Note to translators

Firstly, thank you very much for volunteering to translate one of our interactive DVD lesson scripts. Successful translation of the scripts is a vital part of the success of our project.
*Ideally, you will be translating into your mother tongue. We hope this will help us get the most accurate translations.
*If you are not sure of the meaning of an English word please use a dictionary if possible (or ask us directly).
*We suggest you do the translation with another person or in a small group as this can be very helpful and usually produces a more accurate translation.
*To help with translation we have tried to keep the English fairly simple. The most important thing is to keep the meaning of the English script, rather than translating word for word. This means that if your translation is translated back into English the meaning of the original script would be clear - even if the words are different.
*The lessons are aimed primarily at women and children who have had little or no formal education. So the translation also needs to be aimed at these people - using a simple style of language which they can easily understand.
*You will notice that in some of the lessons on hygiene we have referred to human waste matter as “faeces”, rather than the more colloquial word “poo”. The reason for this is to try to make things clear for translators. When translating this word please select whichever word(s) is most commonly used and easily understood in your language.
*It is very important that you do not change the meaning of the script. If you do not agree with something, please let us know, but do not change the script without consulting us. If you accidentally change the script while editing you can check the originals on the TME website or simply wait for an administrator to correct the script.
*Please translate the phrase or paragraph number at the start of the English script lines and check that they are correct (This is very important when we come to record the script!)
*The last 6 phrases of each script will appear in various parts of the finished DVD, so don’t be alarmed that they don’t seem to fit with the rest of the lesson you’re translating!
*If you have problems with typing your translation then please let us know through the community pages or by the contacts below. If you know of fonts or other resources that are useful then please share that knowledge through the community pages or within the language pages.
If you have any queries or questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Please don’t let these instructions deter you - we just want to give you some guidance rather than frighten people off!
Once again, thank you very much for your help and support - it is very much appreciated.
Sarah Clarke
Volunteer
Thare Machi Education, PO Box 4040, Leamington Spa  CV32 5YJ.  UK
sarah@lettuceleaf.com
Tel:  +44 1926 422711