User:ZdenekBroz/OLPC-Dictionary

What is the dictionary?

A multilingual dictionary will allow children to use the XO laptop as a tool for learning foreign languages. We are working hard on this dictionary. You can see the current version at:

• preview version of the static OLPC dictionary (this is how the dictionary will look on the laptop - static file)
• online version of the OLPC dictionary (static file)
• The most recent version of the dictionary file (including recent contributions from editors) can be found at Box.net - login to account olpcdictionary@mailinator.com with password olpcdictionary to see the excel file (olpc-dictionary.xls).

We need help!

We need your help with editing of the entries in the dictionary. The dictionary has a selection of about 1700 most important concepts. The selection is based on large number of word frequency lists for several languages.

These languages are currently in the dictionary.

• Arabic - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Bengali - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Brazilian Portuguese - partially complete; needs to be polished
• Chinese Simplified - partially complete; needs to be polished
• Chinese Traditional - incomplete. Needs much work.
• English - done
• French - almost complete. Could use checking.
• German - almost complete. Could use checking.
• Hindi - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Icelandic - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Persian - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Portuguese - partially complete; needs to be polished
• Romanian - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Spanish - almost complete. Could use checking.
• Swahili - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Tagalog - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Telugu - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Thai - incomplete. Needs much work.
• Turkish - incomplete. Needs much work.
• If you would like to propose a language that is not included here, please contact Zdenek (contact information at the bottom of this page).

We would like to have as many languages in the dictionary as possible. XO laptop will be launched in many countries all over the world

Editing of the entries takes only few hours. After the entries are edited the system connects them with all other languages in the system. This system is much more efficient than common bilingual dictionaries. The dictionary also contains hundreds of nice pictures and sound files. This makes the dictionary ideal for young kids who are learning foreign languages.

How to help

If you are fluent in English and another language

If you are fluent in both English and one of the languages listed above, we would love your help. It takes about 1-2 hours to completely finish a dictionary.

If you would like to help, here is what to do.

1. Download the latest file. Go to Box.net and login to account olpcdictionary@mailinator.com with password olpcdictionary and get a copy of the excel file (olpc-dictionary.xls).
2. Go through the entries in the spreadsheet for the language you are working on. Check that existing translations are correct and add missing words in your language to the table. It is important that you do not delete rows or change the order of the entries because it would not be possible to add the entries back into the dictionary.
3. Re-upload the updated dictionary to the Box.net account.
4. Also send the updated table with edited entries (the Excel file you just uploaded to Box.net) to Zdenek dicts (at) centrum.cz for compilation.

If you can help us find people who are fluent in English and another language

It is very difficult to contact people speaking so many languages. If you think that the OLPC dictionary is important and you know people who could help to edit the entries please ask them if they are willing to help us edit the entries. Feel free to point them towards this webpage or to Zdenek, who is maintaining the dictionary (contact information below).

Contact

If you have any questions or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact Zdenek (maintainer of the OLPC dictionary) at: dicts (at) centrum.cz