FW: FW: [dita-translation] Specifying a list of target languages

["JoAnn Hackos" <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>]

 from Felix


JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD
President
Comtech Services, Inc.
710 Kipling Street, Suite 400
Denver CO 80215
303-232-7586
joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Felix Sasaki [mailto:fsasaki@w3.org] 
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 5:23 PM
To: JoAnn Hackos
Cc: Bryan Schnabel; christian.lieske@sap.com; dpooley@sdl.com; esrig-ia@esrig.com; rfletcher@sdl.com; Howard.Schwartz; ishida@w3.org; rmraya@maxprograms.com; tony.jewtushenko@productinnovator.com; ysavourel@translate.com
Subject: Re: FW: [dita-translation] Specifying a list of target languages

Hello JoAnn, all,

JoAnn Hackos さんは書きました:
>
> For those of you who are “observers” of the DITA Translation 
> Subcommittee, please review Gershon’s note.
>
> JoAnn
>
> JoAnn Hackos PhD
>
> President
>
> Comtech Services, Inc.
>
> joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com
>
> Skype joannhackos
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
>
> *From:* Gershon Joseph (gerjosep) [mailto:gerjosep@cisco.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, September 09, 2008 7:49 AM
> *To:* dita-translation@lists.oasis-open.org
> *Subject:* [dita-translation] Specifying a list of target languages
>
> Hi all,
>
> We have encountered the following requirement, which I know also 
> applies to a number of other organizations I worked with before 
> joining Cisco.
>
> If there is an ITS spec for this, please could someone point me to the 
> relevant URL and section within the spec.
>

I think there is no mechanism to in ITS to implement your requirement directly.

> Here is the issue:
>
> Some elements, particularly <note>, are not translated to all target 
> languages. Many notes (e.g. warning statements required to meet a 
> specific country or region's legal requirements) apply only to a 
> specific set of target languages.
>
> At present, DITA supports an on/off switch via @translate.
>
> I would like us to propose a solution for the case where authors need 
> to specify a set of target languages. I feel this would be best 
> achieved either by extending the definition of @translation to have 
> the values "yes | no | group" (I'm sure we can find a better word than
> "group") and add another attribute that lists the target languages, or 
> leave @translate alone and simply add a new attribute that lists the 
> target languages (in which case, if the attribute is not set the 
> default is to translate to all target languages). I'd anticipate a 
> space-separated list of language/locale values, such as "it_IT fr_FR 
> fr_CA".
>

Having an additional attribute like @targetLanguages sounds good to me. 
A side issue is that probably you should specify what kind of values you 
expect, like BCP 47 language values (applied also in e.g. @xml:lang / 
HTML @lang, the HTTP language header etc.), see for the syntax
http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4646
I think it would be good to not change the @translate attribute in Dita, 
since otherwise it would become incompatible with the ITS and other 
@translate attributes, which all currently only have the values "yes" 
and "no".

Regards, Felix.


> I read the blog on dita.xml.org that proposes use of a different 
> namespace, but namespaces most likely won't be supported by DITA until 
> release 2.0 at the earliest.
>
> I disagree with the statement on the blog that the CMS or translation 
> workflow should manage the target languages. We're talking about a set 
> of target languages that apply to a specific element, and relying on 
> the translation workflow for this is asking for trouble... This 
> information must be associated with the element it applies to.
>
> Suggestions? Comments?
>
> JoAnn, please could you forward this to the non-OASIS advisors to the 
> Translation SC.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help in driving this to a spec we can 
> submit to the DITA TC, and/or a best practice we can document.
>
> Gershon
>
> **Gershon Joseph**
> **Technical Leader**
> **PDI DocTools***
> *
> gerjosep@cisco.com <mailto:gerjosep@cisco.com>
> Phone: **+972 9 892-7157**
> Mobile: **+972 57 314-1170**
>
> 	
>
> **Cisco Systems, Inc.**
>
> Israel
> Cisco home page <http://www.cisco.com/global/IL/>
>
> 	
>
> Think before you print.Think before you print.
>
> This e-mail may contain confidential and privileged material for the 
> sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution or 
> disclosure by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the 
> intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the recipient), 
> please contact the sender by reply e-mail and delete all copies of 
> this message.
>
> Cisco Systems Limited (Company Number: 02558939), is registered in 
> England and Wales with its registered office at 1 Callaghan Square, 
> Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF10 5BT
>
>