Aboriginal Languages / Langues autochtones

[GetdeGist]

I'm looking at http://wet-boew.github.io/wet-boew/index-en.html Under "multilingual": 33 languages, but no sign of Aboriginal languages.

Je regarde http://wet-boew.github.io/wet-boew/index-fr.html Sous "multilingue": 33 langues mais aucun signe des langue autochtones

[pjackson28]

WET is flexible enough to add support for additional languages as long as the translations for each of the strings is provided for those languages. To date, we have not received any translations for Aboriginal languages. Do you have a suggested source for the translations for the Aboriginal languages that should be supported?

[GetdeGist]

Translation: Good question. I was mostly thinking about special characters - like Inuktitut (lang="iu") - http://www.gov.nu.ca/iu

[RobJohnston]

Here's a couple that may help:

• Inuktitut Living Dictionary: http://www.livingdictionary.com/
• Microsoft Language Portal: http://www.microsoft.com/Language/en-US/Search.aspx

But looks like the Microsoft site is Roman Inuktitut instead of Inuinnaqtun. What you can do is use the Microsoft site, for example enter "search" and see that the UI element is "Qinirli", then use the Living Dictionary to see that "Qinirli" is ᓯᕿᓂᕐᓕᖅ in syllabic Inuktit, but the gov.nu.ca site uses ᕿᓂᕆᐊᓕᒃ... so I don't know how well this method is working.

[Bgolden67]

The requirement for Inuktitut support has been brought up a number of times over the past couple years to various working groups. I'm surprised to see @pjackson28 say there has been no requests for it. We (AANDC) have brought it up but never been approached with anything.

We've also brought the question up about how WET will handle the case where only a few pages need to be in the alternative language. Not all our content goes up in Inultitut but once in a while we have a need for the third language, but there has been no guidance on how to link to/from it template wise especially going forward with the new MWS

[pjackson28]

@Bgolden67 I didn't say there have been no requests for it, I said that nobody has offered to do the translations. It is very easy to add support as long as someone provides the translated strings. Would AANDC be willing to provide the translations for each of the strings? If so, we can provide the strings to translate.

As for how to handle a few pages in an alternate language, that isn't a WET question but instead a Canada.ca question (Content & IA spec). WET would just produce a template for whatever is decided for such scenarios.

[Bgolden67]

I understand.. Sure, I can see what we can do to get some translations. Send me the strings and I will find out what i can do to get them translated by our channels.

Correct.. I tend to lump WET in as everything, sorry about that.. but yes it has been brought up to multiple WGs and no answers have been given.

[pjackson28]

You can find all the strings here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BmMrKN6Rtx-dwgPNEZD6AIAQdI4nNlyVVVCml0U594o/edit#gid=1. The strings to translate are on the "v4.0 translations" tab.

What we've done in the past is grant edit access to translators so they can put their translations right into the spreadsheet. So a new column would be added for each Inuit language (or other language) that we will be adding support for. WET then takes the strings from this spreadsheet (as part of the build process) and generates the necessary i18n files in WET.

[Bgolden67]

ok thanks.. I will find out what i need to do at this end and get the ball rolling!

[hsrudnicki]

Fine, it's further to the ball rolling, please update this issue's status whether this issue can be closed or otherwise?

[Bgolden67]

the link to the strings document is blocked from my desk, I will have to do this from home

[GetdeGist]

I'm happy to hear this ball is rolling. Thanks everyone.

Thanks @Bgolden67

Please keep us updated! :-)

[GetdeGist]

@Bgolden67 How is it moving along?

[Bgolden67]

I hope to have something in a week or so, sorry for the delays

[GetdeGist]

OK. Thanks!

[Bgolden67]

Should I add a new column in at the end or insert it in the correct alphabetical location?

[pjackson28]

@Bgolden67 It is currently ordered alphabetically by "Language name (English)" (with the exception of English and French which are moved to the front). For the sake of consistency it is suggested that you continue with the same alphabetical ordering.

[Bgolden67]

thanks!

[Bgolden67]

I'm waiting for the words and phrases to come back from translation, but How will we be handling the font requirement? On the AANDC site we have offered the Pigiarniq font to download otherwise you probably can't see the Inuktitut characters.

[RobJohnston]

Isn't download a font a problem for Windows XP and before? Hasn't Vista onwards added support for enough unicode for syllabics? I've done nothing but can see http://www.gov.nu.ca/iu rendered with syllabics.

[Bgolden67]

Yes the support has been greatly improved, it's just something we've tried to make available previously because not all computers, especially in remote locations are up to date. Going forward I think it's going to be far less of a concern than in the past of course.

We also had instructions on the site on how to install for XP and Win7.

Just something i wanted to make sure was brought up to see if it was worth a concern still.

[GetdeGist]

The "font question" is not limited to Inuktitut only.

• For example, in Chipewyan, you've got the "the glottal stop" – ʔ .
• In old Huron-Wendat, Abenaki, Algonquin, you've got the "latin ou" - ȣ
• There might be other instances of non-Roman characters; I'm not an expert.

There's been a story on CBC about a person using the "glottal stop" in a name. This trend of reclaiming or re-owning traditional names, traditional spellings, etc - this is something that I think we have to accept, value and treasure. Even in the case of the "latin ou" which is being phased out (being replaced with ô or with w), I think it would be safest for us to make room or design a strategy for it - in case it appears in a name or in older documents, or in case it makes a come back for a reason, etc.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/tradition-authenticity-and-the-fight-for-indigenous-identity-1.3281731/what-s-in-a-name-why-three-people-are-fighting-for-their-traditional-names-1.3282113

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ou_(ligature)

[RobJohnston]

Yes, there are some unicode that I can't get... the last 9 in the range of Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics and all of the Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics Extended. See what they should look like here and here.

Interesting that the glottal stop looks different - ᐞ.

[Bgolden67]

I have translations for inuktitut I will be adding this weekend, and I will also be submitting for the 4th language we rarely but on ocaison have to support - Inuinnaqtun - once i get it back from translation

[GetdeGist]

That's good news, Brian. Thanks.

[hsrudnicki]

Based on the above, can be this issue closed or otherwise? Either way, please update this issue's status, thank you

[GetdeGist]

1. Brian is working on translating Inuinnaqtun.
2. Rob Johnston raised questions about Unicode - no one has replied yet specifically on this question.
3. I see that work has been done/is being done on Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun but we have not discussed what to do/what should be done in respect to other indigenous languages. Should they be proactively added to ensure that the support is there whenever it is needed? We may want to build that support/capacity in anticipation of possible future needs - following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, etc. The demands possibly may expand and increase beyond our current models, more requirements, more clients, more expectations for resources in indigenous languages, more need for opportunities to read/learn/use these languages, more people training and learning the languages, etc.

Conclusion: I think this issue is still active.

[Bgolden67]

Oh crap .. i forgot to update the Inuktitut in the file.. i will this week for sure

[hsrudnicki]

Does this remain still an active issue or otherwise? Please update the status of this again, whether this can be closed as resolved or otherwise, thank you

[Bgolden67]

still active

[GetdeGist]

Thanks Brian.

[RobJohnston]

Remember that unicode problem? Well, last week Google launched a new font called Noto.

Today, Google’s open-source Noto font family provides a beautiful and consistent digital type for every symbol in the Unicode standard, covering more than 800 languages and 110,000 characters.

https://developers.googleblog.com/2016/10/an-open-source-font-system-for-everyone.html?m=1

[GetdeGist]

Thanks Rob. This is very interesting!

They list the following 11 Canadian Aboriginal Languages:

Chipewyan (Canadian Aboriginal script) Cree Northern East Cree Southern East Cree Inuktitut (Canadian Aboriginal script) Moose Cree Naskapi Ojibwa (Canadian Aboriginal script) Plains Cree Slave (Canadian Aboriginal script) Swampy Cree

[Bgolden67]

Can you grant me edit access to the file please? I sent the request using my gmail address

[GetdeGist]

Hi Brian.

What do I need to do or how can I grant you edit access? Where do I go?

[Bgolden67]

I'm not sure who the "owner" is of the google doc for the language translations file. I have the Inuktitut translations to add

[Bgolden67]

the file @pjackson28 mentions earlier in this thread

[GetdeGist]

Do you mean?

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BmMrKN6Rtx-dwgPNEZD6AIAQdI4nNlyVVVCml0U594o/edit#gid=1

I don't own it.

I assume Paul ( @pjackson28 ) might know.

[Bgolden67]

yes that's the one

[GetdeGist]

I don't own it.

I assume Paul ( @pjackson28 ) might know.

[LaurentGoderre]

No, that files ia generated from the Google Spreadsheet

[pjackson28]

@Bgolden67 You should have edit access now.

[Bgolden67]

thanks @pjackson28

[Bgolden67]

column and translations have been added for Inuktitut

[GetdeGist]

Big thanks and big cheers to everyone. Special thanks to @Bgolden67 . And again thanks to everyone.

A small step for us, a bigger one for Inuktitut and for reconciliation! This is something real. It's not imaginary or abstract. It's real stuff!

Next Steps... Is there more work to do, are there any projects ongoing? What's next?

[Bgolden67]

Glad to help :-)

The bigger issue i am facing is how the AEM CMS will handle these alternate languages, I know that is a discussion for another place and not this thread but it is a big concern we need to have the principal publisher tackle head on and fast.

[RobJohnston]

@GetdeGist You ask "what's next". Maybe now a PR to update the supported languages on this page: http://wet-boew.github.io/wet-boew/index-en.html#multilingual

[LaurentGoderre]

There's another pr first to bring the update to the spreadsheet. I'll try to do this on Monday

[LaurentGoderre]

@GetdeGist thanks to @Bgolden67 version v4.0.23 will have Inuktitut!

[GetdeGist]

Thank you @LaurentGoderre ! That's awesome!

As @RobJohnston said, we will need to update the list of languages at http://wet-boew.github.io/wet-boew/index-en.html#multilingual

How do we do that?

[GetdeGist]

@Bgolden67 also mentioned Inuinnaqtun.

How is that other language going?