Has anyone much experience working with collaborators who don't speak English?

Question

My tree has led me to several collaborators in Europe & Latin America who find it difficult to use the English site.  I know they can use something like http://translate.google.com/ to help if they are familiar with it.  (I do that to correspond with them.)

I was hoping that I could just send them a link like this one http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=en&tl=es&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wikitree.com%2Fwiki%2FMiniato-2 but even if you are logged in, that link only translates the public view.

I also know that if you use Google Chrome for a browser, it will offer to translate foreign language pages for you, but not everyone is comfortable with the non-dominant browsers.

Although I hesitate to install things like that myself, I think the Google Toolbar might offer the same functionality for mainstream browsers: http://www.google.com/toolbar/ie/index.html

This page also suggests that perhaps WikiTree could someday add a "translation widget" to their site which would allow one-click single-page translations at any time.  I've never tried this myself, so I don't know how well it would work: http://translate.google.com/translate_tools?hl=en

Does anyone have any useful tips to share on this subject?  How do you collaborate effectively with distant relations who don't speak English?  Especially if you don't speak their language either?

Thanks!  Paul

Answer 1

Hi Paul, I use Google translate a lot to both write letters to foreign genealogists & friends, and to translate what they send back. I don't expect them to figure out how to speak my language, although they usually end up using the same tool. I always start the conversation out that I am using Google Translate and to please forgive any poor translations that may occur.

Personally, I think short of learning the language, cutting & pasting blocks of copy in and out of Google Translate is an wonderful way to connect.

-tami