Wikipedia Translation Guidelines for Spanish to English Content
Expanding English Wikipedia with content from other languages is a vital part of growing the platform's global knowledge base. When translating articles from Spanish, editors must adhere to specific quality and legal standards to ensure that the resulting English text is accurate, reliable, and properly attributed.
Key Facts
- Machine translation (e.g., Google Translate, DeepL) is permitted only as a starting point.
- Translators must follow the LLM translation guideline and manually revise all errors.
- Copyright attribution is mandatory via interlanguage links in the edit summary.
- Unreliable or low-quality source text should not be translated.
- Categorization is improved by specifying a topic in the article template.
The Translation Process
The goal of translation is to create a publication-quality article that feels natural in English while preserving the factual integrity of the original Spanish source. This process involves more than just converting words; it requires active verification and editing.
Using Machine Translation Tools
Tools such as DeepL and Google Translate are useful for establishing a baseline. However, simply copy-pasting machine-translated text is prohibited. Editors must review the output to correct grammatical errors, nuance failures, and inaccuracies to ensure the final version meets English Wikipedia's standards.
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Quality Control and Verification
Not all source material is suitable for translation. Editors are instructed to avoid translating text that appears unreliable or of low quality. Whenever possible, the facts presented in the foreign-language article should be verified using the references provided within that source.
Administrative and Legal Requirements
To maintain transparency and legal compliance, specific steps must be taken during the editing process to credit the original authors and organize the content.
Copyright Attribution
Every translation must include a copyright attribution in the edit summary. This is achieved by providing an interlanguage link to the source article. For example, a proper attribution would state: "Content in this edit is translated from the existing Spanish Wikipedia article at [[:es:Canal 5 (Uruguay)]]; see its history for attribution."
Categorization and Documentation
To help organize the vast library of articles—which includes over 1,086 articles in the main category—editors should specify a topic using the | topic = parameter in the template. Additionally, the {{Translated|es|Canal 5 (Uruguay)}} template may be added to the article's talk page for documentation purposes.
| Requirement | Standard/Action | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Translation | Revision required via LLM guidelines | Accuracy and readability |
| Source Quality | Verify with references | Reliability of information |
| Attribution | Interlanguage link in edit summary | Copyright compliance |
| Categorization | Specify | topic = |
Improved organization |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Google Translate for Wikipedia articles?
Yes, but only as a starting point. You must revise the text for errors and ensure it follows the LLM translation guidelines rather than copy-pasting the output directly.
What should I do if the Spanish source text seems unreliable?
You should not translate text that appears to be low-quality or unreliable. Try to verify the information using the references provided in the original article before proceeding.
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 Spanish article and directing users to its history for full attribution.
Why is specifying a topic in the template important?
With over 1,086 articles already in the main category, specifying a topic helps the system categorize the article more accurately, making it easier for users to find.
Where can I find more detailed guidance on this process?
Further instructions and comprehensive guidance can be found at Wikipedia:Translation.