On some suspicious requested translations...

I have an issue that I’d like to discuss with you cucumis members! The story I would tell you is totally my presumption but I think we need to think about this kind of problem. I do love this site and the idea that we can share our languages. However, I sort of have encountered the possibility of abusing this idealistic idea. I’m from South Korea and currently living in Indonesia for a research on Indonesian migrant workers. The reason I tell you my background is this is really directly related to my field of study.


From the beginning I often have seen the requested translations from Indonesian to English or Arabian. At first, I was just happy that there were some requested translations I could so I translated them. but as time went by I found a sort of pattern in them and became very, very suspicious and stopped translating them. Most of the requested translations are probably from text messages and are highly likely from Indonesian domestic workers. However, those who requested these translations are likely their Arabian employers as the remarks about the translations are often in Arabian, I guess. Often the requested translations are not in Indonesia but other local Indonesian languages like Javanese, Sundanese etc. Probably the Arabian employers have no idea about the local languages so they just put them in Indonesian. So it means (I know it is totally my assumption but) Arabian employers inspect text messages of their domestic workers and request translations on cucumis! Even for free!


Indonesia is one of the biggest migrant labour suppliers in the world especially as domestic workers to Middle East. It is quite well known that there are hundreds of millions of cases that they are abused by their Arabian employers, including rape, violence and of course inspecting text messages and phone calls.

I don’t know what I can do with this. Sure we can’t stop them to request translations on cucumis as we have no clue. I just stopped translating suspicious ones but still feel it’s not enough. At least I can talk about the possibility of abusing this free translation website with you guys.

soy, thank you so much for this.
cucumis is totally relying on the community to detect this kind of abuse.

experts and admisnitrators can put translation requests in standby while things a clearer.

Each time you are suspicious about a translation here is what you have to do :

You post a message below the translation :

- With a short sentence explaining you are suspicious (add also a link to this discussion, this will avoid to repeat the explanation http://www.cucumis.org/forum_1_f/read_rs_0_2827.html )
- Ask the requester why s/he needs this translation.
- You check the box "I want an adimn to check this page".

After a while, the translation will be put in standby by an admin/expert. And it the requester doesn't replay, then it will be removed automatically after one or two months.



OFFTOPIC : we've been looking for an active korean expert for ages, so if you feel you can do it, don't hesitate to tell us ^_^

Thank you for the reply, jp! There's a way to cope with this problem here actually. I will post a message when I find suspicious one again. I even found a requested translation with "This an SMS sent to our servant". Huh!

About your offer, I would love to be.:-)why not?

Yeah, thanks so much soy, do not hesitate to ask for an admin to check the page any time you see such translation requests.
Cucumis.org sure won't be any of these f...g exploiter's abettor!