Blogger Transliterates English To Hindi
Via Digital Inspiration, one learns that Google owned Blogger, which is probably the most popular blogging site in India, has launched a transliteration feature that coverts words typed in English into Hindi. There’s a server request for each word that is typed, and the transliterator also offers options for various words. However, you can’t comment in Hindi. I think that’s a bit of a dampener - you can’t really have a conversation on a blog in the local language.
More on the feature at Blogger help, and some assessment of the technology at Simulacra.
I noticed that the transliteration feature works only for the upgraded version of Blogger. While there are local language bloggers online, blogging from India is still English centric. Among the few that I have met, they seem to take pride in the fact that they write in their mother tongue, and they are the ones who will really benefit from this feature. With the addition of more local languages, content is only going to increase. Also, it just might help get some of those who always wanted to blog in Indic languages to get started….
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Comments (3)
Mar 11, 2007 10:55 AM
Hi Nikhil
While this feature is a most welcome addition (they ought to extend it to Google, Gmail and Docs as well), the powers that be at Google ought to remember that transliteration is useful only to those who think in English. It will not help in bringing in those who think in their local language. They should add the option of typing in Govt-approved keyboard input methods (like TamilNet99 and Typewriter modes for Tamil).
My 2 cents.
Jul 1, 2007 1:33 PM
hi Nikhil
That is a good site launched by google…. its really good but its not at all new, I have been using a link(http://quillpad.in/hindi/) which is available in 6 other languages also since sept. last year.. So Indians are already having their transliteration site.
Sep 27, 2008 2:14 PM
it’s nice information.. i’ve used too in my blog..