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Translators Notes


Justin Burt

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What is the likelihood of Accordance working with organizations like SIL to import things like Translators WorkPlace 4.0, or even getting UBS Translators Handbook or UBS ParaText? I really don't like going back to my PC while doing translation. :blink:

Edited by Justin Burt
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We have talked to SIL in the past, but I guess everyone just has higher priorities and nothing has been arranged.

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  • 6 months later...

I'm a Wycliffe Member in Training currently getting familiar with all the tools I may need for being an advisor and consultant in the future, and also as a Mac user and sometime programmer, I'm facing some problems as I'd love to be able to bring UBS Paratext projects into Accordance, and find some way to use the fantastic user interface and facilities of Accordance with texts that I'm working on, checking and analysing.

 

For some time I've been contemplating what it would take to produce something of a Paratext version for Mac OS X but now since a friend recommended and bought me Accordance I'm wondering whether there might be any way that the gap could be bridged. Obviously this is a somewhat minority usage, and I can use Paratext in VMware Fusion, but I would be interested to know whether this could develop anywhere.

 

I'm starting to work on some tools to convert Paratext and other Bible source files to Accordance format but there are a number of issues:

1. Translations for most languages in Africa and elsewhere use (or are being converted to use) Unicode now for special characters, such as implosives and additional vowels. Accordance does not accept Unicode. It would seem I would need to sacrifice all the benefits of Unicode and convert unicode to some arbitrary ASCII value, then create old ASCII-based fonts for any files I bring into Accordance. This would significantly reduce the value for me.

so a question: Is Unicode support for User Bibles something OakTree will be able to add soon?

 

2. User Bibles are not editable. Is there any way that we could bring in editable user bibles? Basically that would bring Accordance up to the level of Paratext for my purposes.

So another question: Are there any plans or possibilities that User Bibles could be made editable?

 

If I manage to write some code to convert standard Paratext format files to Accordance User Bibles, then I'll make it freely available of course. I'm currently writing mostly in PHP which would allow me to make this available as a web service (ie no installation for users). If anyone is interested, I'd like to hear.

 

But there's probably no point me going much further with this unless question 1 above is answered.

 

I gather that interest from SIL has been limited in the past. I'm sorry about that. But SIL is an organisation with great diversity and there may be some proactive Mac users like me who would be very keen to work as a bridge between OakTree and the folks developing SIL and UBS software to bring some tools to an increasingly popular platform. I imagine it might be good for Accordance take-up too.

 

David

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David,

 

I would be interested in anything you would provided to aid in a tribal translation. I agree that we are in a minority group with some of our needs. I have only read about Paratext online, but wouldn't Accordance do a lot of what is offered in Paratext?

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  • 5 years later...

I agree that it would be great to have something like SIL Translator's Workplace in Accordance. It would be great to be able to keep things on Mac and with Accordance running -- toggling to another computer (and having to have another interface) is a hassle. Unfortunately when I asked SIL not long ago they said there were no plans for trying to get it in Accordance. :( Would be a great tool to have, as David and Justin noted.

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I, too, love the UBS Translator's Handbooks, and I'm not a translator, either. It gives very helpful info regarding the Greek, and an interesting look into other languages & cultures.

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This is related, but not quite the same. I would like to be able to see the preface for each version of the Biblical text that Accordance has. I know we have a separate module for the preface to the KJV, but I think it would be an advantage to have the preface for each version of the English Bible.

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Randy

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Randy, The prefaces for some of the other translations are available in their companion Notes file. If you open up the NIV11, the CEB, and the Message Notes files, for example, you will find a Preface and other introductory material at the beginning, before the verse notes.

 

Sadly, the NRSV, the "old" NIV and the NLT-SE Notes do not include any such material.

 

Lorinda

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  • 5 months later...

Any chance for getting the UBS Translator's Handbook for the OLD Testament in accordance soon?

 

Randy

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  • 9 years later...

So, I recognize this thread is ancient. However, a lot has changed. Of course, Paratext is still windows only. Despite rumors of development of a Mac option, I'm not holding my breath. However, accordance is now dual platform. Moreover, I imagine there are more users than any point in the past. This makes me wonder if it wouldn't be worth reaching out to SIL again about translator's workspace. 

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1 hour ago, A. Smith said:

So, I recognize this thread is ancient. However, a lot has changed. Of course, Paratext is still windows only. Despite rumors of development of a Mac option, I'm not holding my breath. However, accordance is now dual platform. Moreover, I imagine there are more users than any point in the past. This makes me wonder if it wouldn't be worth reaching out to SIL again about translator's workspace. 

Do you mean to make something like a sermon builder but specifically for translation work built into Accordance?

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1 hour ago, ReformedDoc said:

Do you mean to make something like a sermon builder but specifically for translation work built into Accordance?

No. Translator's workplace (I misspoke calling it workspace) is collection of texts available by special licensing agreements at a unique price point for those engaged in missionary bible translation. Currently it is only available for Logos. As a result, nearly all of the Bible translation community uses logos, which is a shame. However, because so many of these resources are only available in logos, I'm essentially forced to use logos alongside accordance. 

 

https://www.sil.org/resources/publications/tw

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Ahh, I did go there & see that Logos was mentioned, it sure would be great to have it working with Accordance.

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4 minutes ago, ReformedDoc said:

Ahh, I did go there & see that Logos was mentioned, it sure would be great to have it working with Accordance.

Unfortunately, it's not for general use. I'm not sure exactly what the restrictions are. But I know it has something to do with working in bible translation, likely with a recognized missions organization. 

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5 minutes ago, A. Smith said:

Unfortunately, it's not for general use. I'm not sure exactly what the restrictions are. But I know it has something to do with working in bible translation, likely with a recognized missions organization. 

I wonder if there is a loophole like already having an account with the other guys & some of their academic resources.

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1 minute ago, ReformedDoc said:

I wonder if there is a loophole like already having an account with the other guys & some of their academic resources.

No. This is not a matter of buying a library package (in Logos' terms). It's a matter of the publishers offering these otherwise very expensive resources for a ridiculously steep discount (I paid less than $50) for the sake of missionary bible translators. As far as I know, every purchase of TW is personally verified and approved by SIL. For example, not even every member of a missions organization, or even bible translation missions organization, is able to purchase this package. 

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4 minutes ago, ReformedDoc said:

I wonder if there is a loophole like already having an account with the other guys & some of their academic resources.

You'll notice that the package isn't purchased from Logos but through SIL. This is a result of the restrictions I've mentioned. 

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I'll run it by our teams. Thanks for reviving this thread!

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