New Advocates: What do I need to know about translating strings (text)?

This section will answer the common questions about translating written language (strings) for Khan Academy.

• Getting started with string translations: What are strings? Where do I find them? I am completely new to online string translation. Why are strings full of strange symbols? Do you have a string translation guide that I can share with my translation volunteers?
• What milestones/guidelines should I follow when organizing string translation for my team?
• What is a Localized Topic Tree, and what does it have to do with translating strings?

Getting started with string translations:

What are strings? Where do I find them?

I am completely new to online string translation. Why are strings full of strange symbols? 

Do you have a string translation guide that I can share with my translation volunteers?

The answers to all these questions can be found here!

What milestones/guidelines should I follow when organizing string translation for my team?

Many advocates wonder when they should start translating strings (in the past, teams often first focused on video dubbing). But a new team's first goal is to reach a Demo site (see below), which requires string translation. For this reason, you may want to begin translating strings early on. For more information on demo sites, please see below:

Demo Sites:

Under Khan Academy's milestones, translation teams can more quickly achieve an interactive Khan Academy  "Demo" site with videos and practice exercises. At the demo stage, you will have a Khan Academy interface that looks like the English site, but much more limited. Here is what a demo site looks like https://lv.khanacademy.org/. (Note: Demo sites were previously called "Test Sites.")

The primary function of this site is to demo to potential sponsors and test with students in pilot projects. When you have a Demo Site, it will be available to all users on the internet. 

Quality Control

In order to reach the demo stage, Khan Academy and your team will work together to make sure that a quality control process is in place for string translation.

What is a Localized Topic Tree (also referred to as LTT, or sometimes CMS or "Chameleon"), and what does it have to do with translating strings?

You may hear advocates talking about LTTs and content freezing. The issue is relevant to teams that already have a Khan Academy site. An LTT is a Localized Topic Tree, which allows language sites to have their own copy of all the content on Khan Academy. That way, if someone at Khan Academy updates an existing piece of content (e.g. edits an article), it doesn't immediately affect that piece of content in other languages. Each Advocate can review the change in their LTT and decide whether and when to apply the change to their language's copy of the content.