Yes, for users, whether in Europe or North America or anywhere else, we
need to support multi-lingual displays. Perhaps even for staff users
such as catalogers, sure.
That doesn't mean our machine data files need to be multi-lingual.
Jonathan
Jan Szczepanski wrote:
> I disagree with Alexander Johannesen and Bernhard Eversberg about the
> language
> question and just want to point to the fact that in Europe all
> languages are equal and
> I enclose an exampel:
>
>
>
> + TOWARDS MULTILINGUAL “SEARCH & RESULT”
> One of The European Library’s objectives is to provide information in
> all partners native languages; this means having the portal interface
> translated in all full members’ languages. It also implies a more
> ambitious target that is to extend the multilingual capabilities of
> the portal; in other words, provide a language understanding of
> queries and return the appropriate search results in the same
> language. EDLproject Work Package 2 aims at integrating the outcomes
> of multilingual access research into The European Library portal.
> The European Library language policy follows similar guidelines to
> Europa, the portal site of The European Union: “As far as possible,
> the aim is to provide the public with the information they are looking
> for in their own language.” This means that the language interface of
> the HOME and COLLECTIONS pages are translated in all Full
> Participants’ languages. The latest update of the portal interface
> involves the integration of the Russian translation provided by the
> Russian State Library.
> On the other hand, EDLProject Work Package 2 (WP2), Extending the
> multilingual capacity of the network, is developing the European
> Library network's localisation and multilingual capabilities by
> improving access for end-users. This is generated through
> multi-language interfaces and advanced search mechanisms in a
> standardised way. EDLProject WP2 is led by the National Library of
> Slovenia with the input of the Swiss National Library. Since
> EDLproject is coming to an end, we have asked Genevieve Clavel, in
> charge of National and International Cooperation for the Swiss
> National Library, and Maja Žumer, Associate Professor at University of
> Ljubljana and part-time researcher for the National Library of
> Slovenia, to help us understand the complexity behind multi-lingual
> searching.
>
> http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/newsletter/tel_newsletter_janfeb2008.pdf
>
>
>
>
> From: Alexander Johannesen <alexander.johannesen_at_nyob
> <mailto:alexander.johannesen_at_nyob?Subject=Re:%20%20Google%20Booksearch%20Data%20API:%20Another%20blow%20to%20library%20metadata>>
>
> Date: Mon Sep 29 2008 - 15:39:03 EST
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
>
> On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 14:45, Bernhard Eversberg <ev_at_biblio.tu-bs.de>
> wrote:
>> Definitions ok, but labels? Who needs German labels?
>
> I agree; don't do it. International labels is a Utopian idea that
> hinders adoption and extensions. Just accept that there is a Lingua
> Franca of the computing world (and it ain't numbers nor German nor
> Norwegian, for that matters) and go with it.
>
>> If we cannot stick
>> with numeric labels (the only language-independent solution), then we
>> should beware of creating different label sets in so many languages.
>
> You've got two options, really;
>
> 1. Continue to use numbers, and keep normal folks from understanding
> your library world
> 2. Use English and invite folks in on the bibliographic secret
>
>> For that purpose, English will have to do.
>
> English will not only do, but do better. Is there some world format in
> another language with any degree of success I haven't heard of? This
> is not to diss the Utopian ideals, but please choose realism. :)
>
>
> Alex
>
>
> Jan
>
--
Jonathan Rochkind
Digital Services Software Engineer
The Sheridan Libraries
Johns Hopkins University
410.516.8886
rochkind (at) jhu.edu
Received on Wed Oct 01 2008 - 09:21:36 EDT