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Help us translate Edith's day! --- Become a Global Lives Malawi Translator!
Moni nonse! Thank you for contributing! Transcribing and translating our videos is an extremely important part of the Global Lives Project and we depend 100% on volunteers to make this possible. Below, please find step-by-step instructions to get you started. (Please be patient and go one step at a time. Once you get the hang of it, it's very easy!)
STEP-by-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Sign up to be a GLP Translator!
Click on the following link - http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p-mCVUyAwYqdo1lYJt2K3EQ&gid=1 - which takes you to our Translation Spreadsheet on Google Docs. Now, this can be a little tricky - so please be patient. You'll have to scroll down to the bottom right hand corner of the document and click on "edit this page".
Once you do that, you'll be enabled to edit the document. Now, go ahead and pick a clip that you'd like to edit and write in your name in the "transcriber" box next to the clip (you'll have to double-click on the box until you see it blink).
Next, click on the blue "volunteers" link at the bottom left hand corner of the screen. When the new pages comes up, sign in with your name, language fluencies, and email address (again, you'll have to double-click on the boxes that you want to change). After that, hit the "Save & Close" button at the top hand corner.
STEP 2: Sign onto DotSub
We do all our transcriptions and translations on an interesting new website called dotsub. First, go to the dotsub website: http://www.dotsub.com/ Next, you'll need to login. For this project your username will be "globallives_malawi" and your password will be "utopia". That should do it.
STEP 3: Take the DotSub Tutorial
Now you'll have to master some basic dotsub skils before you begin. So, please take the dotsub tutorial first. On the left hand of the screen, there's a box that reads "How to Dotsub", click on "Caption films" and watch the tutorial (you may need to scroll down to find the play button on the toolbar). Please take the tutorial at least twice!! (A lot of people have rushed through this process in the past and made some costly mistakes. But if you master these skills now, you'll be just fine when you begin...)
STEP 4: Start Transcribing a 15-minute Clip
Congratulations! Once you're a dotsub master! Now it's time to get to work! First, we transcribe each video - write down everything we can hear in its original language! (sometimes this is called 'captioning') To find your clip (the one that you signed up for on the spreadsheet or were assigned by Jason), just cut and paste your clip into the url and hit return. If that doesn't work, click on the "Collections" tab at the top of the screen, and if the "Global Lives Project - Malawi" collection does not show up, then search for it in the collections box on the right. Once you get to your clip, click on the "Transcribe Film" link in the "Advanced Tools" Box on the right side of the screen. A new page should pop-up, complete with all the tools you need to begin. Please keep the following directions/suggestions in-mind as you do your work.
DIRECTIONS/SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD TRANSCRIPTIONS/CAPTIONING:
1. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE - There should be about three languages used in these tapes - most will be in Chichewa, but there will be some English (particularly in the school clips) and even a bit of Chiyao. At this stage
2. TRY YOUR BEST (BUT YOU WON'T GET EVERYTHYING) - It will be impossible to record each and everything that you hear, or even to make some things out at times. Simply do your level best, as they say.
3. USE HEADPHONES - The best way to really hear things clearly is to use headphones.
2. TIMING - Try to be as precise as possible when you record what is being said. Make sure the captions begin just as the person begins speaking.
3. GRAMMAR & SPELLING - Though there is a lot of variation in written Chichewa, try your best to use proper spelling and grammar.
4. CLOSED CAPTIONING - Whenever you hear distinguishable sound that is not spoken language, try to record it using brackets like these []. For instance: [laughing] [giggling] [dogs barking] [call to prayer] [children singing] [children shouting] [baby crying] [wind whistling] [door slamming] [water flowing]. (This is to benefit our audiences with hearing impairments)
For an example of what a work-in-progress clip will look like, go here: http://www.dotsub.com/transcribe/index.php?filmid=1947
STEP 5: Report your progress
Once you finish your work for the day, log back into the google docs spreadsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p-mCVUyAwYqdo1lYJt2K3EQ&gid=1 and report your progress (how much time it took, any notes you have).Then send an email to both Jason (jasonjprice@yahoo.com) and Ya-Hsuan (yahsuan@gmail.com) giving them a quick update. [Never hit - mark transcript as complete.]
STEP 6: Start Translation
Once the transcription is complete, we will then translate each of the clips from Chichewa into English.