[OSM-talk] Translation tool for map internationalization ?

[Ab_fab]

Hello,

I've been watching for a few months the wonderful development that has been
performed for map internationalization, for example on the Wikimedia
toolserver.

I've been then looking for tools dedicated to this huge task:
Provide localities name in specific languages, but so far I found nothing.

Nominatim tool is now in operation and it provides very accurate results for
placenames, especially when administrative boundaries are properly defined.

I wonder if Nominatim could used as base to elaborate a tool dedicated to
place names translation.

This is the way I imagine it:

_ User has already an OSM account and is therefore allowed to modify data in
the OSM database

_ User considers that he's able to translate foreign placenames in a
specific language (e.g. "fr" for French) and selects this language in a
dialog box

_ User selects a place name, of a specific admin_level (e.g. Germany, which
corresponds to a level 2 admin_level)

_ Search tool could then return placenames with level 3 (or 4 if 3 is
actually not used) admin_level, that have "Germany" as parent administrative
area
-> For Germany, this should return the list of the Federal states (Länder),
and as far as possible limit results to this, in order to proceed step by
step (first translate country names, then states, ..., cities, streets and
amenities, etc ...)

_ Biggest modification, compared to Nominatim results, is that they would be
provided in several columns
First column returning default name, and a additional column(s), used to

1. show names already translated in the language chosen by user (see above)
2. Propose an automated translation (e.g. based on wikipedia contents), for
review and correction
3. allow fill-in of the names translated by user, or allow him to confirm
that translation is not required
4. upload the actual translations / modifications performed by user in a
single changeset, under user

I guess that this would limit the OSM-specific technical skills to a
minimum.

 Scheme described above requires that administrative boundaries are properly
set-up, in order to provide cleaner results, but this is a task that needs
to be achieved anyway !

I am fairly new to OSM and have limited (if any) programming skills.
Don't take it too bad that I'm only able of bringing raw ideas on the table,
and not able of develop them by myself ! :-)

Anyway, I'd be glad to get your opinion on such idea

Cheers
--
ab_fab
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