Wikipedia Translation Guidelines for French Articles
Translating content from French to English Wikipedia requires a balance between efficiency and accuracy. While modern technology provides a strong foundation, maintaining the encyclopedia's quality standards necessitates a rigorous human-led review process to ensure that information remains reliable and properly attributed.
The Role of Machine Translation
Tools such as DeepL and Google Translate serve as useful starting points for the translation process. However, these tools are not substitutes for professional oversight. Translators are expected to follow the LLM (Large Language Model) translation guideline, which emphasizes the need to revise errors and confirm accuracy rather than simply copy-pasting machine-generated text.
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Quality Control and Verification
Not all source material is suitable for translation. It is critical to avoid translating text that appears unreliable or of low quality. To maintain integrity, translators should verify the claims in the source text using the references provided within the original foreign-language article.
Categorization and Templates
Proper organization helps users find content more easily. With 1,254 articles already existing in the main category, translators are encouraged to specify a topic using the | topic = parameter in the template to aid in precise categorization.
Copyright and Attribution Requirements
Legal and ethical standards require that all translations provide proper copyright attribution. This must be done in the edit summary accompanying the translation by providing an interlanguage link (a link connecting the same subject across different language versions of Wikipedia) to the source article.
For example, a model attribution summary would read: "Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Communauté d'universités et établissements]]; see its history for attribution." Additionally, the {{Translated|fr|Communauté d'universités et établissements}} template may be added to the talk page for further transparency.
Key Facts
- Machine translation (DeepL, Google Translate) must be revised and verified, not copy-pasted.
- Translators must adhere to the LLM translation guidelines.
- Unreliable or low-quality source text should not be translated.
- Copyright attribution via interlanguage links in the edit summary is mandatory.
- The
| topic =parameter should be used to assist in categorizing articles.
| Requirement | Action Required | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Translation | Revise and confirm accuracy | Prevent errors from LLMs |
| Source Quality | Verify with references | Ensure reliability |
| Attribution | Provide interlanguage link | Copyright compliance |
| Categorization | Specify | topic = |
Improve organization |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy and paste directly from Google Translate?
No. Machine translation is only a starting point. You must follow the LLM translation guidelines, revise any errors, and confirm the accuracy of the text before adding it to English Wikipedia.
What should I do if the French source text seems unreliable?
You should not translate text that appears to be low-quality or unreliable. If possible, use the references provided in the original article to verify the facts.
How do I properly attribute a translation?
You must provide a copyright attribution in your edit summary by including an interlanguage link to the source article and directing users to the article's history for full attribution.
Why is specifying a topic important for the template?
Because the main category already contains 1,254 articles, specifying a topic helps the system and users categorize the new article more effectively.
Where can I find more detailed guidance on this process?
For further instructions and comprehensive rules, you should refer to the Wikipedia:Translation page.