Uncyclopedia talk:Foreign Office

Hi Wolf, I added the translations to the list that were already done to and from German. Actually I think that only very few articles qualify for translation. The topic and the kind of humour have to apply to both languages and cultures, which is not often the case. But in case of the mentioned articles someone found the articles funny and interesting enough so they might be interesting for others, too. -- NaturalBornKieler (talk) 15:14, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Oh, and then I have a suggestion: To all authors of articles who would like them to be translated, please make sure that all pictures in the article have their sources properly stated. In Germany (and many other countries AFAIK) we cannot take advantage of a "fair use" policy. We can only use material that has no copyrights on it, for example Creative Commons or other licenses. Therefore it would be helpful always to know the source of a picture file, so that we can see immediately whether we can use it or not. In many cases, we have to find other pictures for a translated article, which is a pity sometimes. NaturalBornKieler (talk) 15:36, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

@NaturalBronKieler: As far as I know, we deal with copyrights, too, but as you know, flags, old paintings and other things are public domain. We at the Oncy have never had problems with copyrights.

@Wolf: Nice initiative. Of all interlingual projects, this probably has the best chance of survival. The only road bump you may face when trying to contact us is that our most prominent member, D. G. Neree, faced ban mismanagement here, so most Oncy people don't really like the Uncy... to say the least. Also, the Dutch style of writing is very different from the English style (just compare our article on Brittany and yours.) But still, I'll try to help you as much as I can. Write on! | Lars863 | 15:50, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Lars, considering the fact that you have no idea about the history of the whole DGneree incident, and considering you have three different admins here involved and agreeing on his ban, I am getting very tired with these repeating allegations. DGNeree is an internet troll and he will remain banned here. Every other user from Oncyclopedia is welcomed here. ~ 19:47, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Lars, sure, we know about the Public Domain stuff. But for example, take the Braille article (hilarious stuff btw). We cannot use the pictures because they are copyrighted or the copyright is unknown. That's why I kindly ask for a source so that we could maybe use them anyway. Otherwise we would have to reproduce the pictures somehow, which might turn out not so fine as the originals. NaturalBornKieler (talk) 16:03, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

NBK No problem, I'll include that in the text at the top of the page. Also, thanks for the support Lars, glad it's popular :) --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 16:10, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Hello, i'm an user from Spanish Inciclopedia, and i saw your proposal in the forum, for me it's great that we can share the quality articles between the sister wikis. If you can explain some more about The Foreign Office, send me a message in my user talk in Inciclopedia. Greetings. --HonduranDude 21:21, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Looking it in that way, it is a great idea, i can put some quality articles from Inciclopedia to export Like Talked Soccer and Hi mom, i'm on the Internet. By the way, i would love to be an Spanish ambassador to England :D Greetings from Central America. --HonduranDude 21:43, 13 August 2009 (UTC) (Reply on my talk on Inci, please.)

I've got a question: it's ok to translate articles already existing on Uncyclopedia, and how can we create them here without overwriting the article sharing the same name? (I'm signing with my IP 'cause at the moment wikia prevents me to create an account with the same nick I use on Nonciclopedia; by the way I'm Wedhro, you can talk to me here).--93.42.82.36 09:28, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

Translating an article in a foreign language can be a daunting task (to me; i'm more at ease in translating from english to italian), so i woulnd't spend much time in translating an article before i know if someone else will judge it better or worse then Uncyc's one, not to mention the chance that the two articles are equally good, or just approach the subject from totally different points of view, so it wouldn't be fair to obliterate one of them.
Maybe you could just keep both articles, somehow differentiating them in the title, dunno, something like "Article" and "Article (made in Italy)". I know, it sucks, but you've got the picture.--93.42.82.36 10:00, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

Suggestions for Improvement

• UnNews articles should only be suggested when they have a "timeless" character. A good example is UnNews:Small children may have unrealistic goals which has no relation to an actual event and can be presented as hot news every other day. Articles referencing certain events and dates might be outdated when they are translated. -- NaturalBornKieler (talk) 13:27, 14 August 2009 (UTC)
• Articles based mainly on word-play should be flagged as such. They will be very difficult or impossible to translate. For example Civil war is funny because of the double meaning of "civil" here but hardly ever such a double meaning can be carried over in another language. "civil" in German is "höflich", "Civil war" is "Bürgerkrieg". You cannot bring both together and the joke will be lost, and the article with it. -- NaturalBornKieler (talk) 13:27, 14 August 2009 (UTC)
  • Good points, would you like me to flag these on the main page? --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 13:38, 14 August 2009 (UTC)
    • Go ahead. I'll be particularly impressed if you flag the Japanese and Russian ones :) -- NaturalBornKieler (talk) 13:52, 14 August 2009 (UTC)
      • Haha, I meant do you want me to flag these points on the main page? i.e. Do you want me to transfer these two points to the main page? :p --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 14:24, 14 August 2009 (UTC)
        • Oh, I see. There you've got one of those typical misunderstandings. Yes, I think it would not be wrong to tell everyone :) -- NaturalBornKieler (talk) 14:47, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

• How about this: When there are a bunch of fine translations from many languages (to many languages), we could set up a "world exhibition". This would be something like a portal page with "pavillions" from several countries/languages presenting their articles. NaturalBornKieler (talk) 14:30, 15 August 2009 (UTC)
  • That sounds like a fine idea, NBK, how would you go about it? Would there be some element of competition? --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 14:40, 15 August 2009 (UTC)
    • I don't think of competition but I think we should make sure that high quality articles are presented there. This sort of exhibition should claim to show the "best satire of the world" and/or to show the varieties of satire and humour worldwide. How to achieve that, well, let's think and talk about it. In any case, we need a certain amount of "raw material" first. NaturalBornKieler (talk) 15:13, 15 August 2009 (UTC)

• I just caught a thought of establishing some small portals in other Uncyclopedias about the project and its purposes, so the contributors could find us easier. How about that? Praetorian 00:17, 16 August 2009 (UTC)
  • Very good idea, in fact MFH made the same point on The Assembly. We will have a talk about it there ok? :) --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 00:30, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

• I have done the first translation now for this project (see here, anyone care to review/fix the language?) and in the process I realized that some translations hold special problems, in this case the fact that the thing is a parody. For writing a fine parody, you need to know the original. For a translator who is not the original author it might be difficult to find the original model of the parody. Therefore the original authors and/or translators could add translation hints and help into the source text as comments. I did that in this case: the two literary parodies have references to their original texts - these references are hidden to the normal reader, but anyone who edits the text will find them. NaturalBornKieler (talk) 14:42, 17 August 2009 (UTC)
  • I'm on it now NBK :) And your ideas about notifying of parodies is good one, duly noted. --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 15:19, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

This is too complicated

Where would I put a request for HowTo:Build the Perfect Sandcastle being translated into any/all other languages. Not being arragant or anything but I think it's pretty universal.    Orian57    Talk   22:08 14 August 2009

You'd put this in the section "Translation" and there in the subsection "English" on the project page. Sounds not too complicated for me, or am I missing something? (Apart from the fact that NO ONE tells a German how to build a perfect sandcastle ... :) NaturalBornKieler (talk) 22:24, 14 August 2009 (UTC)

Well yes. You're verry effincient in my opinion (albeit an opinion I adopted from the rest of civilisation).    Orian57    Talk   22:26 14 August 2009

Walk Don't Run

Before this goes too theoretical - just to anchor it back into reality, if El Sid decided he wanted to have a life or had other pressures on time, this idea needs at least a team to keep it running in his absence . You can see the turnover there is on the main uncyclopedia site. People come and go , disappear for months or years and then suddenly say 'Hi Remember me'. I think right now the important thing is to get on with translating/re-editing etc enough articles to keep this project alive. So though it is important to have a vision of an international exhibition - a sort of Olympics of Humour if you like - we need to get people involved in the less glamorous business of providing the raw or refined material. --RomArtus*Imperator ® (Orate). 10:30, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Yeah I had the same thought Romartus. At the moment I can do a lot of editing and take a lot of time organising this, but then my last (real) work was only on a 6 month contract so at the moment I'm "between jobs" and hence have a lot of free-time. As it happens if I haven't found a job within a couple of months, I may just go for this working placement in Ecuador I've been looking at. The point is, either way by a couple of months at the latest, I won't have the free time I have at the moment, so the English Uncyclopedia definitely needs more of a team... --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 10:36, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Maybe the Representatives should make an Assemblée Internationale, in which we can make clear who the leader is if the normal is missing and in which we can check how active a user is. Sees Romartus actually wants to slow us down. Or at least let's appoint that if you will be inactive for a while (a week or so) to tell the rest. | User:Lars863/sig | 19:00, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Don't worry Lars, my concern at the moment is getting the groundwork done so our magnificent orchard can one day bring to fruition articles of infinite diversity - pear-shaped ones, orange-shaped, maybe a few raspberries! So I'm far more interested in getting names down at the moment because that is what really needs to be done. Unfortunately we haven't got the interest over here, but if I could get someone to include a link to the Foreign Office - and some encouragement - in our Welcome messages to n00bs, then I imagine we will have more Englishman power some day (and Americans/Australians as a worst case scenario ;)). --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 19:44, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Oh and thanks for the help so far, you're doing a lot to help bring this project forwards and I appreciate it. --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 19:44, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

It hepls me practise the English language and I've always like contacting people from other countries. Works for both. Or like we say in the Netherlands: If one hand cleans the other, the one'll get clean, too. | User:Lars863/sig | 20:28, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

That's much like my philosophy on the matter too, I'm just enjoying the challenge and the ability to practice my French and build community links at the moment --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 20:35, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Yes, as for French; this might really help me learn something. I might learn some English slang, but apart from that it's just keeping a routine. Anyway, anything you need help with at the moment, apart from getting Romania translated? | User:Lars863/sig | 20:57, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

Well, not that I can think of, would you recommend your Willem van Oranje page? Or Erasmus? Do you have any artist - Rembrandt, van Eyck, Vermeer etc.. - articles? --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 21:16, 16 August 2009 (UTC)

I guess the fact that after three years we have yet to comlete the article on the Father of our Fatherland says enough... As soon as the article on William the Silent (William of Orange, to you, is someone else, right?) is finished, I'll make a translation. Basically, I've mixed William the Silent with Che Guevara. | User:Lars863/sig | 09:47, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Haha that's cool with me, yes I think so (or rather, I assume so). I am interested in the guy there is a movie by (Verhoeven made it I think), not the guy who came over here and stole our throne ;) --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 09:52, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

A New Page

Added a "Translated Articles List" at the here. It's not necessary to use it, just there so we can see how successful the project is/will be and get easy access to all Foreign Office-translated articles.--El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 12:53, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

Coming back to the "too complicated"

The way it's currently build is a bit messy and not entirely clear. I think you need to consider how you simplify the way it looks or break it down to subpages. ~ 09:44, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

Will do Mordillo, cheers --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 09:47, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

We could move the lists that are now on the "main" page to the languages' sub pages. | User:Lars863/sig | 10:02, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

The main thing for me as that it's not clear enough what you need to post where. So, if I'm a user here and I want to suggest something to be translated to other languages - where do I post it. Or - if I'm a user from another wiki who want to suggest an article to be translated here - what do I do? ~ 10:11, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

To be honest, I thought it was pretty clear and most people didn't seem to have any problems, however I have moved things around a little because it was getting quite messy anyway. Now there are just lots of links, which might be even more difficult. --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 10:19, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

Not as long as it is clear what to put where. Just say "For suggestions of articles in your language which can be translated, go here." That's the most important direction. | User:Lars863/sig | 10:21, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

OK, I have a change around, Lars could you sweep through and make things clearer where they are lacking? Also, I'm considering moving the ambassadors off the translations page (because it's very messy as it is) and putting all the links on the Ambassadors page. Good idea? --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 10:34, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

New Design?

I have commissioned the finest draughtstman of our generation the mighty task of designing a neater and more official looking design for the Foreign Office. His first shot was this. What do people think? Yay or nay? --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 22:57, 18 August 2009 (UTC)

Not bad at all. Yea! (It's yea and nay, right?) | User:Lars863/sig | 09:01, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Ok with me. By the way, who is this guy with the moustache and the cap? Do I have to know him if I want a career in international relations? NaturalBornKieler (talk) 09:15, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

British soldier, I guess. | User:Lars863/sig | 09:22, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

I don't know, he just invited himself in... --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 09:51, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Thanks all for your 'YEAs'. Any changes necessary? - - - Pie+Muffin = Greatness Barf- + -Observe 14:04, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Any good with logos? (to replace the diplomapic) --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 14:17, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Yay for me :P Ptok-Bentoniczny 17:01, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

In that case it's "Yay"s all round. A cool state-of-the-art chic trendy flashy awesome WOW! logo would be pretty cool too. Anyone?--El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 17:31, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Hey I have completed the english offshoot pages. You can see the conversation and the list of new offshoots here. >>Here<< - - - Pie+Muffin = Greatness Barf- + -Observe 23:48, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Recruiting

Hi all. FYI, I decided to put a special banner on the front page of the French Désencyclopédie to try to recruit people able to translate articles. A lot of our readers would like to write texts but they don't have the time or aptitude to do that so this way they will find a nice way to contribute. I'll let you know if this initiative is successful. WiiKend 21:35, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

Awesome, cheers for that. Good pic too :D --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 21:51, 19 August 2009 (UTC)

After 3 days it looks pretty successful. Around 15 users seem to be ready to translate some articles. Let's see if it will really happen. WiiKend 10:26, 22 August 2009 (UTC)

Question of Taste

I was just a bit disturbed to see that you have translated an article about parents fist fucking their children WiiKend . I doubt this will get onto Uncyclopedia because of the subject matter . I know you also did the Miley Cyrus article which I also thought was too explicit and could have done with a tone down. So perhaps think about this issue when translating some other articles. It might be a wasted effort.--RomArtus*Imperator ® (Orate). 17:42, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

I think it needs to stay on Uncyclopedia because I found it hilarious. I personally want it featured after a bit of cleanup. -- Soldat Teh PWNerator (pwnt!)

I liked it. MrN  Fork you! 18:16, Aug 21

this has nothing to do about parents fist-fucking their children. You got the wrong idea. This is a guide for parents to explain fist-fucking to their children. Do you assume that when parents explain their children how to make babies, they fuck them? By the way I think your article about Cleopatra is very disturbing. I'm pretty sure I've seen a guy fucking a snake on a picture. Soooo gross. (and not mentioning the infamous breast nudity!)WiiKend 21:27, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

You doubt it will "get into Uncyclopedia"? I'm not sure you understand how wikis work. - T.L.B. WotM, UotM, FPrize, AotM, ANotM, PLS, UN:HS, GUN 18:17, Aug 23

@Romartus: This was the third best of 2008 We apreciate fisting.    Orian57    Talk   19:08 23 August 2009

Who wouldn't! WiiKend 20:16, 23 August 2009 (UTC)

Well actually it looks sore but whatever turns you on.    Orian57    Talk   21:44 23 August 2009

My opinion about this project

First of all: I won't translate any articles to Wikia. I will translate articles from Wikia. I won't contribute on Wikia-uncycs, so you won't see any articles by me here, nor on Spanish, nor on Danish, nor on French. I'm really sorry, but I only make articles on non-profit uncycs. Reason: A: As a parody on Wikipedia, Uncycs must be non-profit. B: All these Wikia-janitors or what they call themselves can kiss my ass won't receive any money of my contributions here (except when someone communicates on talk pages).
This project is very good to make connections with other uncycs etc etc... BUT pay attention when copying pages and translating them! As allready mentioned before: English/American humour is not the same as humour in other languages. I say: copy from wikipedia, i know, it seems a bit strange but it's still better than copying from Uncyclopedia. We are still a parody on Wikipedia, aren't we?
On Oncyclopedia we are glad to see that Lars is very excited according this project. And about D. G. Neree: he's not a troll. He is old enough to know what's good or wrong. I would do the same if i were D. G. Neree in his situation with the intimidating behaviour of Manticore!
About me: I'm not going to translate articles in the near future, because I'm busy with administrating ignored uncycs and helping them to be better, with many thanks to Rhubella Marie and Carlb who are supporting me on these wiks. If you want to ask some questions about the projects that I'm administrating, please visit my central talk page on Oncyclopedia. Right here. Grettings | Cartoonist | You're nuts? Don't worry... Me too! | 21:29, December 28, 2009 (UTC)

What are sources of incomes of Uncyclopedia? How this project earns money? I don't see any adverts nor pay-per-view system... I would say something unnecessary but... lol Sir Ptok-Bentoniczny^{Pisz tutaj} • KUN 10:23, December 29, 2009 (UTC)

Wikia. Why is this url .wikia.com? Wikia is a Wiki-farm, and receives money for every click you do on their projects. They are using google-adsense, just watch below every page... They get money for every thing volunteers do! Cartoonist | You're nuts? Don't worry... Me too! | 15:31, December 29, 2009 (UTC)

OK. Even if it's true - who the hell cares? I don't pay them personally. Sir Ptok-Bentoniczny^{Pisz tutaj} • KUN 17:58, December 29, 2009 (UTC)

Wow, Henning, I didn't expect this comment, 'd anyone contact you? Mind you, after all, that as the English Uncyc, getting a Dutch article here is the ultimate way to get it looked at. And from then on, you don't have to work on translating it to French, German or whatever language anymore, since everyone here speaks English... Oh well, at least it's good to hear you're all happy with me doing this. As for DG, let's try to give the past some sleep, shall we? ;) We both know he's a fine bloke, but stirring up the past won't help him any, and it might get our butts kicked! And uh... is it just me, or is the colour in my sig identical to yours? User:Lars863/sig | 16:34, December 29, 2009 (UTC)

I wanted to let everyone know what they can expect from me. I'm a bit grumpy according to my experiences with Wikia (I don't have to explain it again, I think) and to the fact that I'm colaborating with Wikia projects. Therefor I was a bit sceptic about the whole FO. I actually can't understand too why the FO doesn't happen on UnMeta, the perfect "central" and neutral place to do it. Moreover, the original ambassies are there. But, I don't have to complain | Cartoonist | You're nuts? Don't worry... Me too! | 01:25, December 30, 2009 (UTC)

In our discussions, there was once such a thought to transfer the FO to UnMeta. — Praetorian the Glorious Strategist. 14:15, January 1, 2010 (UTC)

Those perfidious frogs

Apparently articles from the English Unyclopedia are ineligible for feature at the French Uncyclopedia. Does someone want to go over there and hit them with a stick? --Pleb SYNDROME _{CUN medicate (butt poop!!!!)} 05:11, January 5, 2010 (UTC)

yeah it's a policy we have. We promote protectionism for cheese, wine and featured articles. Only original content can be featured but I might propose to create a special featured category for translations because some content are really great. WiiKend 11:26, January 12, 2010 (UTC) (Désencyclopédie's admin)

Oo, if you do, warn us at the Oncy, I think the people'll like having a chance to gather international fame. You know, the Dutch are the most sauvenistic people apart from the English, Germans, and French. Belgians are anti-sauvenistic, as you'll understand. | User:Lars863/sig | 12:27, January 12, 2010 (UTC)

Czech uncyclopedia on line...

Hi, Lars have talked me up to join to this project...so I am here, as an emissary of czech uncy, Necyklopedie. Here already is one article translated from our uncy (Rudoltice) and I would like to try to translate some other... I hope my english is more understandable than my hungarian, from which i don't know any word. --Vygoš 20:47, April 11, 2010 (UTC)

Sid here, do you come from Olomouc with love? You are very welcome Mighty Bohemia/Moravia. Please come back. --92.14.94.224 14:34, July 8, 2010 (UTC) (Sid)

Sid again, making alterations to your entertaining article. Hope you like it. --El Sid, the lazy one • parlez-vous franglais? 15:16, July 8, 2010 (UTC)

Hi, I have forgotten for the foreign office completely because of final exams in school and accepting to the university... but that's my problem, I know :-D Wel, I promise I'll start to do something. But I have bad piece of information. I have never been in Olomouc. --93.91.144.178 21:09, July 18, 2010 (UTC)

Ah, everything was so well: "From Olomouc with love". — Praetorian the Glorious Strategist. 23:35, July 21, 2010 (UTC)

Do languages that are not technically languages count.

Programming Languages - VB, VB6, VB.NET, COBOL, C, C++, Pascal, and so on and so forth. Fictional Languages - Gallifreyan, New Galligfeyen, Klingon, Galactic Standard, System English, and so on and so forth. Dead Languages - Latin, Ancient Greek, King's English, Old English, and so on and so forth. Do they count?UDON'TKNOWME0000 (talk) 12:16, March 22, 2017 (UTC)

This is for interwiki translation services. Not sure you're in the right place. --RomArtus*Imperator ITRA (Orate) ® 19:19, March 22, 2017 (UTC)

I am meaning, that I can thoroughly translate into quite a few of the above languages. It could be quite a joke in my opinion, but I got guess it's a bit nerdy. I am a native level Visual Basican, American, C-plusian, and HTMLian. I can speak very good King's English. I wish to be a quote unquote "ambassador" for one or many of these. --UDON'TKNOWME0000 (talk) 20:01, March 22, 2017 (UTC)