Using the translations function

Select a language

The website is available in two languages, in English and French. This means that there are two databases of content, one in English and one in French. The database you are editing, on both the Posts and Pages dashboards sections within WordPress, will always be indicated by the language that is not highlighted in blue (see number 1 on the image below.) From the Posts page, as in the example below, you will note that you are currently editing the English database. The flag that is displayed underneath it and above the pencils, indicates which language a post will be translated into (see number 2 on the image below.)

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Adding a new post

When you add a new post, you can assign the post to either the English or the French database by selecting the “Language of this post” option (see number 4 in the example below). The language has to be specified before you publish a post (see number 5 in the example below) otherwise the post will be automatically posted in the default language, which is English.

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Translation options

Once a post has been published, there are two means of translating the post. These options are available in the “Translate the Document” box (see number 1 in the example below.) The first option is to “Translate” a post; the second option is to “Duplicate” a post. These options are explained in greater detail below.

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Translating a post

When the “Translate” option is selected, a new post will be created and automatically linked to your original post as the translation of that post. If your original post was English, the translated post will be added to the French database; and vice versa.

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The translated post does not duplicate the content of your original content. You will be required to add the Title (see number 2 in the example below); the Content (see number 3 in the example below); the Source (see number 4 in the example below).

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When you have added your content, you have to update the post (see number 5 in the example below).

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Duplicating a post

When the “Duplicate” option is selected, a new duplicate post will be created and automatically linked to your original post as a duplicate of that post. If your original post was English, the duplicate post will be added to the French database; and vice versa.

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The difference between the “Duplicate” and the “Translate” options is that the duplicate post is directly linked to your original post. If you change the content of the original post, it will update the duplicate post. Similarly, if you delete a post that has been duplicated, it will automatically delete the duplicate post.

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Quick edit a post

From the Posts window in the WordPress Dashboard you can quickly assess whether a post has been duplicated or translated. The pencil icon example below, indicates that the post has been Translated or Duplicated. If you click on the pencil, it will open the Translation or Duplicated post. In the example below, you will open the French Translation of the “Test English Post.”

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The plus icon in the example below indicates that the post has not been “Translated or Duplicated.” By clicking on the plus icon, you can either create a Translation or Duplicate post. In the example below, you will create a French Translation or Duplicate post of the “Test English Post.”

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