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POST 8. Wrap-up

1.1. Introduction

Hello everyone! I’m David García I Tejada, and I am absolutely thrilled to share my final report for the WP Credits course. This post outlines my journey and contributions to the WordPress open-source ecosystem, the unique linguistic challenges I tackled, and the invaluable skills I gained along the way. I hope my experience as a translator sheds light on the non-code ways you can make an impact and inspires others to get involved in the vibrant WordPress community!

 

1.2. Teams and Projects I Contributed To

  • Teams: I had the privilege of contributing to the WordPress Polyglots Team, the brilliant group responsible for making WordPress accessible to non-English speakers worldwide.
  • Project Focus: My primary mission was localising the User Registration & Membership plugin. I focused on translating the plugin into Spanish (es_ES), ensuring that the user interface, registration forms, and membership tier descriptions sounded natural, welcoming, and grammatically flawless for native speakers.

 

1.3. Learning Resources

Navigating the translation ecosystem requires a good map and an even better guide. Here is what helped me succeed:

  • Guides/Tutorials: I relied heavily on the official Polyglots Contributor Handbook and the global translation platform, GlotPress. I also frequently consulted the Spanish team’s specific style guide and glossary to ensure consistency.
  • Mentorship: I could not have done this without my fantastic mentor, Paula Carmona. Paula guided me through the intricacies of the GlotPress interface, taught me how to request Project Translation Editor (PTE) feedback, and showed me how to read the underlying PHP context of a string when the English phrase was ambiguous.

 

1.4. Challenges and Solutions

Translating a plugin isn’t just swapping words; it is about conveying the right user experience. Here were my main blockers and how I overcame them:

  • Challenge 1: Contextual Ambiguity. Words like «State» or «Check» can mean entirely different things in a membership plugin (e.g., does «Check» mean to verify a user’s status, or is it a payment method?).
    • Solution: Paula taught me how to use the «View Context» feature in GlotPress and cross-reference the plugin’s source code on GitHub. When in doubt, I asked for clarification in the #polyglots Slack channel to ensure I wasn’t translating blindly.
  • Challenge 2: Tone and Consistency. The plugin had complex strings relating to user restrictions (e.g., «You do not have permission to view this content»). Early on, my translations sounded a bit too robotic or harsh.
    • Solution: I reviewed the official WordPress Spanish Glossary to align my terminology. I also collaborated with General Translation Editors (GTEs) to soften the tone, ensuring that membership rejection messages felt polite and helpful rather than strictly punitive.

 

1.5. My Contributions

Over the course of the project, I translated hundreds of strings for the User Registration & Membership plugin.

 

1.6. Key Learnings from the WP Credits Course

The WP Credits programme completely changed my perspective on open-source software. Here are my top takeaways:

  • Open-Source is More Than Code: I learned that accessibility isn’t just about screen readers; it is also about language. Localisation is critical for global software adoption.
  • The Power of Asynchronous Collaboration: Using Slack and GlotPress, I learned how to effectively communicate and collaborate with a distributed team working across multiple time zones.
  • Community: The WordPress community is incredibly supportive. Engaging with other translators in the Polyglots team showed me how a shared passion for democratising publishing can unite people from entirely different cultures.

 

1.7. New Skills Gained

Through the rigorous process of translating a technical plugin, I developed a robust set of new skills:

  • Technical Skills: I mastered GlotPress and learned how to navigate SVN/GitHub repositories to read basic PHP code to understand string context. I also became highly proficient in using translation glossaries and translation memory tools.
  • Soft Skills: I vastly improved my attention to detail, cross-cultural communication, and my ability to graciously accept and apply constructive feedback from senior editors during translation reviews.

 

1.8. Personal Reflections and Next Steps

Contributing to the WordPress Polyglots team has been an immensely rewarding endeavour. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer linguistic puzzle that software translation presents—it requires a deep understanding of user psychology to get the tone just right.

Moving forward, my goal is to maintain the translations for the User Registration & Membership plugin with every new update. Ultimately, I aim to apply to become a Project Translation Editor (PTE) for this plugin in the Spanish locale, allowing me to review and approve strings from newer contributors. If you are reading this and are on the fence about contributing, dive in! The community is waiting for you.

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