1 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 1.1 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.
99 1.3 Using This Package
100 ======================
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.
148 1.4 Translating Teams
149 =====================
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.
178 1.5 Available Packages
179 ======================
181 Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
182 matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of May 2005.
183 The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages PO
184 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 cy da de el en en_GB
188 +-------------------------------------------------+
190 a2ps | [] [] [] [] [] |
195 aspell | [] [] [] [] |
202 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] |
204 console-tools | [] [] |
205 coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
208 darkstat | [] () [] |
209 dialog | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
210 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
213 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
214 error | [] [] [] [] |
215 fetchmail | [] [] () [] |
217 findutils | [] [] [] |
225 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] |
226 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
227 gettext-tools | [] [] |
228 gimp-print | [] [] [] [] |
234 gnucash | [] () () [] |
235 gnucash-glossary | [] () |
238 gpe-calendar | [] [] |
245 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] |
246 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
248 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
252 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
256 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
260 gst-plugins | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
261 gstreamer | [] [] [] [] [] |
263 gtkspell | [] [] [] |
264 hello | [] [] [] [] |
269 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] [] |
280 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
282 libgpewidget | [] [] [] |
284 libgphoto2_port | [] |
286 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
295 man-db | [] () [] [] |
297 mysecretdiary | [] [] |
299 nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] |
301 parted | [] [] [] [] |
307 recode | [] [] [] [] [] |
310 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
313 shared-mime-info | [] [] |
314 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
319 soundtracker | [] [] |
324 textutils | [] [] [] |
327 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
328 unicode-han-tra... | |
329 unicode-transla... | |
330 util-linux | [] [] [] [] |
331 vorbis-tools | [] [] [] [] |
333 wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
335 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] |
338 +-------------------------------------------------+
339 af am ar az be bg bs ca cs cy da de el en en_GB
340 10 0 0 2 7 5 0 40 43 2 51 91 19 1 14
342 eo es et eu fa fi fr ga gl he hi hr hu id is
343 +-----------------------------------------------+
356 bison | [] [] [] [] [] |
357 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
360 coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
363 darkstat | [] () [] [] [] |
364 dialog | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
365 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
369 error | [] [] [] [] [] |
371 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
372 findutils | [] [] [] [] |
380 gettext-examples | [] [] [] |
381 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] |
382 gettext-tools | [] [] |
386 glunarclock | [] [] [] |
390 gnucash-glossary | [] |
393 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] |
394 gpe-clock | [] [] [] |
399 gpe-login | [] [] [] |
400 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] [] |
401 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
403 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] |
404 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] |
405 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] |
406 gpe-todo | [] [] [] |
407 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
409 gpsdrive | () () [] |
411 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
415 gst-plugins | [] [] |
417 gtick | [] [] [] [] |
418 gtkspell | [] [] [] [] [] |
419 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
420 id-utils | [] [] [] |
422 indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
423 iso_3166 | [] [] [] |
424 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
427 iso_4217 | [] [] [] |
428 iso_639 | [] [] [] [] |
431 jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
435 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
437 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] [] |
438 libgphoto2 | [] [] [] |
439 libgphoto2_port | [] |
441 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
449 make | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
451 minicom | [] [] [] [] |
452 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
454 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
458 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
462 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
465 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] |
466 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
467 sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
468 shared-mime-info | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
469 sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
474 soundtracker | [] [] |
479 textutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
482 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
483 unicode-han-tra... | |
484 unicode-transla... | [] [] |
485 util-linux | [] [] [] [] [] |
486 vorbis-tools | [] [] |
488 wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
490 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] |
493 +-----------------------------------------------+
494 eo es et eu fa fi fr ga gl he hi hr hu id is
495 15 85 21 15 2 35 115 45 16 8 1 6 40 27 1
497 it ja ko ku lg lt lv mk mn ms mt nb nl nn no nso
498 +--------------------------------------------------+
500 a2ps | () () [] [] () |
511 bison | [] [] [] [] |
520 diffutils | [] [] [] [] |
526 fileutils | [] [] [] |
535 gettext-examples | [] [] [] |
536 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
537 gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
541 glunarclock | [] [] |
544 gnucash | [] () () [] |
545 gnucash-glossary | [] [] |
556 gpe-sketchbook | [] |
558 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
564 gpsdrive | () () () () |
570 gst-plugins | [] [] |
573 gtkspell | [] [] [] |
574 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
582 iso_4217 | [] [] [] |
590 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
594 libgphoto2_port | [] [] |
609 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
611 parted | [] [] [] [] |
620 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] |
622 sh-utils | [] [] [] |
623 shared-mime-info | [] [] [] [] |
624 sharutils | [] [] [] |
634 textutils | [] [] [] |
637 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
638 unicode-han-tra... | |
639 unicode-transla... | |
640 util-linux | [] [] [] |
645 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] |
646 xkeyboard-config | [] |
648 +--------------------------------------------------+
649 it ja ko ku lg lt lv mk mn ms mt nb nl nn no nso
650 46 35 11 2 1 1 2 2 3 11 0 15 96 7 5 0
652 or pa pl pt pt_BR rm ro ru rw sk sl sq sr sv
653 +----------------------------------------------+
655 a2ps | () [] [] [] [] [] [] |
666 bison | [] [] [] [] [] |
667 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
670 coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
673 darkstat | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
674 dialog | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
675 diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
678 enscript | [] [] [] [] |
680 fetchmail | [] [] [] [] |
681 fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
682 findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
683 flex | [] [] [] [] [] |
690 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
691 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
692 gettext-tools | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
696 glunarclock | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
697 gmult | [] [] [] [] |
699 gnucash | () [] [] [] [] |
700 gnucash-glossary | [] [] [] |
701 gpe-aerial | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
702 gpe-beam | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
703 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
704 gpe-clock | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
705 gpe-conf | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
706 gpe-contacts | [] [] [] [] |
707 gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
708 gpe-go | [] [] [] [] [] |
709 gpe-login | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
710 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
711 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
712 gpe-su | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
713 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
714 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
715 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
716 gpe-todo | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
717 gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
721 grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
723 gsasl | [] [] [] [] [] |
725 gst-plugins | [] [] [] [] |
726 gstreamer | [] [] [] [] |
728 gtkspell | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
729 hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
730 id-utils | [] [] [] [] |
732 indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
733 iso_3166 | [] [] [] [] [] |
734 iso_3166_1 | [] [] [] [] |
736 iso_3166_3 | [] [] [] |
741 jwhois | [] [] [] () () |
745 libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
747 libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
749 libgphoto2_port | [] |
750 libgsasl | [] [] [] |
751 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
757 m4 | [] [] [] [] [] |
758 mailutils | [] [] [] |
761 minicom | [] [] [] [] |
762 mysecretdiary | [] [] [] [] |
764 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
766 parted | [] [] [] [] |
768 ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
772 recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
775 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
776 sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
777 sh-utils | [] [] [] |
778 shared-mime-info | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
779 sharutils | [] [] [] |
784 soundtracker | [] [] |
788 texinfo | [] [] [] [] |
789 textutils | [] [] [] |
792 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
793 unicode-han-tra... | |
794 unicode-transla... | |
795 util-linux | [] [] [] |
796 vorbis-tools | [] [] |
798 wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
800 xchat | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
803 +----------------------------------------------+
804 or pa pl pt pt_BR rm ro ru rw sk sl sq sr sv
805 1 3 47 29 57 6 78 73 5 44 12 12 50 85
807 ta tg th tk tr uk ven vi wa xh zh_CN zh_TW zu
808 +-----------------------------------------------+
812 ant-phone | [] [] | 5
813 anubis | [] [] [] | 11
815 aspell | [] [] [] | 13
817 batchelor | [] [] | 7
822 bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] | 25
824 console-tools | [] [] | 5
825 coreutils | [] [] | 17
828 darkstat | [] () () | 15
829 dialog | [] [] [] | 25
830 diffutils | [] [] [] [] | 28
834 error | [] [] [] | 16
836 fileutils | [] [] [] | 18
837 findutils | [] [] | 17
845 gettext-examples | [] [] [] [] [] | 21
846 gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] | 25
847 gettext-tools | [] [] [] [] [] | 19
851 glunarclock | [] [] | 13
852 gmult | [] [] [] | 13
855 gnucash-glossary | [] [] | 9
856 gpe-aerial | [] [] | 13
857 gpe-beam | [] [] | 13
858 gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] | 18
859 gpe-clock | [] [] [] [] | 17
860 gpe-conf | [] [] | 12
861 gpe-contacts | [] [] | 7
862 gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] | 15
864 gpe-login | [] [] [] [] [] | 18
865 gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] | 19
866 gpe-sketchbook | [] [] | 14
867 gpe-su | [] [] [] | 16
868 gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] | 17
869 gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] | 17
870 gpe-today | [] [] [] [] [] | 19
871 gpe-todo | [] [] [] | 17
872 gphoto2 | [] [] [] | 18
876 grep | [] [] [] [] | 32
880 gst-plugins | [] [] [] | 17
881 gstreamer | [] [] [] [] | 15
883 gtkspell | [] [] [] [] | 21
884 hello | [] [] [] [] | 37
885 id-utils | [] [] | 13
887 indent | [] [] [] [] | 25
888 iso_3166 | [] [] [] | 12
889 iso_3166_1 | [] [] | 20
891 iso_3166_3 | [] [] | 8
892 iso_4217 | [] [] | 10
894 jpilot | [] [] [] | 6
896 jwhois | [] [] [] | 12
902 libgpewidget | [] [] | 17
904 libgphoto2_port | | 5
906 libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] | 32
917 mysecretdiary | [] [] | 12
919 nano_1_0 | [] [] [] | 18
921 parted | [] [] [] | 18
930 scrollkeeper | [] [] [] | 24
933 shared-mime-info | [] [] [] | 21
934 sharutils | [] [] [] | 20
939 soundtracker | [] | 8
941 stardict | [] [] [] [] | 10
942 tar | [] [] [] [] | 15
944 textutils | [] [] [] | 17
946 tp-robot | [] [] [] | 8
947 tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] | 34
948 unicode-han-tra... | | 0
949 unicode-transla... | | 2
950 util-linux | [] [] [] | 18
951 vorbis-tools | [] | 10
955 xchat | [] [] [] [] | 26
956 xkeyboard-config | [] | 2
958 +-----------------------------------------------+
959 73 teams ta tg th tk tr uk ven vi wa xh zh_CN zh_TW zu
960 149 domains 0 0 0 1 77 30 0 92 16 0 42 32 0 1746
962 Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
963 visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
964 used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
967 For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
968 which it applies should also have been internationalized and
969 distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
970 lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
973 If May 2005 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of
974 this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most up-to-date
975 matrix with full percentage details can be found at
976 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
978 1.6 Using `gettext' in new packages
979 ===================================
981 If you are writing a freely available program and want to
982 internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
983 package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
984 License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means
985 in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
986 library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
987 library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
989 Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
990 the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
991 Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
992 developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
993 applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
994 `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
995 the translation teams.