Google Translate: Include correct SOGIESC words in Nepali

Google Translate: Include correct SOGIESC words in Nepali

Started
11 June 2020
Petition to
Signatures: 66Next Goal: 100
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Why this petition matters

Started by Queer Youth Group

Dear Google Translate,

We, folks, who speak Nepali language have been concerned with some translations of LGBTIQ+ related terminologies in Nepali language. We have seen that many LGBTIQ+ related terminologies in Google Translate have inaccurate translations and while we know the website is in the process of improvement, Google Translate is used as an important tool worldwide and we believe having incorrect information creates a harmful impact on the consumers which we can improve by placing correct information. Therefore we would like to urge Google Translate to update with correct information.

While we understand the range of LGBTIQ+ terminologies are constantly evolving, here we have identified some of the very basic and commonly used vocabularies and their translation issues.

1. Gender translates to 'लि .्ग' which is a spelling error. The term for gender in Nepali is 'लैङ्गिकता'.

2. Sexuality translates to 'कामुकता', which actually refers to eroticism and the accurate translation is 'यौनिकता'.

3. Sex translates into 'यौन' but a pop-up list below the translation also mentions the term 'लिड़ग' which is incorrect information and there is no such word.

4. Gender identity translation shows up as 'लि gender्ग पहिचान' which is a spelling error, and it should be 'लैङ्गिक पहिचान'.

5. Gender expression translations show up as 'लि .्ग अभिव्यक्ति' which is a spelling error and should be 'लैङ्गिक अभिव्यक्ति'.

6. There is no translation of the term 'cisgender'. We'd like the translation to be placed and it is 'त्याचलैङ्गिक'.

7. The term 'transgender' only gets Devanagari transliteration and its translation is 'पारलैङ्गिक'. Whereby, 'पारलैङ्गिक महिला' for trans woman; and 'पारलैङ्गिक पुरुष' for trans man.

8. There is no translation of the term 'non-binary'. We'd like the translation to be placed and it is गैर-द्वयसांखिक.

9. The translation for third gender is currently translated as 'तेस्रो लि .्ग', which is a spelling error and it should be 'तेस्रोलिङ्गी'.

10. The translation of 'sexual orientation' is 'यौन झुकाव' which is also correct, however, we also request to place the term 'यौन अभिमुखिकरण' as it is more prominently used.

11. 'Heterosexual' translates to 'भिन्नलिंगी' which actually means 'distinct genders'. The term for 'heterosexual' is 'विषमयौनिक'. 'Heterosexuality' translates to 'विषमलैंगिकता' which should be corrected as 'विषमयौनिकता'.

12. Similarly 'homosexual' should translate as 'समयौनिक' and 'homosexuality' as 'समयौनिकता'. There is also a lack of the translation for 'lesbian' which is 'समयौनिक महिला'. Similarly, the current translation of 'homosexual' as 'समलि .्गी' is inaccurate.

13. The term 'bisexual' translates to 'उभयलिंगी' which is an incorrect translation. We acknowledge that the term was used in biology & particularly botany to refer to an organism that isn't distinguished into male and female species and rather has both systems in one body. But the term 'hermaphrodite' is largely used for that purpose and the usage of the term 'bisexual' is a sexual identity in which a person experiences sexual & romantic attraction to two genders. The term 'उभयलिंगी' translates to 'hermaphrodites' and 'bisexual' as a sexual identity is 'द्वियौनिक', and 'द्वियौनिकता' for bisexuality.

14. Similarly, there are no translations of the terms 'asexual', 'pansexual' and 'polysexual' which goes as 'अयौनिक', 'सर्वयौनिक', 'बहुयौनिक' respectively and its noun forms asexuality, pansexuality & polysexuality go as 'अयौनिकता', 'सर्वयौनिकता', 'बहुयौनिकता'.

15. The term 'queer' with its meaning to a re-claimed vocabulary as an umbrella term to refer to non-cisgender and non-heterosexual folks currently translates to 'कुरो' which actually means 'talks'. As it is an English term adopted in Nepali it has multiple spellings क्वयेर, कुएर, क्वीयर, कोयेर. The most prominent spelling in Nepali is 'क्वयेर' which can be found with a search on social media or Google.

16. Other terms that we'd like to have included are homophobia : समद्वेषिता, homophobic : समद्वेषी, transphobia : पारद्वेषिता, transphobic : पारद्वेषी, biphobia : द्विद्वेषिता, biphobic : द्विद्वेषी, misogyny : महिलाद्वेषिता and स्त्रीद्वेषिता, misogynist : महिलाद्वेषी and स्त्रीद्वेषी, crossdresser : विषुपहिरणी, genderfluid : द्रवलैङ्गिक and तरल लैङ्गिकता भएका व्यक्ति, agender : अलैङ्गिक, bigender : दुईलैङ्गिक, demigender : अर्धलैङ्गिक, misgender : लैङ्गिक दुस्बोधन, deadname : मृतनाम.

17. There is no translation for the term 'intersex'. The translation is 'अन्तरलिङ्गी'

18. 'Patriarchy' translates as 'कुलपिता' which actually means 'father of the clan'. The translation should be 'पितृसत्ता', and 'patriarchal' as 'पितृसत्तात्मक'. We would also urge to have the term 'महिलावाद' as a translation of the term 'feminism' along with the existing translation. 

19. Pride Parade translates to गर्व परेड which is not the term that is used in Nepali. The term 'गौरव यात्रा' is a more accurate translation and is in prominent use. 

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Signatures: 66Next Goal: 100
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