localization

ICT is necessarily adapted to human languages in order to enable its use by non-specialists. For historic and economic reasons, however, certain languages dominate in this role, regardless of where ICT is used. So, when technology is used where the language and culture are different, it will exert an unintentional influence on the latter that could be negative. Localisation – the adaptation of ICT to the language and culture where it is used – allows that cultural pressure to be reduced, eliminated or even reversed.

By addressing the issue of localisation this network and its sub-projects aim to address these dimensions to indeed turn ICTs into a positive force for all of the above dimensions.

Google currently offers its interface in the following African languages:

Translate.org.za is a project involved in localizing open source software in all of the 11 official South African languages.

The PanAfrican Localisation Project is financed by IDRC and facilitated by Kabissa. It has 3 parts:

1. the background paper;
2. a workshop of experts in localization from around the continent to be held in Casablanca, Morocco on June 13-15, 2005; and
3. a web-based resource site that will provide information necessary to software localisers and African language content developers, lists for communication among localisers continentwide, and other interactive pages.

Kiswahili spellchecker for use in the localized Kiswahili version of OpenOffice. The spellchecker has been developed as the result of the compilation of numerous Swahili word lists. Jambo Spellchecker contains a total of 70.000 Swahili words.