Facebook…in Navajo?
4/2020 Update: A NavajoNow community FB Translation project was never completed despite interest. However, if someone wants to head this translation project the information is still available here: https://github.com/kscanne/secwepemc-facebook
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Found something amazing from @indigenoustweet on Twitter. This is what I saw:
So I responded. And @indigenoustweet responded with a test version after I had given him the Navajo word for “like”. I actually gave two words (shiłikan and shił ya’at’eeh) and I don’t think either were 100% correct. But, correct or not, I wanted to see what Facebook would look like with a Navajo makeover. This is what I saw from the test:
I’m not at Facebook often, but I know quite a few Navajos are. So now I want to see what the interest is in helping to get the words and phrases translated to get a solid Navajo Facebook layout. There are not a lot of words and phrases to translate. Here are a few examples:
There are actually some simple words for those who don’t know as much Navajo. What will be interesting is finding the right Navajo word or phrase for certain words and phrases on Facebook.
I want to know if there is anybody interested in translating. Once everything was translated we could filter through the translations to see if they are the right fit.
navajonow.wordpress.com 
Shił nizhoníyee’. I do Jaan on fb every so often, hah, I would love to see that. language acquisition should have a community to where they can look to. I will give some translations later when i’ve slowed down on friday. As an instructor I always ask what would my students like but I don’t have the unique perspective of the learner, thus assume the best roles. Ahxéhee’.
I having mulling the idea of using Skype to use as learning community, perhaps a trial run as free with Diné students and paid for non-Diné. thoughts?
I’ll put you down for translations. It probably won’t start til next week, I’m so busy this week as well.
As far as a learning community, you could go the Skype route. I would maybe look into EduFire.com. I have not used it before, but I do hear good things about it.
I can help with Facebook translations.
Thanks Derek. I’ll put you down for translations.
You can ask the folks who put together the Navajo Wikipedia. I do some translation stuff but I’m a bit rusty. I’m a better speaker than writer of Diné Bizaad.
Good idea. I was actually thinking of this. The Wikipedia page has to have some of these words, it would be good to keep everything standard.
Indeed, it would be definitely be great to see the folks at Navajo Wiki change up FB, and make it Navajo FB.
Donovan – where are you from?
I had the same thought also about the Wiki and going with established terms and eventually setting a standard reference for internet usage. I will look at edufire.com, later. life didn’t slow down on friday, reading papers and domestic duties, dloh, dloh (laugh, laugh).
That word, Shiłikan means, It tastes good to me.
Shił nizhoníyee’ is better. Meaning, It’s good with me. I like.
I teach, read, write and speak Navajo to anyone who wants to learn.
I am still in the process of making a Navajo Language pack
for Windows XP, Vista and 7. Windows 7 pack can be ported
to Windows 8 & 9. Although, Windows 9 is still in the building &
planning stage that I am a part of, when it goes to preview, the pack
should be ready.
Very difficult, I have been working on it for the past 2 years.
It is a personal endeavor that I will be using on my own computers.
I am from Navajo, New Mexico.
I was pretty sure that wasn’t the correct word. I wanted to preview the script ASAP, so I went a head and guessed.
Your project sounds like an awesome endeavor. I’d like to see some screenshots when it’s ready, for curiosities sake.
Ya’a’teeh, how far are we on creating the Dine Facebook as of today? I see that it is over seven months of convo but am truly hoping that this endeavor is seen through. Can help with translation if needed, get in touch with me please. Professor at DC.
It is half done. The main translator just started Fall classes, so he is busy teaching. It would be great if you could help translate. I will send you an invite to view the spreadsheet, if you don’t see the invite in your inbox email me tomorrow.
That would be great, anything to get this moving and out there. So far, haven’t received anything yet. Still waiting spreadsheet.
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I will send it today to the address you submitted, please check your junk mail folder. You should see something from google docs.
you should see it now. Let me know if you’ve got it. It is a file called Book1, from Google Drive.
Barsine will you send you email address to me at krystle@navajonow.com . I’m not sure if you received my last message, and I’ve seen no update on the spreadsheet.
There’s also a nascent project to translate Firefox into Navajo – we can always use more folk, let me know if you’re interested?
Wow. That is an awesome project. How much of the project has been finished? and how many individuals are working on it?
At the moment just one high school student who’s enthusiastic but pressed for time, it’s hard to find volunteers :(
Do you have a list? I could probably post is somewhere and have some people translate what they can.
Hey ahéhee’ for offering to help :) The best thing to do would be to give people this link http://mozilla.locamotion.org/ to the translation site – signing up is easy and there’s people on hand to help with any questions. There NO obligation i.e. even when you sign up, you can translate nothing, a single phrase or loads, no deadlines etc.
There are few of these projects out there. I will probably write a post on all of them so if someone wants to help they can. I’ll probably get to it early next week. Thanks for letting me know about this.
Yes, LibreOffice is another prime candidate (https://translations.documentfoundation.org/), VLC Mini (the media player) might be another good one to promote.
I can help with translation as much as I can, not fluent in speaking or writing, but I have most of the dictionaries and friends also who are fluent.
I think I am going to take a different approach to getting this done. I think I’ll do it through my Facebook page. Please refer your friends there to help out. Thanks. https://www.facebook.com/NavajoNowblog