Hi! I'm new here...

I was delighted to be invited to this Group by https://discogs.cinepelis.org/forum/thread/702525 that has been pinned to the General Forum.

It would be great to improve the visibility of language Groups on Discogs, particularly as new s are still crying out for Help in the Database Forum, and it would be really great if the language Groups could actually get off the ground. Some appear to be vibrant, others are very quiet.

I would like to hear any ideas you may have to encourage more activity in the language Groups.

Please respond in this thread, even if it is only to say "Hi"

Clogwhistle.

I note that out of eight two appear to have left Discogs. This is a shame but I don't know how to release them from their hips. I'll talk to the management at some point about this.
One idea I've had is to invite the s of the existing language Groups to this Group so that we can at least have the most active language ers in the Group. Is there any opposition to this idea?

Good idea. Please get that organized so that the different s of various language Groups are invited.

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a few more days before acting.

Might even be a good idea to look beyond s and get stats from Discogs-team regarding most active s?

Sure. We'll take it one step at a time, though, as I would like to develop a positive working environment with the individual language Groups and that will require their consent and involvement. Where there are s who are not interested in being involved, perhaps then we could look at the active contributors of those Groups? Some of these Groups have had little or no activity for a few years.
I'm flying blind at the moment but if this Group is going to be effective and useful we'll need meaningful input from the language Groups. I would like to develop a course of action to build upon the great work that 9228289 did in getting this Group started.

EDIT: for better English.

Over the coming weekend I hope to prepare the invitations for the language s.

This post contains my invitation to the s of the individual language Groups. May I also propose that we invite tsivihcra for their brilliant Forum threads directly related to language .
I will edit this invitation a few times until it is in a fit state to be sent out. I'll throw in a couple of ideas and I will welcome from you all.
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Good Day.

The Discogs (Country / Language) Group was set up as an umbrella Group to house links to all of the language Groups on Discogs. You may have seen my Forum thread https://discogs.cinepelis.org/forum/thread/702525 that was started with a similar purpose. As I am now istering the Group I would like to inject a sense of purpose to the Group and I would like to do that by inviting more people to the Group in the hope that we can motivate and encourage each other to achieve realistic goals in increasing language on Discogs.

I would like this Group to become an internal Forum and Resource with a mission to expand the profile of the language Groups and to make access to help with different languages and texts more visible. My vision is for a tab on the front page of the website where visitors and of Discogs can access language directly without having to post a Forum thread, be told that there are language Groups and then have to hunt through the Search engine for the correct Group for the language help needed {I think that you will know that Groups are very difficult to browse}. I note these very recent threads: https://discogs.cinepelis.org/forum/thread/713974 .

A direct language tab won't happen by itself, though, and if through this Group we could forces to "encourage" the management to implement what would be a major change we could encourage greater interaction with those whose English is weak, and perhaps more who have no English at all. For Discogs to fulfill its ambition "to build the biggest and most comprehensive music database and marketplace" we need contributors from every country, speaking every language, submitting every release in the World. 9 million Submissions aren't so far away, but what if the total number of releases is nearer 90 million?

I guess this is kind of obvious, but mutual understanding (e.g. having the Discogs Guidelines explained clearly in your own language) and is something I'm sure you believe in because you are istering a language Group, or have started a thread directly concerned with language . For these reasons, I am inviting you to this Group. Were we to achieve the visibility I envisage, I believe that we could work together to raise the status of languages from Groups (other Groups are specific to e.g. a musical style, an Artist, a city, free streaming of some film or sport, etc.) to an important, vital resource.

Hwyl fawr,

Clogwhistle.

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NB The invitations list has been moved further down the thread.

Greetings!

tsivihcra
Greetings!

Thank you for ing. I appreciate the thread you started - https://discogs.cinepelis.org/forum/thread/405156 .

I hope to start inviting the language s tomorrow.

Hello! Thanks for getting this discussion started Clogwhistle! I'm happy to act as the Discogs staff representative to help make non-English help/forums/groups more visible on the site. Internally we've had some discussion about this already, but it seemed like there wasn't community consensus about what would work the best.

One idea that we considered was adding a subforum for each non-English language that we (currently that is French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese).

But we could also focus more on just making the language Groups more visible, and there are several different ways we could attempt that:

• a new option under the Community tab
• a dashboard widget for non-English-speaking community
• adding a section on the main Forum page that actually links to the different language groups
• a dashboard announcement for any that has their language set to French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Japanese
• ...and so many other ideas! What do you guys think is best?

I've been meaning to spend some time researching how other sites that have multilingual forums handle this and also gather more from the community about what you guys all want to see... so thanks again for getting this discussion started!

Weetzie
I'm happy to act as the Discogs staff representative to help make non-English help/forums/groups more visible on the site.

Thank you. You already seem to have a whole bunch of good ideas we can consider.
You'll appreciate that I want to get the other language Group s involved in the discussion so that everyone concerned can play a part. This will take a little while but I am excited by the possibilities.

Weetzie
One idea that we considered was adding a subforum for each non-English language that we (currently that is French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese).

This suggests to me that these are the Group s I should invite first.

Thanks for the invite.

inexpressible
Thanks for the invite.

You are most welcome.
When you get time please have a look at Weetzie's suggestions above. You may wish to discuss them with your Group .

Thank you!
Feel free to me concerning AUSTRIAN music.

GODs
Thank you!

You are welcome.

I am delighted to see that a few more people have accepted the invitations I sent out a short while ago. Once I have sent out all of the invitations to the s I will hope to start the discussions about Weetzie's proposals.
You are all welcome to start your own threads if you have alternative ideas about encouraging and promoting the language Groups and language .

Thank you for the invitation! I will see what I can DO. You can ask my opinions about English <-> Czech translations.
Michal (PRAGUE)

Hello! I'll do my best to help out with Hebrew, even if it isn't my first language, and, it is a bit tedious to switch keyboard..

!שלום רב לכולם
לו שאני לא דובר עברית אני מתנדב כעוזר למי שמבקש
כל התחלות קשות ובטח יקח זמן וזעייה להתמודד כאן
ככה זה

zevulon
it is a bit tedious to switch keyboard..

What I envisage is that this Group will bring together the language Groups to agree together how to increase the visibility of language in Discogs. Direct language should still be through your own language Groups, so there should be no need to switch keyboards here.
In this forum I hope to discuss ideas mentioned above by https://discogs.cinepelis.org/group/thread/709415#7092897 } along with other ideas you all may have. What you will be in a position to do is say "Hey, that's great!" or "That might not work for Hebrew s".
It is a pool of knowledge that you and the other can supply about your languages that I hope to tap into so that we can generate well thought out and appropriate proposals that we can put forward to the Discogs management team.

Weetzie
Hello! Thanks for getting this discussion started Clogwhistle! I'm happy to act as the Discogs staff representative to help make non-English help/forums/groups more visible on the site. Internally we've had some discussion about this already, but it seemed like there wasn't community consensus about what would work the best.

One idea that we considered was adding a subforum for each non-English language that we (currently that is French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese).

But we could also focus more on just making the language Groups more visible, and there are several different ways we could attempt that:

• a new option under the Community tab
• a dashboard widget for non-English-speaking community
• adding a section on the main Forum page that actually links to the different language groups
• a dashboard announcement for any that has their language set to French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Japanese
• ...and so many other ideas! What do you guys think is best?

I've been meaning to spend some time researching how other sites that have multilingual forums handle this and also gather more from the community about what you guys all want to see... so thanks again for getting this discussion started!

Something upfront & obvious to new s to help bridge the language gaps would be most excellent!

I was conversing with someone from Japan in a submission's notes when the idea occurred that since we're on such different time schedules then wouldn't it be nice to have a built in translator for easy texting instant messages. Maybe we could even setup meetings for the next time we were both available!

deejayzaq
wouldn't it be nice to have a built in translator for easy texting instant messages.

This is a really interesting idea. My concern would be that I know of no successful translator between, for example, English and Japanese because of the differing grammatical constructions. Google Translate is not very good and it is easily confused if there is a colloquial statement in the text. How could a Japanese reader make sense of, say, a Scottish saying like "Many a mickle maks a muckle"? (I hope I've got the spelling right)
It takes skill to convert a concept in one language to another successfully and I believe it will be the Language Groups who will be vitally important in achieving this.

Thanks for the invite - and sorry for taking so long. Life's busy, and my inbox way too cluttered. :)

Clogwhistle
deejayzaqwouldn't it be nice to have a built in translator for easy texting instant messages.
This is a really interesting idea. My concern would be that I know of no successful translator between, for example, English and Japanese because of the differing grammatical constructions. Google Translate is not very good and it is easily confused if there is a colloquial statement in the text. How could a Japanese reader make sense of, say, a Scottish saying like "Many a mickle maks a muckle"? (I hope I've got the spelling right)
It takes skill to convert a concept in one language to another successfully and I believe it will be the Language Groups who will be vitally important in achieving this.

Yes the simpler the better for any translator program. I'd recommend s only using universal or widely understood common words, such as an automatic complete or speller.

auboisdormant
Thanks for the invite - and sorry for taking so long.

Glad you could us.

deejayzaq
I'd recommend s only using universal or widely understood common words, such as an automatic complete or speller.

This will be fine for messaging, but when it comes to translating or interpreting the Guidelines...

Thanks for the invite.
Great initiative. There is a lot of potential to improve multi language and to make it easier/possible for non English speakers to contribute on discogs.

I've observed and am in with a couple of people who don't really speak English and who are willing to learn and do things the "discogs way" but who had a difficult time to get started and one who almost landed on CIP because he didn't understand the comments and what he was supposed to do.

Quite often when I realise that there is a language barrier I have to direct s to their language group. It would be great if it could be made very easy to discover for anybody where in his native language is available. Be that on / or on selecting the language where there could be suggestions to also g the language group.

Another thing is when votes and comments are left to to signal to the on the receiving end that there is a place where he can get help if he doesn't understand what needs to be done. This would even help English speaking people. E.g. a link to a wiki page with instructions in lots of languages where to get help.

velove
Another thing is when votes and comments are left to to signal to the on the receiving end that there is a place where he can get help if he doesn't understand what needs to be done.

I have discussed the Help & feature with another English speaker and for him it was very good and informative; but now I'm looking at the foot of the page and it seems to me that...
"Help Is Here

Help &
Forum
Keyboard Shortcuts"

...is pretty thin.

Perhaps an additional link to language ?

Thanks for the invitation. May I respectfully suggest inviting some active native Hebrew speakers to the group? Like zevulon, you might want to invest in a USB Hebrew/English keyboard. They aren't expensive and it makes all the difference in the world. I could never have done the submissions I have without one.

Fauni-Gena
you might want to invest in a USB Hebrew/English keyboard.

Yeah, it's just plain laziness, and, since I don't have one, I don't really write any Hebrew myself at all, and the loop has continued.

On the other hand, I've only added one release in Hebrew (I think).

Fauni-Gena
May I respectfully suggest inviting some active native Hebrew speakers to the group?

This is what I hoped would happen, but in the absence of s in the Hebrew Group I just ed all of the of the Group looking for willing volunteers. Even if we have no fluent I would value anyone with a working knowledge of the language.
I guess one way to proceed would be for the s of each language Group to ask for volunteer native speakers, but I envisage the bulk of language work remaining the domain of that language Group. Perhaps we will uncover a need for fluent speakers as we proceed with our deliberations?
If you read this thread through you will see that I proposed inviting the s first and the response has been good. Next weekend I will be inviting the s from the remaining language Groups and in early June I hope that we can start to discuss ideas.
If you look at the older threads posted by https://discogs.cinepelis.org/group/thread/532830 .
I envisage this Group being a Forum where the language Groups can discuss, and then propose changes to Discogs in order to raise the visibility of language . I hope that we will be a knowledgeable, well-informed and respected voice in the Discogs Community. Hopefully, we will be able to bring meaningful changes to the website and encourage all nationalities to contribute: the Discogs Mission Statement "to build the biggest and most comprehensive music database and marketplace." We cannot achieve that in the English language alone.

zevulon
I don't really write any Hebrew myself at all,

I kind of have to. Too many friends and too much family in Israel, plus I hope to retire there... unless I can move sooner :D Getting more into Israeli music was a conscious decision I made about six years ago to try and improve my language skills. Yes, it helps. and some of the music is nothing short of amazing.

Clogwhistle
I guess one way to proceed would be for the s of each language Group to ask for volunteer native speakers,

That won't work for Hebrew. The group has been inactive for years. You have to look at who is actively submitting well and also actively correcting the problem submissions, which is why I suggested the people I did.

Fauni-Gena
I kind of have to. Too many friends and too much family in Israel, plus I hope to retire there... unless I can move sooner :D

Shana habaah birushalayim, az! ;)

Fauni-Gena
That won't work for Hebrew. The group has been inactive for years. You have to look at who is actively submitting well and also actively correcting the problem submissions, which is why I suggested the people I did.

That is sadly the whole truth.

Fauni-Gena
You have to look at who is actively submitting well and also actively correcting the problem submissions, which is why I suggested the people I did.

In that case I will invite them. Thank you.

zevulon
Shana habaah birushalayim, az! ;)

Unlikely for next year, and unlikely that I will settle in Jerusalem. I do have cousins there but the center of gravity for my family has always been Netanya. I also have family in Tel Aviv and Haifa and could be happy in either place.

I actually checked the group and found one request for help which I answered. I also made the requested additions to the submission.

Fauni-Gena
Unlikely for next year, and unlikely that I will settle in Jerusalem.

Agree to both, it's just what I hear people say Downhill.

Fauni-Gena
I actually checked the group and found one request for help which I answered. I also made the requested additions to the submission.

! What?! I stopped looking in that group at least 3 years ago!!
It must be the first post in many many years. Good on you!

zevulon
It must be the first post in many many years.

It was. Clogwhistle's efforts to publicize the language groups must be working.

Clogwhistle
I have discussed the Help & feature with another English speaker and for him it was very good and informative; but now I'm looking at the foot of the page and it seems to me that...
"Help Is Here

Help &
Forum
Keyboard Shortcuts"

...is pretty thin.

Perhaps an additional link to language ?

We can definitely consider this as one of the improvements we suggest to Discogs management. I'm open to all ideas! Once more language s are added to this group and we've had a chance to discuss further, I'm happy to bring whatever consensus directly to Discogs management. Or I can even create a survey with our top improvement ideas to gather further from the community before taking the ideas to management.

Fauni-Gena
Clogwhistle's efforts to publicize the language groups must be working.

Yay! Thanks for getting all of this discussion rolling, Clogwhistle!

Clogwhistle
Hopefully, we will be able to bring meaningful changes to the website and encourage all nationalities to contribute: the Discogs Mission Statement "to build the biggest and most comprehensive music database and marketplace." We cannot achieve that in the English language alone.

Agreed! We have been making an effort to increase international contributions by expanding language (we now have Community staff fluent in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Dutch) but there is still so much more we can do! I'm happy in any way that I can.

Cheers,
Kirsten

I'm having a little difficulty editing my post above so I am reproducing the list of invitations here. I thought it might be my cache but perhaps the post is getting too large?

Invitations sent to:
zemunac - Welcome.

Clogwhistle
Slovensky

= (Czech and) Slovak

Not to be confused with Slovene a.k.a. Slovenian.

loukash
= (Czech and) Slovak

Thanks. I've adjusted the list accordingly.

Clogwhistle
I've adjusted the list accordingly.

Clogwhistle
Slovensky (Czech and Slovak)

Umm… no, sorry for having confused you. :)
Just "Czech and Slovak" was fine, but "Slovensky" was completely redundant.

loukash
Just "Czech and Slovak" was fine

Reverted. Thanks again.

Just droppin by to say hi! :)

Greetings from Crete!
Please do not forget to edit my name under Greece, because Crete is not a country, it is Greek soil.. :)

ant0nis
Please do not forget to edit my name under Greece, because Crete is not a country, it is Greek soil.

It is the languages that we are concerned with so I'm happy to add your name under Greece but, more importantly, I will keep the Cretan language listed here.

Again, Cretan is not a language, it is the Greek language [in many cases ancient Greek] with Cretan idiomatism.
So, you may add me under Greece and distinct me as: "Cretan idiomatism" if you like..

Anyways, glad to find you all here!!
:)

Welcome everyone!

I assume most of you are already aware of this, but in case you aren't... Any Discogs member can help improve our French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese site translations. Adding and improving site translations is one of the ways Discogs is hoping to increase international submissions.

We will be adding the database submission form in-line help sections to our site translation file soon.

If you are interested in helping with site translations, here is the guide to get started: https://discogs.cinepelis.org/help/doc/translate

This is most helpful for our French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese community ...
pstone

We hope to add site translations for other languages soon. Based on current site usage, I believe Dutch, Russian, and Portuguese may be considered next.

hello everyone! dunno how comes, but I'm NOT russian, but german :-)
(EDIT: ah, I see! I'm still of a group, which is now called "Russian Discogs", but was created as a fun group ages ago.)

Also, you might want to remove deizi from the list, he isn't active anymore.

nike.bordom
I'm NOT russian, but german

auboisdormant
Also, you might want to remove deizi

I am working transparently, meaning that I'm telling everyone in this Group what I'm doing and how I'm going about it. Most of you were selected because you are listed as s of the Country / Language Groups as I want this Group to have skills and knowledge in every language possible.
I am seeking to develop a system by which speakers of other languages can, in a few clicks, get the language they need and I am envisaging this Group as the stepping stone between the front page of Discogs and the various language Groups where the will be found.
There are fantastic resources out there and I love the idea of https://discogs.cinepelis.org/group/7165 because it deals with one of the issues I would like to discuss - accurate and meaningful translations of the Guidelines. It appears that the Group has been around for a year but I only found out about it when I was invited to this Group.
So how do we get the information out there more effectively and efficiently? That is what I would like to look at when we start work next month.

All the invitations have now been sent out. Please let me know if you know of or have found another Group.

Other Groups from the list by 9228289:
Französisch http://discogs.cinepelis.org/groups/596
Italienisch http://discogs.cinepelis.org/groups/1559 ITALIA Inuktitut
Japanisch http://discogs.cinepelis.org/groups/657
Schweiz http://discogs.cinepelis.org/groups/2590

I found three more s in the Former Yugoslavia Group to invite but the Groups I've added were all set up by s that I had already invited. I will keep updating the list from time to time.

Hi! Olá! :)

Jairinho
Hi! Olá! :)

Glad you could us.

Hi, not sure why we got an invite as we are still figuring out how this site works.

Weetzie
If you are interested in helping with site translations, here is the guide to get started:

We would be happy to help translate to Dutch once we have gotten our heads around all the guidelines intricacies, which could take some time ;-).

jansenENjanssen
Hi, not sure why we got an invite as we are still figuring out how this site works.

Welcome to the Group. I'm sure you've gathered that we are interested in improving and promoting language . I noted your interest in issues with Japanese PANs in the Forums and you clearly have some expertise there.

jansenENjanssen
We would be happy to help translate to Dutch once we have gotten our heads around all the guidelines intricacies, which could take some time

So this means that Dutch is your first language?

Clogwhistle
you clearly have some expertise there.

Not really, we use a program to convert the text on scans to copy-paste characters to add to releases, and google translate and https://discogs.cinepelis.org/group/91 to figure out the rest ;-)

Clogwhistle
So this means that Dutch is your first language?

Yes, for both of us.