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One challenge arises from the fact that many developers have a limited understanding of internationalization and languages, and a coding strategy that works for some major languages many not work for others.Ĭhoosing a tutorial in Widelands in Scottish Gaelic.

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The more different a given language is from English, the more types of issues may arise when attempting to translate software into that language.

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The majority of software, free and otherwise, is developed in English, the lingua franca of the tech world. While a localized version of Microsoft Office is available, such commercial Gaelic-language software products are rare. Resources invested to Gaelic localization, therefore, are viewed as unlikely to provide a financial return. Free software projects might rely on crowdsourcing and volunteer managers.Ī language like Gaelic does not represent an interesting market for most commercial products - a software publisher can safely assume that most potential customers who speak Gaelic are bilingual in English. Localization in proprietary projects is typically paid at skilled labor rates.

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A software interface is typically developed initially in a global language such as English, and then localized into additional languages.Īs with any translation process, software localization is typically a highly-skilled endeavor, with the localizer having fluency in both the source and target languages, as well as a level of familiarity with code and software project management. The second process, localization ( l10n), is the actual translation of the interface - the bits of the software that the user interacts with - into a new language. The first process, internationalization (often abbreviated i18n), ensures that software is designed to be efficiently and effectively adapted for use in different languages and regions. Translating a software interface - the parts of the program that a user interacts with - relies on two interrelated technical processes. That’s my long term goal.” Localization in the minority language context “What I’m trying to do is ensure Gaelic will have everything, at least one example of everything, that an English speaker would have. GunChleoc has intentionally translated games from multiple genres. and Megaglest, a Lemmings-like game called Pingus, and even a Mario Kart clone called SuperTuxKart. There are now word games like Scrabble (translated by Bauer), real-time strategy games like 0 A.D. In the case of Widelands, this includes a global community that has completely or partially translated the game into 60 languages. For a video game, these modifications might include new game mechanics or levels, new or refined artwork, and versions of the game that work on different platforms (Windows, OSX, Android, etc.). In contrast to proprietary software which is typically developed as commercial projects, free software is open to user modifications and contributions. Perhaps the primary factor in its longevity (aside from the fact that it is a lot of fun) is that it is a free and open source software project, entirely supported by a volunteer community of developers, artists, and writers. Gaming in a minority languageĪ version of the game Widelands was first posted online in 2001, and the game has been in continuous development ever since. I recently spoke with GunChleoc about her experience helping to enable and promote Gaelic-language computing. Even more impressive is that this wealth of Gaelic software is primarily the result of the volunteer efforts of just two people: GunChleoc and Michael Bauer, a Glasgow-based language consultant and publisher. While there are few examples of commercial software available in Gaelic, an impressive collection of free software - games, office software, mobile apps, etc. A 2016 census found that only 522 public school students had Gaelic as the primary language at home, however, but there has been a recent increase in Gaelic medium education. Under pressure from English, Gaelic has been in decline as a community language for centuries, but a vigorous revitalization effort has been underway. Gaelic is spoken by around 58,000 people in Scotland, and over 7,000 people in Canada. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig, not to be confused with Irish, Gaeilge) is a Celtic language indigenous to Scotland. GunChleoc (a pseudonym) has long been a respected member of the free software development community, having contributed translations to dozens of projects and managed broader translation initiatives. Managing the Widelands Development Team since 2016 is GunChleoc, who joined the project as a Scottish Gaelic translator in 2013. Proportion of respondents in the 2011 census aged 3 and above who stated that they can speak Scottish Gaelic.

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