Hi Gabriel,

> Please may I ask for access to the translate website.

please see
https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php?title=Interface_translation#5._Get_a_GitLab_account
and
https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Translation_information#Submit_finished_work
for where to put the translated file.

There is no translation website, you need to install a program to your
computer which you use to translate the files. Examples are given on
https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Translation_information#Tools_for_translators

> In the meantime I have downloaded the InkscapeTranslate package. The
>  ISO 639-1 Code for Afrikaans is 'af', whereas the ISO 639-2 Code is
>  'afr'. I assumed that I will use 'af', so I have created a copy of
> the en_AU.po and renamed it to af.po.  I assume that I will now focus
> my attention on Is this correct procedure so far?

Yes, .af seems to be the correct file name.

Please use the file named inkscape.pot (po *t*emplate) from the archive
you found linked from
https://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php?title=Interface_translation#2._Get_the_file

as a starter file for your new translation file, and adjust the front
matter to your language's requirements (i.e. plural forms, language
team, your name - compare, for example, the German or French translation
files).

> From the file and website I figured out that I always leave the msgid
> string intact and translate the msgstr string. But looking at the
> en_AU.po, this does not make sense. (Eg. 'Bevels' is translated as
> 'Wheel'). Please comment.


The translation that you see there is marked as 'fuzzy'. 'fuzzy' means
that the software that created the file guessed a translation from
another translated item. Fuzzy items are not visible in the user
interface and are meant as a help for translators. In some cases, it
helps, in others, the guess is far off the mark.

Translating will be easier if you familiarize yourself with po file
translation and the usage of
the selected translation program, e.g. by checking out the translation
program's documentation, or maybe additionally reading here:
https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/PO-Files.html or
maybe here: http://pology.nedohodnik.net/doc/user/en_US/ch-poformat.html
– there may be other, more beginner-friendly introductions that I wasn't
able to find quickly.

I know, it's a lot to learn. But don't worry, there's no hurry – I'm
assuming you are not intending to finish this before the release of
Inkscape 1.2 (which will be within the next 3 weeks, supposedly), and
the next major version is due next year May.

If your intention actually *is* to work on translations for 1.2, though,
make sure to use the correct translation file bundle as a base, which is
https://gitlab.com/inkscape/inkscape/-/jobs/artifacts/1.2.x/download?job=translations

There will be two minor releases of 1.2 - one is timed for autumn
(September, I think) and the other for February 2023.

Those may be possible targets to work towards, too.

Kind Regards
  Maren

> Gabriel
>
>
>
> On Thu, 5 May 2022 at 10:05, Maren Hachmann <maren@goos-habermann.de
>  <mailto:maren@goos-habermann.de>> wrote:
>
> Hi Gabriel,
>
> welcome!
>
> I can't say anything about user interest in Afrikaans specifically,
> but the project is always interested in expanding its list of
> available languages.
>
> To hear from users, you may need to ask around locally or maybe on
> the user mailing list, in the user chat or on the forums (but given
> that all of these are in English, users you can find there are not
> representative of the target audience).
>
> About the time frame: long, if you aim for completion (possibly
> months if you do it in your free time as a single person who is not
> a professional translator)
>
> Inkscape contains many specialized graphics terms, and many terms
> that only make sense when you know where in the interface they are
> being used.
>
> It is possible (and recommended), however, to start out by focusing
> on immediately visible strings, that would already bring great
> benefit with a lot less effort.
>
> There is no threshold for how much of the interface must be
> translated for the translation to be available, so users can see
> strings in their own language from the first string.
>
> You can find more information about translating Inkscape and all
> relevant links to the Wiki pages that explain the translation process
> in more detail at: https://inkscape.org/contribute/translations
> <https://inkscape.org/contribute/translations>
>
> Kind Regards Maren
>
> Am 05.05.22 um 00:56 schrieb Gabriel Van Wyk:
>> Hi All
>>
>> I am a long-time user of Inkscape - love the product!
>>
>> I am a native speaker of Afrikaans from South Africa and I am
> wanting to
>> find out if there would be any interest  in an Afrikaans
> translation?
>> If yes, what is the required time frames and estimate of effort
> involved?
>>
>> -- *
>>
>> Kind regards
>>
>>
>> Gabriel van Wyk
>>
>> Principal / Director* * gaby@whereabouts.biz
>> <mailto:gaby@whereabouts.biz>
> <mailto:gaby@whereabouts.biz <mailto:gaby@whereabouts.biz>>*
>>
>>
>> www.whereabouts.biz <http://www.whereabouts.biz>
> <http://www.whereabouts.biz <http://www.whereabouts.biz>>
>>
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> <https://goo.gl/maps/pbAWbo25uT42> <https://goo.gl/maps/pbAWbo25uT42
> <https://goo.gl/maps/pbAWbo25uT42>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>
>
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>> please delete this communication. The copy, use or disclosure of
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> -- *
>
> Kind regards
>
>
> Gabriel van Wyk
>
> Principal / Director* * gaby@whereabouts.biz
> <mailto:gaby@whereabouts.biz>*
>
>
> www.whereabouts.biz <http://www.whereabouts.biz>
>
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>
> *________________________________________________________________________________*
>
>
>
>
*This communication is confidential and may contain legally
> privileged information. If you are not the named or intended
> recipient, please delete this communication. The copy, use or
> disclosure of this communication or any attachments without
> authorisation will be considered a breach of copyright. No
> responsibility is accepted for any email or Malware interference.
> Copyright Whereabouts Consulting ABN: 52257033767**
>
> ****
>
> **
>
> <mailto:president@sssi.org.au>*