[Olpc-Haiti] [support-gang] our Haiti translation site's now in English+ French + on Facebook too!

[Chris Low]

To illustrate a point: A finale edit neds to be done befoure piloting  
in sevaral hubs so that we do not  give the children  kreole  
imperfect. We are edicators. Would you be giving Amerikan children  
laptups to educational materials with mispelled werd's in English?   
Would you for not feel imbarrassed as an educator to be handing out  
materials' that had basik words misspeled and grammar bad?



A final edit needs to be done before piloting in several hubs so that  
we do not  give the children imperfect Creole. We are educators. Would  
you be giving American children laptops and educational materials with  
misspelled words in English?  Would you not feel embarrassed as an  
educator to be handing out materials that had basic words misspelled  
and bad grammar?

So I agree that it is great  to use the good will of many to get the  
process going as long as there is truly to follow through of paying a  
translator to edit all the material.  But let me also say that a  
professional translator has told me in the past that is is not any  
easier to translate this way because often one has to change whole  
phrases because the meaning has not been captured and that is it is  
just as expensive to do because of the time it takes to read the  
English, read the imperfect Creole, and then correct it. There is an  
argument for just making it a priority to pay a translator who  
understands the text/program.
Chris


Chris Low
MCLC Co-director
www.matenwaclc.org
617 543 8844 USA cell
011 509 3 711 0661 Haiti cell
011 509 2 513 0217 LKM
"Live simply so others can simply live."

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On Feb 3, 2010, at 3:08 PM, Bastien wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> Michel DeGraff <degraff at MIT.EDU> writes:
>
>> When it comes to the education of Kreyòl speaking children, my own
>> belief is that a (substantially) imperfect Kreyòl translation will do
>> more harm than good.
>
> I beg to disagree.
>
> Not only an imperfect translation is better than nothing /per se/.
>
> But an imperfect translation is nothing less than a perfectible one.
> If we consider the translation process in the perspective of an open
> and collaborative process, the right question is: when is the right
> time for professional translators to help?  The sooner, the better.
> But if volunteers react sooner, then lets start this way, no?
>
> By the way, this wiki page is still demanding a kreyòl translation:
>  http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Haitian_Creole_Translation_for_Education
>
> If anyone feels uncomfortable editing the wiki directly, please send
> me the translated file and I'll put it online.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- 
> Bastien