Foreign Language on Mass.gov: Procedures

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Foreign Language on Mass.govProcedures
Pitfalls

• Jean Calixte, OCABR

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Background

• Translated Content
• Several guides in 4 foreign languages
• Haitian Creole
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Traditional Chinese
• Spanish version of foreclosure site
  (www.mass.gov/foreclosure)
• Buying/selling a home guide to 10 languages
• Consumer alerts by DOI in Spanish (DTC
  forthcoming)
• Recently translated content receives 4000-8000
  hits/month

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What should you translate?

• Statewide contract PRF30
• Cost basis can be time (per hour) or content
  length (per word)
• Translate most critical/popular content
• Translate to language(s) that best fit contents
  demographics
• Whenever possible, verify translations with
  resident experts

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Best Practices TeamSite

• Accented characters appear correctly in chunks
• WYSIWYG editor converts characters to HTML escape
  sequences
• 233 or eacute for é

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Best Practices CMA Resources

• Accented characters OK in labels descriptions
• HTML escape sequences required
• When modifying, replace accented characters with
  escape sequences

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Best Practices CMA Categories

• Accented characters NOT allowed
• Labels used in hyperlinks results in 404 errors
• Replace accented character with non-accented
  English alpha character
• Chinese characters OK

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General Tips

• Organizing foreign language content
• Consolidated category for content by language
• Associate content in same locations as English
  versions
• WYISWYG editor is your best friend!
• Paste text into editor to quickly convert
  accented characters to HTML escape sequences
• Always preview your work before approving