Week12:Edits to Wikipedia in the past week--ZHANG XIAOTONG(장효동)

 Summary

Over the past week, I have nearly completed the translation task for the "Welcome to Video case" article. With guidance, I submitted a request to move and publish the article. However, shortly after the move request was submitted, Wikipedia administrators raised suggestions for revision, mainly pointing out issues with formatting and the presence of "translationese" in the language. This experience gave me deeper insights into Wikipedia's editing guidelines, the importance of linguistic neutrality, and the role of community standards in open knowledge platforms.

Interesting Points

1. The Dilemma of "Translationese":

While translating, I referred closely to the original English article to ensure accuracy. However, administrators pointed out that the result sounded too much like a direct translation, making the language stiff and inconsistent with natural Chinese expression. In some cases, I failed to adapt certain phrases into more idiomatic Chinese, and was advised to rephrase them according to native linguistic logic.

2. Wikipedia’s Rigor with Formatting:

I initially assumed that presenting accurate facts would suffice, but Wikipedia enforces strict standards regarding citation formats, paragraph structure, and citation style. For example, numerical formatting and consistent reference formatting are mandatory. My draft contained many formatting issues, which I had to correct one by one.

Related reflections：

1. Open Platforms Still Have High Entry Barriers:

Although Wikipedia is known for its openness, its strict community norms and formatting rules effectively create a threshold akin to semi-professional writing. For contributors, this is both a challenge and a valuable learning experience.

2. Linguistic Neutrality in Cultural Contexts:

"Translationese" is not just a stylistic issue—it reflects the need for culturally localized expression. Literal translations from English often sound awkward in Chinese, undermining the text’s approachability and credibility. Wikipedia’s emphasis on localized language ensures more effective knowledge dissemination.

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