Posted under General
How does this tag really work? I'm having doubts as to whether some images require it, e.g. sound effects, one/two syllable phrases. Speaking liberally, they are translated in a sense.
Is it a tad too much to tag all images with notes of translation as "translated"?
Updated by LaC
jennon said:
Is it a tad too much to tag all images with notes of translation as "translated"?
Yes, it is. I personally follow a system where really small things don't get the tag, a bit bigger ones get it, but not a comment, and notable translations get both (to bring them to attention).
One particular case where "translated" does not go on posts with notes is when they aren't fully translated and are missing important portions.
I've only ever added it to scanlated images (ones where the image itself is translated, rather than something translated via notes), as it's useful if you're looking for a translated image (as opposed to the original unedited version). I understand others use the tag differently, but that's my opinion.
Oh yes, scanlations also get "translated". Actually, the sort-of established practice (which could probably use official blessing) is to tag anything with English text as "translated", not matter the original language, so that "translated" really serves as a sort of "readable by English speakers" marker.
葉月 said:
Yes, it is. I personally follow a system where really small things don't get the tag, a bit bigger ones get it, but not a comment, and notable translations get both (to bring them to attention).
I doubt anyone ever says "let's look for some translated stuff!" and searches for "translated". There's already the notes page for that, anyway.
I think "translated" is mostly useful as an exclusion tag, to save other translators the trouble of going through things which have already been translated. Therefore, there's no reason not to put a "translated" tag on an image which has non-english text and where all of that text has been translated, no matter how trivial the text.
After all, if you bothered to translate it, someone else might think of doing the same when stumbling upon that image in a search, and load the post only to find out that "明けましておめでとうございます" had already been translated. Then you've wasted his time.
Basically, I think "translated" is most useful as "this image looks like it could use translating (because it has japanese text, because it's tagged as "comic", etc.), but it has already been fully done."
One particular case where "translated" does not go on posts with notes is when they aren't fully translated and are missing important portions.
Those should have "translation_request", and you should probably post a comment asking for help with things you couldn't translate or weren't sure about.
When I went to do a few translations, I changed the translation_request tag to translated once I was finished, as I considered the request to be fulfilled, leaving the image as a translated image. I agree with the part about leaving a note if you can't translate everything or need help, but not changing the tag altogether. Perhaps adding the translated tag to a partially translated image will help find image that are partially translated to assist in the translation effort?
葉月 said: Yes, it is. I personally follow a system where really small things don't get the tag, a bit bigger ones get it, but not a comment, and notable translations get both (to bring them to attention).
I translated one or two small things before and you made a point of commenting that I should have included 'translated' on it =P
So I've been doing so, even for small things.
I'm with LaC on this one -- just always include it. I don't think there are enough images with small bits of text being translated that it'd get bloated or anything. ::shrugs::
Alright, seems that my question has been answered. Thanks for the help guys. An entry on the wiki could help too.
I've been leaving unfinished translations tagged as "translation_request".
Resolution:
Use tag only for more substantial translations, and exclude onomatopoeia-only phrases.
