# How does one decide if a translation should be made?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085
**Category:** Translations
**Created:** [30 Noviembre, 2017 11:50 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085 "2017-11-30T11:50:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![oiclid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/oiclid/32/82392_2.png) [@oiclid](https://meta.discourse.org/u/oiclid)
#### Post date: [30 Noviembre, 2017 11:50 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085/1 "2017-11-30T11:50:48Z")

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Hi. I am currently considering contributing a translation to Discourse. I am however wondering if there are any guidelines towards deciding if a translation should be made or not.

I am have a good grasp of the languages I want to translate, they are both popular in my native country, at least one of them is a language you can use on both Google and Facebook (even though the Google language locale is very limited and has some funny translations). I can read and write both, my accent/pronunciation in both is good, and have a strong knowledge of idioms and proverbs, so my problem is not if I think I am capable.

Thanks in advance.

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### Author: ![erlend\_sh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/erlend_sh/32/119475_2.png) [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [30 Noviembre, 2017 12:06 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085/2 "2017-11-30T12:06:42Z")

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The best reason for contributing a language is if you’re going to be participating in a community that will actually use it. Otherwise you will not have an incentive to keep up with subsequent releases that require translation updates and the language pack will go stale.

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### Author: ![oiclid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/oiclid/32/82392_2.png) [@oiclid](https://meta.discourse.org/u/oiclid)
#### Post date: [30 Noviembre, 2017 21:49 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085/3 "2017-11-30T21:49:49Z")

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That makes sense. Translating for translation’s sake isn’t exactly a viable long term plan. Thanks.

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### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [1 Diciembre, 2017 08:22 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-does-one-decide-if-a-translation-should-be-made/75085/4 "2017-12-01T08:22:12Z")

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Excellent question and answer. I hadn’t thought of it this way, but it makes sense!

doesn’t everyone speak American? 🇺🇸