LL-L "Resources" 2003.10.27 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 27.OCT.2003 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Mathieu van Woerkom <mathieu.vanwoerkom at student.kun.nl>
Subject: resources

Kenneth wrote:

> A lot of people are using computers today - especially the younger
> generation - so maybe it would be an advantage to let them run their
> favorite applications in their own language, but as we all know
> applications like Microsoft Office will never be translated into these
> languages because Microsoft don't expect to earn money doing that. That
> has so far been a big problem for Icelandic and Nynorsk Norwegian.
>
> But there is another solution becoming viable: open source software.
>
> It is possible for everyone to translate an open source application and
> contribute the translation back to the developer community. This is what
> just happened with OpenOffice [1] and Danish support. [2]; a group of
> voluntiers translated OpenOffice into Danish and gave the translation
> back to the community.
>
> ...
>
> http://www.gnome.org/~kenneth/Stellingwarfs-spellcheck-2.png

I think Kenneth is right about this, things like software can really add to
the status of minority languages like our Lowlands-varieties. Software
makers are probably interested in having their products translated into many
different languages. Certainly the screenshot that Kenneth has put on
http://www.gnome.org/~kenneth/Stellingwarfs-spellcheck-2.png (a
Stellingwervian spell checker) must be appealing to many of us!

Often, though, the problem is which orthography to use ... Such
technological developments like OpenOffice.org create a big chance for
lanuages with a standardized orthography like Frisian and Afrikaans -- just
imagine what a difference Frisian software would make for Frisian education
and the status of the language!

I understand that the Danish version of OpenOffice.org has been translated
by a few volunteers in only a short amount of time, wouldn't this be a nice
opportunity for the Lowlands-L to make a contribution?

groeten,
Mathieu

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