(Kamusi Project) Developing Technological Vocabulary in Kiswahili

We are asking for your help on a quick, important project intended to
improve access to computer technology in East Africa. The task is simple:
look through a list of English terms that are used in information
technology, and vote on the Swahili translations or suggest your own.

Twaomba msaada wako kwenye mradi muhimu unaolenga kuboresha matumizi ya
teknolojia za tarakilishi katika Afrika ya Mashariki. Shughuli ni rahisi:
tazama orodha ya maneno yanayotumiwa kwenye teknolojia ya habari na
mawasiliano, na kupigia kura tafsiri zilizoko za Kiswahili au pendekeza neno
lako (unalofikiri ni sawa).

We need volunteers with good knowledge of information technology and the
Swahili language. To get started, just visit
https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

Tunahitaji watu kujitolea ambao wana ujuzi wa teknolojia za mawasiliano na
pia lugha ya Kiswahili. Kuanza, tembelea:
https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

Several efforts have been made to produce Swahili ICT vocabularies, but
three big problems remain. First, many terms have been given poor Swahili
equivalents because the original concept was misunderstood. Second, many
terms have been given different Swahili equivalents in different translation
projects; the same English term might have five different Swahili
translations, depending on whether you are using Microsoft, Google, KiLinux,
Facebook, or Wikipedia! Third, many terms have not yet been translated, and
new terms keep appearing as ICT continues to evolve.

Kumekuwepo juhudi mbalimbali za kuandaa istilahi ya teknolojia kwa
Kiswahili, lakini matatizo matatu bado yangalipo. Kwanza, maneno mengi
yalitafsiriwa vibaya kwa sababu ya maana asili kutoeleweka. Pili, maneno
mengi yalitafsiriwa tofauti katika miradi tofauti tofauti ya utafsiri;
inawezekana kuwa neno lile lile la Kiingereza kuwa na tafsiri tano,
kutegemea ikiwa unatumia Microsoft, Google, KiLinux, Facebook, au Wikipedia!
Tatu, maneno mengi hayajatafsiriwa bado, na maneno mapya yanazidi
kuvumbuliwa teknolojia inavyozidi kuwa.

The Kamusi Project is working to harmonize the various "localization"
efforts, in order to have unified, consistent Swahili ICT terminology as we
head into the next decade. Excitingly, we have the encouragement of both
Microsoft and Google, usually big competitors, which are both interested in
greatly expanding access to their services for Swahili speakers.

Kamusi Project inafanya kazi ya kuunganisha juhudi hizi za "Uswahilishaji",
ili kuwa na orodha moja inayokubalika, ya istilahi ya kiteknolojia kwa
Kiswahili, tunapoingia enzi ya tarakilishi katika Afika ya Mashariki.
Kinachosisimua ni kwamba tunaungwa mkono na Microsoft na Google, ambao kwa
kawaida ni washindani, ambao wanataka kuongeza sana huduma zao kwa
wanaozungumza Kiswahili.

We have inspected all of the existing ICT terminology lists that we know of,
from which we have produced several "packs" of difficult terms. Now we are
seeking community participation to help reach agreement on how to express
each term in Swahili going forward. The first five packs are
available at https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

Tumekagua orodha zote zinazopatikana za istilahi ya kiteknolojia, na
tumetayarisha mafurushi kadhaa ya maneno magumu. Sasa tunatafuta jamii
kuchangia ili kufikia makubaliano ya namna ya kusema kila neno kwa
Kiswahili. Mafurushi yapatikana https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

A few more packs will be added later this week, but we want to start the
community review project immediately so that we can get rapid feedback if we
need to adjust the process. This is an experimental project: as far as we
know, this is the first time that any linguistic community has invited to
help develop the ICT terms that will be used for their language in the
future. If the experiment is successful, we will use the experience as the
basis for more formal terminology development in the future, for Swahili and
other African languages.

Mafurushi mengine machache yataongezwa mwisho wa wiki hii, lakini tunataka
kuanza juhudi hii moja kwa moja ili tupate maoni ya jamii wanaochangia, kama
ni lazima kubadilisha jinsi ya kuendelea. Bidii hii kweli ni ya majaribio:
tunadhani kwamba ni mara ya kwanza kwamba wasemaji wa lugha yo yote
wanakaribishwa kusaidia kwenye maendeleo ya istilahi ya kiteknolojia
itakayotumiwa katika lugha yao. Majaribio yakifaulu, tutatumia uzoefu huu
kama msingi wa maendeleo rasmi zaidi ya istilahi za kisayansi, kwa Kiswahili
na lugha nyingi za Kiafrika.

So, for several reasons, it is very important that we have the participation
of as many people as possible who (a) have a good understanding of the
concepts involved in information technology, and (b) have good knowledge of
the Swahili language.

Kwa hiyo, kwa sababu nyingi, ni muhimu sana tukiwa na watu wengi
watakaojitolea ambao (a) wanaelewa vizuri maswala ya kiteknolojia, na (b)
wanaelewa vizuri Kiswahili.

Please join us, or tell other people who you think might be interested.
The project will end on 7 March, so please contribute this week if you want
your voice to be counted in Swahili localization! Again, the website is
https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

Twaomba uungane nasi, au ueneze taarifa kwa watu wengine. Juhudi hii
itamalizika 7 Machi, kwa hivyo ni muhimu uchangie wiki hii ikiwa unataka
sauti yako ipate kusikika katika Uswahilshaji wa teknolojia. Tena, tovuti
ni https://sites.google.com/site/manenomagumu

Notice: this project is only for volunteers who are interested in promoting
the Swahili language. No payments or prizes are available. This effort is
organized by Kamusi Project International (http://kamusi.org) and ANLoc, and
is NOT officially affiliated with Microsoft, Google, BAKITA, or KiLinux.
All suggestions are highly appreciated, and will be given the most serious
consideration in the production of a harmonized Swahili ICT terminology set
that will be made freely available online within the next few months.

Tangazo: juhudi hii ni kwa watu wa kujitolea wanaotaka kuendeleza Kiswahili.
Hakuna malipo wala tuzo. Bidii hii imepangwa na Kamusi Project
International (http://kamusi.org) na ANLoc, na hauna mahusiano rasmi na
Microsoft, Google, BAKITA, au KiLinux. Tutashukuri kwa mapendekezo yoyote,
na yatafikiriwa sana wakati wa kuandaa istilahi ya kiteknolojia katika
Kiswahili. Istalahi itapatikana bila malipo kwa wote baada ya miezi
michache.

__________________________________________


Dr. Martin Benjamin
Executive Director, Kamusi Project International
http://kamusi.org

twitter (work): kamusi