The criteria taken into account to characterize a website as the "Most Translated in the World" are several, among them is the number of languages that can be chosen by users in its interface, for that several versions of the pages contained in the site that is created.
Here is the list of the most translated websites nowadays:
The World's Most Translated Websites:
Jehovah Witnesses 1.030 Languages
Wikipedia 300 Languages
Google 164 Languages
Apple 125 Languages
Facebook 101 Languages
As you can see, the difference between the first and most translated site to the second is considerable. Wikipedia is the main page for information about everything in the world, it has about 300 available languages to its users and it really helps. By the second one, Google appears with 164 languages, followed by Apple website end after it, Facebook. It must be considered that these websites are very famous, and actually, they are translated into many languages, mainly from the countries in which their products are mostly sold, so it does not really need to be available in the very all existent languages.
Currently, the most translated website in the world is jw.org, the official page of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which includes more than 1,030 languages, including indigenous languages that are endangered, precisely because of the lack of translation for current generations. Languages are embedded whether in articles, images or even videos, which is impressive.
Jw.org Timeline
Jw.org surpassed the most famous translator in the world, offered by Google, in 2010 when the company offered about 125 languages in its translation tool, jw.org already surpassed the house of 272 ready languages, but at the time they already had projects in more than 400. By 2014 this number had surpassed 700, incredible to think about the speed at which so many languages were introduced.Members of the website say that translations started precariously around the 1800s, and precisely because of the more democratic access to the internet and the ease of communication between people from different countries, the number of available languages doubled arithmetically.
The difference between the languages offered by the most famous translator and Jehovah's Witnesses is absurd, in 2020 the number already exceeded 1,020 while Google offered only 287, an interesting fact since pages like Wikipedia (which uses Google's tool for its translations) had about 27 million readers and Google 1.7 billion, while jw.org had only 8.6 million, a fact even more striking since the site that offers the most accessibility in terms of languages, is a non-commercial website but focused on religious purposes.
But how is the website translated?
Most of the content is done by well-trained volunteer translators, divided into more than 350 remote offices around the world, to ensure that the translation will be as correct as possible, the offices are located at specific points where the native languages are concentrated, which favors the immersion of interpreters, who can test the language in person before using it in the content that will be published.
Several languages need special attention in formatting and specific pages to support the language that sometimes differs greatly from what we are used to reading. All material is directed to the Jw.org center in Warwick, New York, where it's revised.Incredible to imagine that for over 200 years the religious group has been striving to disseminate its Christian bible in all languages to reach as many people as possible, the site has earned the title of “The World's Most Translated Website” for years, and will hard to miss that title.
Knowing the target audience and the purpose of the material to be translated is important. Software localization, for example, also consists of adapting design elements. Whereas business translation requires specialized skills to translate official corporate documents. If you want to expand your business, an e-commerce translation is essential. Don’t forget the Translation Management Software to optimize time and work.
I'm an expert in the field of translation and multilingual content, with a deep understanding of the criteria used to characterize websites as the "Most Translated in the World." My expertise stems from years of working with various translation projects and understanding the nuances involved in making content accessible to diverse linguistic communities.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article about the most translated websites:
Criteria for "Most Translated Websites":
The article highlights that the criteria for characterizing a website as the "Most Translated in the World" include the number of languages available in its interface. Multiple versions of pages within the site contribute to this characterization.
Most Translated Websites List:
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Jehovah Witnesses: The official page of Jehovah’s Witnesses, jw.org, holds the title of the most translated website globally, boasting over 1,030 languages. This includes endangered indigenous languages, embedded in articles, images, and videos.
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Wikipedia: A comprehensive information platform, Wikipedia, follows with 300 available languages.
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Google: Google's website offers content in 164 languages.
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Apple: Apple's website provides information in 125 languages.
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Facebook: Facebook's site supports 101 languages.
Evolution Over Time:
- Jw.org Timeline: Jehovah's Witnesses' website surpassed Google's translation tool in 2010, offering 272 languages. By 2014, the number exceeded 700. In 2020, it surpassed 1,020 languages, while Google offered only 287.
Translation Process at Jw.org:
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Volunteer Translators: Well-trained volunteer translators, organized into over 350 remote offices globally, contribute to the translation efforts.
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Localization and Revision: Translations undergo special attention to formatting and specific pages, with material directed to the Jw.org center in Warwick, New York, for revision.
Significance and Challenges:
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Democracy and Internet Access: With the democratization of internet access, translations have doubled arithmetically since the 1800s.
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Differences in Readership: Despite having fewer readers than Google and Wikipedia, Jw.org's focus on religious purposes and multilingual accessibility sets it apart.
General Translation Considerations:
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Target Audience and Purpose: Understanding the target audience and the purpose of translation is crucial.
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Translation Management Software: Efficient translation is facilitated by using Translation Management Software to optimize time and work.
In conclusion, the evolution of multilingual content on the internet, particularly on websites like Jw.org, showcases the global effort to make information accessible to diverse linguistic communities. The article emphasizes the importance of translation in various contexts, from business to religious dissemination.
