Wikipedia Translation Guidelines: Best Practices for Machine Translation and Accuracy
Contributing to Wikipedia through translation is a powerful way to expand global knowledge. However, moving content from one language to another—such as translating from Korean to English—requires more than just a simple copy-paste operation. To maintain the high standards of quality and reliability expected by the community, editors must follow specific protocols regarding machine translation and attribution.
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The Role of Machine Translation
Modern tools like DeepL and Google Translate serve as excellent starting points for the translation process. These tools can quickly provide a foundational structure for a text. However, they are not infallible. Relying solely on automated output can lead to inaccuracies, awkward phrasing, or loss of nuance.
To ensure quality, translators must adhere to LLM (Large Language Model) translation guidelines. This involves a rigorous process of revising errors and confirming that the final English text is accurate and contextually appropriate. Simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into English Wikipedia is insufficient and does not meet editorial standards.
Maintaining Content Integrity and Quality
Not all source material is suitable for translation. Editors are instructed to avoid translating text that appears unreliable or low-quality. Before proceeding with a translation, it is highly recommended to verify the information using the references provided in the original foreign-language article.
Verification and Reliability
The goal of translation is to expand the encyclopedia with verified facts. If the source material lacks proper citations or appears biased, it should not be integrated into the English version of the site.
Copyright Attribution and Documentation
Properly crediting the source of your translation is a mandatory requirement. This ensures transparency and respects the original contributors of the source language article.
- Edit Summaries: When saving your changes, you must provide a copyright attribution in the edit summary. A standard format includes an interlanguage link to the source. For example: "Content in this edit is translated from the existing Korean Wikipedia article at [[:ko:용산선]]; see its history for attribution."
- Talk Page Templates: You may also add the
{{Translated|ko|용산선}}template to the relevant talk page to signal that the content has been translated.
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Key Facts
- Machine translation tools like DeepL and Google Translate should only be used as a starting point.
- Translators must follow LLM translation guidelines to correct errors.
- Unreliable or low-quality text should not be translated.
- Verification via original references is strongly encouraged.
- Copyright attribution via interlanguage links in the edit summary is mandatory.
Summary of Translation Requirements
| Action | Requirement | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Using Machine Translation | Must follow LLM guidelines and revise errors | Accuracy and natural flow |
| Handling Low-Quality Text | Do not translate | Maintain encyclopedia reliability |
| Verifying Content | Check foreign-language references | Fact-checking |
| Attribution | Include interlanguage links in edit summary | "Copyright compliance and transparency"
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Google Translate for Wikipedia articles?
Yes, but only as a starting point. You must manually revise the text to correct errors and ensure it follows LLM translation guidelines rather than just copy-pasting the result.
What should I do if the source text seems unreliable?
You should not translate text that appears to be of low quality or unreliable. Whenever possible, verify the claims against the references provided in the original article.
How do I properly attribute a translation?
You must include a copyright attribution in your edit summary that provides an interlanguage link to the source article. You can also use the appropriate translation template on the article's talk page.
Why is it important to follow LLM translation guidelines?
Following these guidelines ensures that the translated content is accurate, readable, and maintains the scientific and factual integrity required for a high-quality encyclopedia.
Is it necessary to check the history of the source article?
Yes, when providing attribution in your edit summary, it is helpful to refer to the source article's history to ensure proper credit is given.