0:00:09.138,0:00:10.378
Imagine,

0:00:11.234,0:00:15.034
a place where everyone[br]is talking their own language,

0:00:15.706,0:00:18.613
and you have no idea[br]what they're really talking about.

0:00:19.789,0:00:21.529
How do you feel about that?

0:00:22.086,0:00:24.676
Well, that's not cool.

0:00:24.676,0:00:25.950
I'm Tharique Azeez,

0:00:25.950,0:00:27.730
Language Coordinator for Tamil

0:00:27.730,0:00:30.380
for the TED Open [Translation Project].

0:00:30.380,0:00:32.270
So I'm here to tell you,

0:00:32.950,0:00:35.048
how you can be a part of this

0:00:35.048,0:00:39.828
vibrantly and amazingly[br]talented translators,

0:00:39.828,0:00:43.868
who are making ideas worth spreading[br]available to the world.

0:00:45.671,0:00:47.801
So let's get the ball rolling!

0:00:48.391,0:00:50.781
Before we get into the details,

0:00:51.431,0:00:52.926
let's find out

0:00:52.926,0:00:56.114
why it's important to have translation

0:00:56.114,0:00:58.404
for the TED talks in the first place.

0:00:59.004,0:01:00.314
[WHY?]

0:01:00.314,0:01:01.611
It turns out,

0:01:01.611,0:01:06.863
ideas are worth nothing unless executed.

0:01:08.710,0:01:14.955
So it's really important to[br]understand the idea and to implement it.

0:01:16.336,0:01:18.736
If we can enable those ideas

0:01:18.736,0:01:22.246
accessed by the people[br]who are living in remote rural areas,

0:01:22.246,0:01:24.880
and who do not speak English,

0:01:24.880,0:01:27.513
we can make them to feel

0:01:28.203,0:01:31.193
and initiate those ideas[br]in their localities.

0:01:31.903,0:01:33.119
By doing that,

0:01:33.119,0:01:35.339
we can help them to contribute

0:01:35.339,0:01:39.929
to the development, creativity,[br]innovation in their localities.

0:01:39.929,0:01:42.549
So there is a need for translation.

0:01:44.613,0:01:49.543
For that, TED initiated a project[br]called "Open Translation Project."

0:01:51.889,0:01:54.487
It started with 40 languages,

0:01:55.339,0:02:01.681
and for the initial part, they had[br]300 translations done by 200 translators.

0:02:02.637,0:02:05.017
But if you look at right now,

0:02:05.017,0:02:08.042
the stats are staggeringly high.

0:02:09.553,0:02:14.742
So now, it has 78,000+ translations,

0:02:16.629,0:02:21.523
translated by 21,000 translators [br]around the globe

0:02:21.523,0:02:24.541
supporting 108 languages.

0:02:25.823,0:02:29.063
So it's a massive project going on.

0:02:29.063,0:02:31.955
So let's look at our local languages[br]we speak in Sri Lanka,

0:02:31.955,0:02:33.935
which are Sinhala and Tamil.

0:02:34.543,0:02:39.191
For Tamil talks, we have 47 translators

0:02:39.893,0:02:43.003
who helped in making 97 translations.

0:02:43.998,0:02:46.178
And for the Sinhala,

0:02:46.178,0:02:52.007
we have 7 translators contributed,[br]making 7 translations.

0:02:52.968,0:02:56.198
And I would love to have[br]lots of translators for both languages,

0:02:56.203,0:03:00.643
so that we can make all these[br]translations available to the world.

0:03:00.643,0:03:01.862
By the end of this event,

0:03:01.862,0:03:05.073
I would have a couple of dozen people[br]enroll in these things

0:03:05.073,0:03:08.123
and initiate it worldwide.

0:03:08.123,0:03:09.143
[3]

0:03:09.143,0:03:11.243
So there are three ways you can be

0:03:11.243,0:03:14.933
a part of this amazingly[br]vibrant community.

0:03:14.933,0:03:17.686
The first one is translate.

0:03:18.082,0:03:21.269
Obviously, you need to know [br]two different languages to translate,

0:03:21.269,0:03:22.479
[TRANSLATE]

0:03:22.479,0:03:27.482
but the translation project[br]is done by a platform called Amara,

0:03:29.030,0:03:34.611
which enables you to have[br]all the mechanisms

0:03:34.611,0:03:37.065
to do all these translations.

0:03:39.884,0:03:42.564
But the translation process[br]works like this:

0:03:43.064,0:03:47.641
First, you translate something [br]and it's held for their review.

0:03:48.110,0:03:50.418
There is an experienced translator

0:03:50.418,0:03:53.908
who will come and comment[br]on your translation.

0:03:53.908,0:03:56.934
If they feel like[br]it's a great translation,

0:03:56.934,0:04:00.573
they will compliment you[br]and approve that.

0:04:00.573,0:04:04.283
Or, if they feel like[br]there is a need for improvement,

0:04:04.283,0:04:06.335
they will tell you[br]and collaborate with you,

0:04:06.335,0:04:10.577
and it's a fun way[br]to collaborate and learn the process.

0:04:11.057,0:04:13.117
After that, it's held for approval,

0:04:13.117,0:04:17.997
where a Language Coordinator[br]or a TED staff will approve that.

0:04:17.997,0:04:21.469
Once they approved it,[br]it will go live on TED.com.

0:04:21.469,0:04:23.755
So that's the real process.

0:04:23.755,0:04:27.721
But don't fret, there are resources[br]for all these things.

0:04:27.721,0:04:30.955
We have Facebook groups,[br]and a translation wiki,

0:04:30.955,0:04:33.970
and language-specific groups[br]for all these things,

0:04:33.970,0:04:36.265
as well as a dedicated YouTube channel

0:04:36.265,0:04:39.978
with all the translation[br]mechanisms explained,

0:04:39.978,0:04:43.568
and you can use that[br]to make yourself aware about this,

0:04:43.568,0:04:46.218
how you can be a part of this community.

0:04:46.738,0:04:51.197
So if you want to get started,[br]you can go to ted.com/translate.

0:04:52.524,0:04:57.708
The second one is you can[br]contribute to the transcribe.

0:04:58.551,0:05:01.131
The transcription[br]is the heart of translation.

0:05:01.131,0:05:06.209
If you don't have a transcription,[br]you can't initiate the translation.

0:05:07.308,0:05:11.768
So, normally, all the TED talks[br]come with a transcription,

0:05:11.768,0:05:16.258
but for the TEDx events,[br]you need to have transcription.

0:05:18.185,0:05:20.675
Let me tell you an example.

0:05:20.675,0:05:22.976
Maybe next year, the TEDxColombo

0:05:22.976,0:05:26.764
will host a speaker[br]with a native language, like Sinhala.

0:05:27.943,0:05:32.603
While those talks[br]will be transcribed into Sinhala,

0:05:32.603,0:05:36.926
and can be translated into English,

0:05:37.437,0:05:42.420
from that, we can have[br]all the languages, like 106 languages,

0:05:42.420,0:05:45.230
and the very idea comes[br]from Sinhala language,

0:05:45.230,0:05:49.397
but made into hundreds[br]of different languages.

0:05:49.397,0:05:54.407
From that, we can be a part[br]of global conversation with our own idea,

0:05:54.407,0:05:57.480
and that's the beauty[br]of this transcription effort.

0:05:58.391,0:06:04.461
So it's also helpful for people[br]who may have difficulties in hearing,

0:06:04.461,0:06:07.828
and Google itself[br]indexes all the transcriptions

0:06:07.828,0:06:11.005
so that people can[br]search on Google and find you;

0:06:11.005,0:06:15.556
and as always, it's helpful[br]for the OTP [community] as well.

0:06:15.556,0:06:20.970
To get started with that, you can[br]go to ted.com/transcribe.

0:06:21.932,0:06:25.416
The third one is tell people.

0:06:26.357,0:06:29.567
Just because there[br]are translations, TED talks,

0:06:29.567,0:06:31.896
doesn't mean all the people know about it.

0:06:31.896,0:06:33.516
So we have to tell.

0:06:33.516,0:06:37.866
But telling people,[br]just not coming like nothing.

0:06:37.866,0:06:41.057
There's a built-in mechanism[br]in TED.com itself

0:06:41.057,0:06:43.975
that you can track your influence.

0:06:46.670,0:06:50.526
If you go to TED.com[br]and sign in your account,

0:06:54.028,0:06:57.728
so that you'll be given a unique URL,

0:06:57.728,0:07:00.458
which you can share[br]with your families and friends.

0:07:00.458,0:07:04.246
While sharing those URLs [br]with your families and friends,

0:07:04.246,0:07:07.374
you will have an access[br]to how many people

0:07:07.374,0:07:11.334
you get [to come to those sites].

0:07:11.334,0:07:14.174
So it's a kind of[br]a social influence tracking,

0:07:14.174,0:07:17.022
but it's still, you are helping

0:07:17.634,0:07:21.440
make ideas available to the world.

0:07:21.974,0:07:24.663
So it's a nice thing to have.

0:07:24.894,0:07:28.316
So, you find that you can translate,

0:07:28.984,0:07:30.984
you can transcribe,

0:07:30.984,0:07:33.248
and you can tell people.

0:07:35.328,0:07:36.348
But...

0:07:36.858,0:07:38.622
well, that's a big 'but,' right?

0:07:38.622,0:07:39.692
But,

0:07:40.454,0:07:41.934
(Laughter)

0:07:42.323,0:07:43.483
Okay.

0:07:44.334,0:07:45.774
(Laughs)

0:07:49.094,0:07:55.182
What's the point of making[br]these translations in the first place?

0:07:56.304,0:07:58.072
So why contribute?

0:07:58.692,0:08:00.592
[Why Contribute?]

0:08:00.592,0:08:02.932
Well, it turns out,[br]there are lots of benefits

0:08:02.932,0:08:06.502
from making translations[br]in the first place.

0:08:08.157,0:08:11.717
When you translate something,[br]you get to know all those ideas,

0:08:11.717,0:08:14.177
so you start to share with your community.

0:08:14.177,0:08:17.697
From that, you'll become[br]a thought leader in your community.

0:08:17.697,0:08:22.704
And the next one is "TED Translator" tag,

0:08:23.173,0:08:25.669
which looks awesome on your CV.

0:08:26.933,0:08:31.233
So that will [help start[br]the conversation for your] interview,

0:08:31.233,0:08:32.423
or anything like that.

0:08:32.423,0:08:34.423
So it's a kind of cool thing to have.

0:08:36.166,0:08:39.286
And you may get surprises in your Inbox,

0:08:39.286,0:08:45.192
like TED itself send you an invite[br]to take part in a global conversation.

0:08:46.018,0:08:49.538
Maybe it can be in Canada[br]or Brazil, wherever it is,

0:08:49.544,0:08:51.344
but you can be a part of it

0:08:51.344,0:08:55.613
when you keenly[br]contribute to those projects.

0:08:56.468,0:09:01.128
And your name will be credited[br]with your profile link,

0:09:01.128,0:09:06.391
so that people can visit your profile[br]and get access to who you are,

0:09:06.391,0:09:09.551
and what are you really contributing to.

0:09:10.001,0:09:11.021
And,

0:09:11.411,0:09:15.818
some pleasant surprises[br]like translation jobs

0:09:15.818,0:09:21.516
that people may come to you to have[br]when you contribute to those things.

0:09:21.919,0:09:26.089
And you also collaborate[br]with like-minded people.

0:09:27.026,0:09:30.866
Also, translating is a learning process,

0:09:30.866,0:09:35.676
like, say, I personally know people[br]who actually read a book

0:09:35.676,0:09:40.906
from the speaker itself[br]to get the translated talk available.

0:09:40.906,0:09:44.186
Because you don't really[br]translate word-to-word,

0:09:44.186,0:09:46.186
you translate the context.

0:09:46.186,0:09:50.226
So it's really important[br]that you get the idea of a speaker,

0:09:50.226,0:09:52.956
and translate [it into] that talk.

0:09:52.956,0:09:56.146
So there is always[br]a learning thing happening.

0:09:56.816,0:09:59.276
When you translate, [br]you don't just translate,

0:09:59.276,0:10:01.146
you start to learn things.

0:10:01.146,0:10:03.802
So it's a great opportunity to learn,

0:10:04.876,0:10:09.086
because we learn and grow,[br]so that there is a need.

0:10:09.086,0:10:14.136
So I think you already got to know[br]about OTP Project and all sort of things.

0:10:14.136,0:10:17.174
I believe after this event,[br]there [will be] dozens of people

0:10:17.174,0:10:20.044
coming along and making[br]these ideas worth spreading

0:10:20.044,0:10:22.634
available in Tamil and Sinhala

0:10:22.634,0:10:26.844
so that we can contribute[br]to the betterment of our country,

0:10:26.844,0:10:30.092
and having those ideas[br]in our local language,

0:10:30.092,0:10:34.222
as well as our ideas[br]in the local language,

0:10:34.222,0:10:39.532
local ideas can go global and [become][br]part of the global conversation.

0:10:39.532,0:10:42.502
So I'll be around here[br]and you can talk to me,

0:10:42.502,0:10:44.412
and you can send me an email as well.

0:10:46.393,0:10:48.212
[Thank you me@niram.org - @enathu]

0:10:48.212,0:10:51.602
Thank you, you've been awesome.[br]Enjoy the rest of the talks. Thank you.

0:10:51.602,0:10:53.044
(Applause)