Translating WordPress into Nepali: A WordCamp Talk

🎙️ Official Session: Translating WordPress into Nepali: A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity at WordCamp Kathmandu 2023.

A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity

WordPress powers a massive portion of the web, but its true power lies in its accessibility. For the platform to truly democratize publishing, it needs to speak the language of its users. This realization is what drove me to become heavily involved in the Nepali WordPress Polyglots team, eventually stepping into the ongoing role of a General Translation Editor (GTE) to lead the localization roadmap for our language.

Technology should never be gated behind language barriers. When a local business owner, blogger, or student in Nepal opens the WordPress admin dashboard in Nepali, it fundamentally transforms their relationship with technology from intimidation to empowerment.

Milestone: 100% Nepali Translation at WordCamp Nepal 2022

The journey toward full localization reached a historic turning point during WordCamp Nepal 2022 in Chitwan. While managing event logistics as the Print and Production lead, I also had the privilege of serving as the Contribution Day Table Lead for the Polyglots team.

Through the collaborative effort of our local Polyglots contributors, translators, and first-time volunteers, we hit the milestone of 100% Nepali translation for WordPress core. It showed what a dedicated, focused community can achieve in a single day.

Leading the Contribution Day Polyglots Table

The momentum didn't stop in Chitwan. Localization is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time project. With every WordPress major and minor release, new core strings, dashboard features, and bundled block patterns are introduced.

The following year at WordCamp Kathmandu 2023, held at Alice Receptions, I once again led the Contribution Day Table for the Nepali WordPress Polyglots team. We focused on maintaining the translations, reviewing pending strings from the community, updating glossary terms, and onboarding new contributors into the translation workflow.

Taking the Stage: A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity

WordCamp Kathmandu 2023 was also a deeply meaningful milestone for another reason: I had the honor of taking the main stage as a speaker.

In my talk, "Translating WordPress into Nepali: A Voyage of Localization and Inclusivity", I had the opportunity to pull back the curtain on open-source localization. I shared:

I covered the linguistic challenges: deciding when to transliterate a technical term versus finding an authentic Nepali equivalent that still feels intuitive for everyday users. I walked through our community workflows, how the WordPress Polyglots review system works, how we maintain quality control, and how we keep glossary rules consistent across teams. And I told real stories about the human impact, non-English speaking creators building their digital presence using native WordPress tools.

Speaking on the main stage was the natural culmination of years spent contributing behind the scenes, from my early days designing banners at WordCamp Bharatpur and Butwal to leading print production and running contribution tables.

Community, Connections, and Memories

Beyond the presentation on stage, what truly makes WordCamps unforgettable is the community. Meeting passionate developers, agency leads, writers, and students all united by WordPress is an invigorating experience.

Looking Ahead

As the ongoing General Translation Editor for WordPress Nepali on WordPress.org, the roadmap is always evolving. With new features, full-site editing tools, and default themes rolling out regularly, keeping WordPress fully localized requires a continuous community effort.

If you're interested in contributing to the Nepali Polyglots team, you don't need to be a developer. You just need a passion for the Nepali language and open-source software!

Join us on translate.wordpress.org or reach out through the WordPress Nepal Community to get involved.