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Facebook Gives Translators Awards for Their Services

Facebook Introduces Translation Awards System

5 comments Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Facebook has launched an award system for translators, where those who translate for the social network can get special icons as they accomplish specific milestones. Awards are grouped into into the categories of voting participation, words published, and translations published.

"Since launching our Translations application two years ago, more than 300,000 people have answered the call to contribute translations and make Facebook available in more than 70 different languages," says Facebook's Eric Kwan. "These translators are helping more people connect in the languages that feel most comfortable to them, no matter how big or small of a community speaks a language or dialect. For all of their efforts, we think that translators deserve some extra recognition."

Facebook Translation Awards

"We would have never accomplished so much so quickly without the help of all of you who have contributed to translating Facebook," says Kwan. "Since the first translation, we've grown to more than 350 million users on Facebook, with 70 percent of them now outside of the United States. We appreciate the hard work from all of you who've taken part, and we hope you'll enjoy translating even more with the new award system."

Currently there are nine awards that translators can receive, but Facebook says it may add more depending upon feedback.

Facebook's Translations application has nearly 47,000 fans. Those who want to translate for Facebook can simply add the app, review, and vote on translations in their language. Currently there are 96 languages open for translation, while 64 have already been released.
 

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> Facebook Launches Self-Translation App

About the author:
Chris Crum has been a part of the WebProNews team and the iEntry Network of B2B Publications since 2003. Follow WebProNews on Facebook or Twitter. Twitter: @CCrum237

Payment vs. voluntary work

How about PAYING those who are translating Facebook content? Ever tried to make your living from "awards"? Translation is a professional service and should be remunerated accordingly no matter how widespread crowdsourcing (aka [unethical] exploitation of human capital) has become in the meantime.

(says a professional translator and interpreter who is fully aware of the value and quality of his work)

I think crowdsourcing has

I think crowdsourcing has its place, but agree with Steffen Walter when he said "How about PAYING those are are translating." Translating is a profession that requires education and training just like any other. If people want to translate for non-profits for free or for NGO's or aid organizations, that's fine. But if it's not a situation where you wouldn't ask your doctor or your lawyer to work for free, than you shouldn't ask your translator. This is what we do for a living. The grocery store won't let us buy food with awards. Facebook is being cheap.

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