====== Skill Requirements for Translators ======

This skill list is of course probably idealistic as you have no real control over the skills
that volunteers will bring to your project.

===== Essential attributes summary =====

  * Mother tongue speaker
  * Passionate about their language
  * Computer experience

Nice to have:

  * Graduate qualification: Computer Science, linguistics, language

===== Essential skills explained =====

==== Mother tongue speaker ====

Many people say they are proficient in multiple languages.
Some people are, most people aren't.  The problem with people with
multi-language skills is that they often do not have access to a deep
understanding of either language.  And a deep understanding is what you need if
you want to find words that can be reused in a different way in a computer
translation.  So treat the [[wp>List of noted polyglots|polyglot]] with caution until proved otherwise.

==== Passionate ====

This may seem redundant but a person who is passionate about their
language is much less likely to say well there isn't a word for "Proxy Server"
and is more likely to understand the need for a good and extensive translation.

==== Computer experience ====

Someone who has no computer experience will not have the
best understanding of words used differently in the computer world - words such
as 'execute' and 'run'.  But a BSc is also not needed.  You need someone who 
can comfortably use a computer they can always lookup difficult words in online
computer dictionaries.

==== Graduate qualifications ====

This is a nice skill to have especially when defining
terminology that requires a deep understanding of language, etimology and
computer usage and definitions.