Fòram na Gàidhlig

Potential for Gaelic programs, says Microsoft executive

An executive at US technology giant Microsoft has said there was potential for its computer programs such as Office to be provided in Gaelic.

Bob McDowell told BBC Alba that newly launched software providing Gaelic translations could be the starting point for further products.

The Scottish Gaelic Microsoft Captions Language Interface Pack was officially launched in Inverness.

Mr McDowell is vice president of the company's business critical solutions.

The new captions pack allows users to get Gaelic translations of text by hovering their mouse over words and phrases.

Gaelic body Bord na Gaidhlig was involved in the project to create the pack.

The Microsoft Captions Language Interface Pack (CLIP) is a simple language tr*nsl*t**n solution that uses tooltip captions to display results. Use CLIP as a language aid, to see translations in your own dialect, update results in your own native tongue or maybe use it as a learning tool?

CLIP is designed to enable and support indigenous languages and native dialects and is the result of the close collaboration between Microsoft and local communities. Users will be able to download multiple languages, switching target translations quickly and easily.

To use, simply move your mouse around the screen and halt briefly over any text you want translated. Users can add their own vernacular tr*nsl*t**n and colloquialisms or copy & paste the results.

Translations are available between the following languages: English & Scottish Gaelic. More CLIP languages are available for download here.