Subtitles/Translations for Libera Videos on YouTube

[henrylonghorn]

Calling Libera fans and supporters around the world!

There is another way to help Libera, right from your computer - contributing subtitles and translations to the official video uploads. The subtitles help people follow along with lyrics, and perhaps more so for non-English speakers, understand what they're saying in the other videos. It also helps lead viewers to the Libera Official channel.

The process is quite intuitive; open a video, click on the Settings icon in the toolbar, then click on "Subtitles/CC."

Capture.JPG (20.26 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

Capture.JPG (20.26 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

In this example, the recent video for In Paradisum already has ten sets of subtitles! If you don't see a language, just click on the top-most option "Add subtitles/CC."

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Capture2.JPG (16.3 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

Now, if the captions for "English (United Kingdom)" has been completed, you can simply translate each phrase from English. Otherwise, you can use the timeline below the video to find a spot where a caption is needed, then type in the left panel. You can drag on the timeline boxes to make the caption longer or shorter.

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Capture3.JPG (75.83 KiB) Viewed 4633 times

When you're done, simply click on the "Submit contribution" blue box. You can have other users revise it before the final submission. I believe the Libera staff has to give a final approval before it shows up in the video. This can take several days. The page that tracks your submission status is here.

Additionally, you can even help translate the video title and description by clicking on "Title & description" in the top left corner in the above screenshot.

I hope together we can enable Libera to reach more people around the world!

[Surpinto]

Thank you henrylonghorn! I think that this is a very thoughtful thing that those who speak other languages can do to help Libera. We know that they have a huge fanbase in many countries outside the Anglosphere, but this could help them gain fans, and supporters, in new places as well.

Thank you for giving us a tutorial on this and I certainly hope that those who are able will contribute.

[hiskeys]

Yes, great idea. And we should probably encourage fans on this forum - Japanese, German, Spanish, etc. to consider doing the same.

[aoba]

Now, if the captions for "English (United Kingdom)" has been completed, you can simply translate each phrase from English.

I think so too.
I added a Japanese translation of the introduction of 'Beyond'. However, its work was a little hard. Because I can read and write English (with Google Translate ), but I'm not good at listening it.
Even if someone only make the English captions, it may help non-English speakers create translations of other languages.

[in_paradisum]

I just made Dutch captions for In Paradisum and the introduction of Beyond! Most Dutch people are very good at English, but I still liked the idea of contributing Maybe next time if I'm earlier, I can make the English subtitles

[henrylonghorn]

Even if someone only make the English captions, it may help non-English speakers create translations of other languages.

Yes, our top priority is to add captions for English (United Kingdom) because any subsequent translations can use the same text timings. It will save a lot of work for translators.

I just made Dutch captions for In Paradisum and the introduction of Beyond! Most Dutch people are very good at English, but I still liked the idea of contributing Maybe next time if I'm earlier, I can make the English subtitles

Great! There are many more Libera music videos for us to work on.

For example, I found this comment on the MV for Angel. Looks like the Libera staff has taken notice and is in full support of this effort!

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Capture4.JPG (15.31 KiB) Viewed 4456 times

[filiarheni]

This topic tempted me so much to just try it this weekend and I translated Nearer My God to Thee and the Outtakes video with Cassius and Jude from Armagh into German and added the English subtitles to How Shall I Sing That Majesty. It was fun!
Although it's sometimes not so easy to deliver a proper translation, when words in English are left out or when the lyrics are very poetic. So sometimes you have some own interpretion of the words going along with it, but I don't think that this is a problem, as long as the translation remains close to the lyrics and is comprehensible.

[justin]

Just did my bit by translating some of the older videos, like 'Sanctus' and 'What a Wonderful World'. If I have more time, I might just translate all of the remaining videos into Chinese.

[filiarheni]

I need your technical opinion, please: Referring to the subtitling, what to do with the bilingual songs?

I provided the original subtitles for Voca Me and Vespera and, without thinking further, selected "English" from the language offered in the menu in both cases. But with so much Latin in Voca Me, wouldn't it be more correct to label the original lyrics with "Latin" and then make an entire English translation and call this latter one "English"?
And how about Vespera, where the Latin part is much smaller than the English one?

What would you as a user expect for this kind of songs ? Unfortunately, there's no possibility to just choose "Original lyrics".

[henrylonghorn]

Although it's sometimes not so easy to deliver a proper translation, when words in English are left out or when the lyrics are very poetic. So sometimes you have some own interpretion of the words going along with it, but I don't think that this is a problem, as long as the translation remains close to the lyrics and is comprehensible.

I think personal interpretation is fine, especially when a traditional translation is not available. A self-challenge is to count the syllables in every phrase and produce a translation with the same number of syllables and stresses. Then, one can sing along in the second language.

I need your technical opinion, please: Referring to the subtitling, what to do with the bilingual songs?

I provided the original subtitles for Voca Me and Vespera and, without thinking further, selected "English" from the language offered in the menu in both cases. But with so much Latin in Voca Me, wouldn't it be more correct to label the original lyrics with "Latin" and then make an entire English translation and call this latter one "English"?
And how about Vespera, where the Latin part is much smaller than the English one?

What would you as a user expect for this kind of songs ? Unfortunately, there's no possibility to just choose "Original lyrics".

Interesting question! I would submit the original lyrics as "Latin," and then make a 100% English translation for "English (United Kingdom)." You can also use another line for the occasional Latin words. It would be nice to get Official Libera's opinion - maybe post a comment under the video? They have been quite active in responding to comments.

Just did my bit by translating some of the older videos, like 'Sanctus' and 'What a Wonderful World'. If I have more time, I might just translate all of the remaining videos into Chinese.

Great, some of the older videos are still generating many views, so it helps too!

[Molyfar]

It is not just a question of Translating a song, you also have to consider easy access for the hearing impaired.

I notice that some of the Libera video subtitles are in a foreign language (mainly on YouTube) but not in the language that is being sung, and often there is no way to change it on the menu. It would be useful if the subtitles were in both languages.

Subtitles in the language the song that is being sung is vital if you have a hearing loss.

I wear a hearing aid and thoroughly enjoy listening to the soothing and relaxing music of the videos, but I struggle to hear the words which is why subtitles are so important.

Just a thought

[Surpinto]

It is not just a question of Translating a song, you also have to consider easy access for the hearing impaired.

I notice that some of the Libera video subtitles are in a foreign language (mainly on YouTube) but not in the language that is being sung, and often there is no way to change it on the menu. It would be useful if the subtitles were in both languages.

Subtitles in the language the song that is being sung is vital if you have a hearing loss.

I wear a hearing aid and thoroughly enjoy listening to the soothing and relaxing music of the videos, but I struggle to hear the words which is why subtitles are so important.

Just a thought

Here's a thought: Most of the lyrics for the songs can be found online; and if you're up to it you could use the instructions Henry provided to add the lyrics to the videos. Obviously this would be a challenge for you given your hearing issues to align the words with the timing. But I am sure that you could listen over and over until you got the timings right. What do you think? It would be a great little project and help those like yourself immensely.

[Wolf]

I can understand that would be a little annoying!

To tack on to Surpinto's comment, I believe the majority of video's have English subtitles, which should make adding a new set of subtitles vastly easier as you're able to reuse the time stamps from the original, and simply paste in the translations (or in this case, the actual words).

I couldn't promise results, but perhaps if you compile a list of the songs that require subtitles (or just the specific ones you'd like) and post them here, someone may see them and help out.