Zero to Digital Resources

The goal of the Translation Commons Zero to Digital Guidelines is to enable Indigenous language communities to improve their access to information. These resources are solutions-oriented and focus on actionable deliverables that will help your community organize, plan and carry out the digitization of your language.

The Zero to Digital series is an ongoing project developed by Translation Commons in support of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL). The series is continually expanded and updated and is being translated to French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. Come back to this page periodically to see what is new.

Introduction to Zero to Digital

In this brief paper you will learn how communities are marginalized by a lack of support for their language on digital devices and the several guidelines that Translation Commons has produced to instruct communities on the different aspects of bringing their language online.

Bringing Your Language Online

Use this guideline to get started with the digitization of your language. Gain a high-level overview of the features that are needed and then use the provided roadmap to evaluate the digital status of your language and plan next steps and actions.

Terminology

Working with your community you will build a comprehensive terminology collection. Learn the fundamentals of terminology work. You will document existing terms including those for specialized activities and coin new terms needed for the digitization of your language.

Data Gathering

Gathering and safekeeping materials that exemplify your language is fundamental to preserving, promoting, and supporting the vitality of your language. This data is also necessary for bringing your language online. The materials will include a variety of formats such as handwritten, print, audio, and video.

Benefits of Digitization

This article highlights how digitizing a language empowers Indigenous and minority communities to preserve, revitalize, and celebrate their culture, connect globally, access critical services, expand education and economic opportunities, while gaining global visibility.

Font Design

This guideline walks you step-by-step through creating a usable digital font for your language. You will learn about font requirements and how to design and test fonts so your community can read, write, and preserve your language online and in print.

Get Started on Your Language Digitization Journey

Browse our Resource Library

Select a topic to see the available documents. There can be a delay before the translation of each document is available. In some cases there are two versions of a document, full and abridged. The full version is the original version and generally includes more detailed instructions and examples. The abridged version will be condensed, with fewer examples and details, and may have updates where it is warranted.