Arabic/English translation help request

[+Captain Gore-tex]

I am in the process of setting up a new earthcache in Egypt and, due to new rules, need the help of a cacher who can translate the English cache description into Arabic so it can also appear on the cache page.

 

If you are able to help please contact me direct.

 

Many thanks

[+cincol]

Feel free to forward to me via my profile and I will get it done for you.

[+me N u]

Hello

 

We have posted a couple of Earthcaches in Saudi Arabia since the new regulations were introduced - and they are all in English. We weren't asked to post them in Arabic. Given that most cachers in KSA are European and don't speak Arabic, there didn't seem much point. I guess the reviewers agreed because we have had no problems posting Earthcaches in English.

 

Ellie (mrs me N u)

[+Carbon Hunter]

I also have a good few EC's in the Middle east - only one is translated to Arabic - not because of the guidelines, but more that I had a colleague who was keen to translate ot for me

[+Captain Gore-tex]

Well the current EC reviewers have been steadfast that the cache page needs to be translated into Arabic so that is what I must follow..........not even handed in my view as there are no caches at all I can find in Egypt that are in Arabic, let alone ECs.

[+cincol]

Well the current EC reviewers have been steadfast that the cache page needs to be translated into Arabic so that is what I must follow..........not even handed in my view as there are no caches at all I can find in Egypt that are in Arabic, let alone ECs.

 

Sadly this is another one of the reasons on the list why my interest in developing more EC's has diminished. I know of 2 Arabic SPEAKING cachers in the GCC. Apart from those of us who live here and are 99.5% ex-pats and non-Arabic speaking, virtually 100% of all visiting cachers to the region are tourist from the western hemisphere.

 

At this rate the sport will be killed off here if the next move is to require traditionals to be translated as well. It will then be a sad day indeed.

[+terratin]

Maybe it's a good idea to first submit yor cache in English and only when the reviewer has approved the English text go for the translation. You could mention this in a reviewer note then the reviewer is aware of it. OK, publishing it will take a bit longer but if your cache needs some changes then you don't need to have parts of your cache translated a second time. We did the same with our latest EarthCache in Spain. It just makes life easier for everyone involved.

 

Mrs. terratin

Edited December 7, 2011 by terratin

[+Carbon Hunter]

I had a discussion with an EC reviewer recently for one of my EC's in Oman.

 

The bottom line is:

• The EC guidelines require the cache to be in the local language.
  
• In many Arab countries - English - is an accepted language - just get an independent source to prove this (e.g. I used Oman page on Wikipedia which mentions that although Arabic is the official language, english is a widely spoken and accepted language)
  
• The main idea for the guideline is that Italians do not post Italian caches in germany, or similar - in an area where many languages occur close together.
  

 

I believe if you can justify this, you will not have a problem - in Egypt, perhaps Arabic is more required than in UAE or Qatar; but I know that english is widely spoke in Egypt too.

 

So just look for an external source to justify your cahce. Otherwise, it is also useful to find an Arab speaker who can help with translation too.