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Translations/zh/Empower and other wikimedia buzzwords

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Whereas Translation is a craft,

Whereas

The mission of the Wikimedia Foundation is to empower and engage people around the world ...

, etc,

The buzzwords to empower and to engage bring headaches to the zh: translators. In fact we have failed to find exact terms which sufficiently match their meanings, usages and connotations. (For past discussions, see (perhaps) the translation of the resolution on licensing. ) That means each use of these terms must be translated individually, and in its own context. Often entire sentences must be rewritten.

I don't know if other languages have experienced the same problem. Here I try to consider aloud the possible solutions in zh: and in yue: that people (mostly I) have thought up. You are welcome to add your own stuff.

Or, rather, everybody may ask himself, by these words what does he mean?

to empower

[edit]
language term meaning usage connotation match?
en to make somebody able to do something (c.f. Fowler's)
en to enable
zh 授權 legalese,
pre-1970's meaning
= authorise
legalese pre-70's partially, pre-70's
but translators found it
condescending
zh 賦權 direct translation never heard of ? no
zh 支持 "support" common lost ?
zh,
possibly ja?
加油 analogous? colloquial similar but informal;
subject may be reversed
?
ja transliteration
zh 放權 devolve ? wrong no
zh 鼓勵 encourage common wrong no
zh:
self-empowerment
自力更新 self-reinvigorate common yes yes, in this limited sense

to engage

[edit]
language term meaning usage connotation match?
zh 接觸 "contact" (physically) similar less active reasonable
zh 聯繫 "contact"(to link) similar even less active reasonable but not satisfactory
zh 締約? "commit to a contract" common partial not quite,
and too formal
zh 結約? "to join into contract" common
zh 結合? combine/join common partial no
ja 従事 or 携わる
ja transliteration

other wikimedia terms

[edit]
word meaning translations rank(?)
free [1] 0
(under)represent(ed) without a voice in the power structure zh:被忽略、弱勢 3
underprivileged euphemism for poor yue: 窮 4
underprivileged euphemism for poor zh: 貧困 4
diverse
community
world, worldwide
resources knowledge, crap and anything inbetween zh: 資源

see also

[edit]