they will do our best. Otherwise, the cost is very high in all you want to know, will soon be abandoned. * Many people do not even know what "translation tools"; I saw some of them are even aware of. While some volunteers explained that they are using a translation, and therefore high-quality communications possible low, even partial solution drives not understand such a poor translation, opened, because they feel that in your irony, because you are a newbie. * Even very newbie patience and willingness to understand you said that you will be part of three variables : slang, abbreviations, changed. ensure that at least use these forever. adhere to the judgement, speaking entirely in English, so that you fight the sentence, described the wonderful. Although the results may be slightly improved, you will find it difficult, they said : "Please Rez objects in this sand," is totally wrong in some language, which no one will understand. * remember that not stupid behaviour. those who have left your sentence with two laugh about, appreciate their performances. However, others will have frustration, because there is nobody here to speak their own language, will soon be disappointed, I think, Nobody wants to live in one place, these translators are hired only means of communication! Instead, the people demonstrated their national language, is the best way to guarantee that they will see many different two lives, and in 43% of all residents from outside the United States often live their own language groups. Once these groups, They will be happy to stay, thank you, thank you for their efforts. re : Do not believe that this technology is. Hamlet in the importance and watching video Boke like what English translation. Now think : I agree that there is a (For information : one, clear very easy gramatically perfect sentence, I hope to have a good English translation; terminology is the simplest choice, and I find each one). you can simple instructions, if someone said you do? or, more precisely : You will learn enough to let you play a very positive broken / do not help you phrase your /ununderstandable first step? newbie everyone is different, I think a lot of people do have enough patience. worrying is the fact that the Chinese people have more effective help you, your language lectures. enormous differences are striking. Therefore, constant encouragement to enable her notecard unit as complete as possible. This is not to say that the creation of translation, to enable their products to provide a good technology is good translation. They did a very nice party with, icebreaker, sometimes, a person must have the patience to wait for the stress he is the letter. This can at least say : "Sorry, I can not help you, I write with automatic translation, but I think you are saying that your language quickly." This will be broken, out of the tree, but at least newbie understand that you do not offend their motives or drag, But the real concern and help you to the context of the provision of technical and very grateful to you. non-native English-speaking (about 600-700 million Internet) do not want to receive help in their own language, particularly in the "brave new world", the main language is English. they used patience, not to be disappointed if no one talks to the majority of their language, They have been around the age and know what to expect. However, people willing to brave a virtual world, completely in English, knowing that help will scarce, the literature unexistent, they can not even tell what button / command / Shan, should be very encouraged by the early commend their courage and caring. remember, They have succeeded in processing the registration procedures do not know the word around, through orientation Island, most likely will help Island "by mistake" (because they are unknown reason Lane 3b). Most people aspire socialisers to their own language social network, find life may become a second similar. Their first step is to find a person to a community station, speak the same language, we can continue to ask questions. If they can do this, they will never again leave the second life, like French for the best impression of the guy bad, master the language in the New World, not words. Therefore, When people do not feel too disappointed, and some native language, Mr. IM chat group. This is probably not sufficient to help people translate, we still need to Speaker.

That's all very clear, yes?

Thanks, Tateru. I couldn't have said it better myself. Oh, wait. I just realised — I just did it

In any case, I hope the point was made clear: technology works... to a point. We still need Celeste's *vital* notecard with volunteers who speak other languages.

At this point, I also think it would be nice to have sets of alternative guide notecards in other languages. You're welcome to IM me for a translated version of my own Beginner's Guide in Portuguese, a translation done, expanded and clarified by Moon Adamant. It's not much — and the accented characters have disappeared — but at least it should provide Portuguese speakers with something.

I just wish I had the same in Spanish

Thank you..

I just hope people use the notecard. If you are in search of someone that speaks say, Spanish, grab your notecard see who is under the SPANISH area, and check to see if they are online, IM them and ask if they are busy and can help the new resident. (yes, I've done this.)

This cuts down on the Mentor IM spam where 14,000 (yes that's an exaggeration) people respond with "Nope" "No habla espanol" and other creative wordage.

Sorry if I offended anyone in the previous statement.


-Celeste.

I think someone would have to work pretty hard to take offense at it.