SparkFun Inventors Kit Goes to Paris
SparkFun learns how to speak French (kinda). What language is next?
Parlez-vous Français? Yeah, we don't either. Fortunately some people do and they've done us quite the solid in translating the SparkFun Inventor's Kit manual into - you guessed it - French!
We hope that this new translation helps you explore the SIK in an entire new way - in a new language. We are hoping to do future translations...which brings us to our next problem...
We are planning on doing a Spanish translation next! But again, we've ran into the problem that we don't really have someone to translate it fully. Turns out, my one semester of Spanish is only good for writing love songs. Think you can help? Please contact us at education@sparkfun.com. Don't speak Spanish? We are interested in other languages as well! Cheers!
Klingon!
And perhaps that universal script they used on the Voyager probes. Perhaps your sales volume will go out of this world!
I can translate it into "Engrish" if you like?
"Make ready the batteries for power of the board to light. Beware and Look sharp the polarity of connection to harm not the board or fire!"
And so on.
Ill translate it into latin if your want ;)
Inventus kite Sparfunae
best post.... made my day
I'll do my part: Arkfunsay ventorsinay itkay. Pig latin.
I can translate this to C++ or Perl if you want.
LOL!...
This translation thing is the biggest waste of time and resources there is! I just hope it won't divide communities and create "national" groups that won't talk to each other, especially when one has to search on the web for help! Please Sparkfun do not waste time on translations!
PS my first language is not English but I think the effort to learn it is so important! Let's use the "information era" to tear down barriers, not to keep them up! And for people living in Quebec that "need" boxes printed in their language, come on don't make me laugh...
You will be more than happy to see a French senior, huber skilled in electronic but not in English, start to work on this AVR thanks to this guide and then create something interesting for you. The more we are, the best it is.
I'm pretty sure that with little research, you'll find that speaking the language of your customers can help your business a lot. I mean, look at china! if the business over there didn't speak english, would you (americans) buy stuff from them?
If sparkfun decided to translate in french, I'm pretty sure that it's because they saw a market in France. I'm almost certain that it wasn't a wild guess.
Thanks to everyone who has replied. We got offers to translate into at least 8 different languages. Our hope is to translate into as many different languages as we can. I think it's great to translate so everyone, regardless of language barriers, can speak the same language of ones and zeros. So thanks again to everyone who is pitching in!
I could do a German translation. Not right at the moment because I have to write some exams for my study. But in about 3 or 4 week i could start with it. I'm from Germany so the language shouldn't be a problem. Make me a good offer for it ;)
If you haven't find someone to help you translate to spanish let me know, and I might be able. CS
Hi!
I can translate it into Russian or I can help to correct your translation
Dude, just use Google Translate, even does Latin.
Err... No. I can't imagine some phrases getting translated...
It will even give a spoken translation. It sounds pretty convincing in other languages. But in English or Dutch. they. speak. it. like. this.
Really good idea !
Merci !
Even If I'm not sure I would need it :]
From what I saw, European vendors of Sparkfun products doesn't sell whole catalog, and that's very sad :(
Next step, a Sparkfun official full reseller in Europe ? :D
With same working conditions it would be a really great company !
(Just one remark: Paris isn't whole France, and France isn't only Paris ;))
@pcarre: You're really far away from what I saw here, many french persons can't even make a sentence or read english. One of the many reasons imho, they didn't make enough efforts to learn it at school ^_^
Most frenchies interested in electronics know how to speak english... They don't really learn it at school but thanks to the internet or books.
Anyway, an official reseller in Europe would just be awesome ! I love sparkfun so much, but shipping + taxes to France sometimes rises as high as the order price itself :s
I can read english without too much problem...
Mais c'est quand meme bien sympa de voir de la documentation dans ma langue maternelle. Merci pour vos efforts..
Xavier (from Paris)
The French version is the first translation because of the nice people at the Eceborg association in Paris. Specifically Etienne Zante helped make it happen. They approached us and are responsible for getting the ball rolling on these translations. Thanks guys!
Now I want to learn French.
Merci beaucoup! Pas pour moi, mais pour les autres qui parles francais. (my apologies for poor grammar.)
Seriously forum goers, ease up on the hate, this is a good thing SFE is doing. I'm sure they will get to your language as soon as they can.
Thumbs up team!
...just saying an FTDI USB/RS232 and a lipo/lion Charger would make me a very cooperative spanish speaking customer...
I am sure if sparkfun throws in a few widgets, the translation process would be really fast.
... I would do it just for fun, anyways... but it be nice to get some SF credit.
I am a Sparkfun customer.
I am an Engineer, graduated from ODU in Norfolk VA. ("757" Baby!).
(That means I understand this super technical gibberish and have a deep understanding of Flux Capacitors and Perpetual Motion)
I am Panamanian sooo.... I Speak Spanish, it is my first language.
How about a sweet deal for the translation?
Lets work somthing out!
Hit me up to my email(login email).
Seems like a fun way to contribute to the community...
perhaps somebody could do german/chinese
I would recomend a Pirate version first....ARRRGGG
.
i think the main language in this 'field' should be english, as it already is. Also, the frenchies, spanish and german should be forced into learning english a bit more :) [not english myself]
And what about our Captain Cousteau accent !? No way. We'll loose all our sex appeal...
Forced? I hope you were trying to say encouraged.... [not english myself either]
Why? Why not Chinese or Japanese? There are more Chinese people in this field than English-speakers.
In fact, there are more English-speaking Chinese than there are English-speaking North Americans, numerically speaking.
Britannia est insula.
No, No ,No the grammar is all wrong it should be
britannia insula est. Verb at the end of the sentence people ;)
JK. Although that is true ;)
Tempus reperticium Latini?
"Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam." is my personal favorite.
My favorite is the latin book for our grade. The main character is Sextus. He is very annoying and the adjective for the is molestus. That makes for some awkward sentences.
Non sum stultus!
Fabricati Diem, Pvnk. Or in this case, Fabricati Duino, Pvnk.
Most French kids are fluent in English so this seems useless. It is a good idea to translate it into Spanish as most Spaniards don't know English at an acceptable level. I have no problems in helping you with this translation.
Yo creo que no tienes idea de lo que dices!
(En otras palabras: "I beg to differ")....
You are Panamanian so you are the one who has no idea about the English language skills Spaniards have. Furthermore, I am Spanish so I perfectly know how low English language level is here.
The 'English language' is one of the main issues of the nation. In fact, our current president is unable to speak a word in English and the one who is more likely to become next president doesn't know English neither.
This is the richest businessman of Spain talking/reading in English
And this is our president...
No, it is not a joke, it is real.
The richest businessman of anywhere does not need to speak a foreign language (does Bill Gates speak french?).
Your president not speaking a foreign language only shows that he never had to (probably quite rich also).
It is the foreign language literacy of the middle and lower income people that reflect the average education of a country.
Guess how China or India currently stand on this matter...
I've been to spain, i wouldn't say people were ignorant of the english language. Just as being american i can't say i'm ignorant of spanish. i'm not fluent, but i can listen, or read it and kinda figure my way through. speaking is a different matter, and well, beer is pretty universal.
Bill Gates doesn't need to know French, he basically forced english upon the world... anyone heard of Windows?
I don't see how a foreign language could be one of the main issues of any nation.
Been the richest man doesn't imply been the smartest or the finest...
In regard to the second video, I don't think president Obama for example, would respond questions in spanish if he's been asked to do so for a spanish speaking reporter in U.S.A.
Greetings from South America!
The former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, was the first foreign head of state to address the Chinese Parliament* in Mandarin.
Sure it wouldn't make or break a politician or businessman, but skills in foreign languages couldn't possibly harm their chance of success.
*It's probably not really called a parliament.
ah! it seems I assumed a bit too much...
I assumed you were refering to spanish speaking people in general when you said "Spaniards"...(you know, like being latino instantly makes me Mexican because it the only country latinos come from)...I appologize.
Here in the Dominican Republic, anyone considered professional should at least know a low level of english. Many of the high / middle class kids assist to english schools, fortunately.
Fortunately?
It is more fortunate if much more kids of lower classes (who are the great majority) can have access to a better general education, health and food in Central and South American countries like yours and mine!
You seem so proud of your English level, which is probably right, but it doesn't give you the right for saying what you said. I would suggest you better make a revision of your ideas and your vision of the world.
btw: more languages enriches its value ;)
This is not really the point. Some places, like in Quebec, there are laws that that says that a product must be displayed in french (or french/english or whatever, as long as there is a french version on the package).
This is probably an issue with exportation to Quebec for some companies. But now sparkfun complies so it can sell anywhere in Canada including Quebec.
It is also the fact that french is their native language. Even if they know english, they don't want everything to appear in english, they want to preserve their culture. I wouldn't buy a product if it was packaged in english only and sold in Quebec (in a store, not online of course), it would only show that the company didn't bother.
If you want a Dutch version.. I can help!
Pfft. I wasn't even asked to translate this! I could see a few funny situations arising from a pretty literal translation, though. Especially the part saying that you can write to Oomlout if you want more information - without informing that writing the e-mail in English is probably your best bet! Now they do seem based in Canada, but in BC rather than out east, so...
Also, coming soon (not really):
Lär dig Elektronik med
Sparkfuns Uppfinnarguide
Edit: stupid character set can't seem to handle extended ASCII.
Edit 2: What on earth? Now it works?
Arrrgghh, it's frustrating when our language gets destroyed by electronic syntax as well as people here in the US!
You could try writing it in phonetics such as [Eihn mehd-vehts-leurs pang-shoo-nair] :-)
Do an entire manual in phonetics for people who can't read that easily