Prepare batch upload spreadsheets for words and phrases

 


Introduction


Members of a language team can add words and phrases to a spreadsheet and upload them to your language site dictionary in batches. This allows your team to work offline to prepare new dictionary entries and media files for upload, instead of using the FirstVoices website. This page is about how to structure your language data into a spreadsheet that will be accepted by the batch uploader.

An alternative to preparing a batch upload is to add and edit dictionary entries on the FirstVoices website. Check out our information about adding entries from the Dashboard.

 


Accepted columns in the spreadsheet


When creating a batch spreadsheet, all information that you wish to upload must be listed in a column with a header exactly matching the options below. Most headers match the fields in the “Create a Word/Phrase” form in the Dashboard.

The "intended use" for each column is just a guide for what the field should be used for. You and your team can make decisions together about how these fields are used for your language site. We recommend trying to maintain consistency across your entire dictionary.

Language entry columns

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

Multiple columns allowed? 

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

Multiple columns allowed? 

TITLE

 Required 

The word or phrase in the language, using the language site’s alphabet.

duus

TYPE

 Required 

Choose one of two options: word or phrase . Determines whether this row is uploaded as a word or phrase.

word

phrase

TRANSLATION

Recommended

An explanation or definition, in English, of what the word/phrase means or how it is used. The translation can be literal or non-literal.

cat

I have a cat.

CATEGORY

Recommended

A descriptive grouping related to the word or its meaning. The text you enter should match the name of a category on your language site. Learn more about adding and editing categories to your language site.

The text you enter must exactly match an existing category on your language site (e.g. it is case sensitive). If the category does not exist on the language site, the row will not upload.

Mammals

Essential Phrases

PART_OF_SPEECH

Recommended

The grammatical category that best describes the way the word is used in a sentence. The text you enter should match the name of a part of speech used on FirstVoices. Find the list here.

This information is only relevant for words. It will not display for phrases.

Noun

Transitive Verb

NOTE

Optional

Any notes about the word/phrase or its meaning beyond its definition. Can include notes about what the word/phrase does or does not convey, cultural information about usage, literal translations, or information about the history of the word/phrase.

This word is only used when talking to small children.

Literal translation: “Something that makes noise”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Optional

If the word/phrase is sourced from a dictionary, wordlist, or other reference, you can make a note of it here. It could be a citation, a link, or other information. You may also choose to include information about who was involved in contributing or compiling the word, instructions on reuse, or copyright.

Boas’s 1905 Dictionary, page 42

Compiled by Jane Doe, 1975 notes

PRONUNCIATION

Optional

The pronunciation of a word in a linguistic or sound-it-out format that may not be a real spelling.

hi-tin-qis

/speʔəθ/

ALTERNATE_SPELLING

Optional

Indicate more possible spellings of the word that people will be able to search.

xsi
ksi
ksii

 

How to add multiple translations, categories, etc.

Batch upload spreadsheets support adding multiple translations, categories, and other information, just like the website. For these “multiple” fields, you can add up to 5 columns. The additional columns should be followed by _2 , then _3, _4, _5 .

Example: To add 5 categories to the same word, you can create five different columns:

CATEGORY CATEGORY_2 CATEGORY_3 CATEGORY_4 CATEGORY_5 Nature Environment Games Animals Cultural Practices

Note: You must have a column CATEGORY before you can add a column CATEGORY_2 !

 

Privacy columns

In addition to this basic information, further details can be added to both words and phrases:

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

VISIBILITY

Optional

Who can see your language entry immediately after it is uploaded? If left blank, the content will be visible to the team only after uploading. It will need to be reviewed and published.

Choose from: team, members, public. Defaults to team.

team

members

public

INCLUDE_ON_KIDS_SITE

Recommended

Is the content suitable for young children? If so, the entry will be added to the Kids Area on your language site. If left blank, the content will be added to the Kids Area.

For “no”, write N, False, or 0. For "yes", write Y, True, or 1. Defaults to "yes".

Y

N

INCLUDE_IN_GAMES

Optional

Should the content be used in FirstVoices Games? If so, the entry may appear in games on your language site. If left blank, the content will be used in games.

For “no”, write N, False, or 0. For "yes", write Y, True, or 1. Defaults to "yes".

Y

N

 

Media columns

This feature is still under construction. Media files are not processed by the FirstVoices batch uploader at this time and will be skipped. Check back later!

For media files to be successfully uploaded and linked to words in the spreadsheet when the batch is processed, you'll also need to add the following columns. Here, “required” means what is necessary for the file to upload successfully.

Use AUDIO columns for an audio file, IMG columns for an image file, and VIDEO columns for a video file. Check here for the list of accepted media file types.

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

Header

Required?

Intended use

Example

AUDIO_FILENAME

IMG_FILENAME

VIDEO_FILENAME

 Required 

The name of the media file that will be uploaded. Must exactly match the name of one of the media files included in your batch submission.

20190521_PB_cat_01.mp3

cat_blink_TM2023.jpg

AUDIO_TITLE

IMG_TITLE

VIDEO_TITLE

Recommended

Web-friendly title for the media. This title will be displayed when a visitor plays the audio/video or clicks on the image.

If blank, then the FILENAME information will be used.

Elder saying “neko” (cat)

Picture of Guarani traditional lands

AUDIO_DESCRIPTION

IMG_DESCRIPTION

VIDEO_DESCRIPTION

Optional

A longer, user-friendly description of how the recording or image came to be. Can include recording location, conditions, date etc.

A recording of the word “neko”, spoken by Jane Doe. Recorded at the FPCC office, May 2019.

AUDIO_SPEAKER

Recommended

 

The person speaking in an audio file. Visitors will be able to see the Speaker name before they play the file. Must exactly match the name of a Speaker on your language site.

Jane Doe

AUDIO_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

IMG_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

VIDEO_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Recommended

 

Information about where the media file has been sourced from. For images and videos, this field can be used to acknowledge the artist, photographer, or videographer who created it. For audio, you may wish to acknowledge people involved in recording or processing the file.

Video by Peter Brown

Photo sourced from Wikimedia Commons

AUDIO_INCLUDE_IN_KIDS_SITE

IMG_INCLUDE_IN_KIDS_SITE

VIDEO_INCLUDE_IN_KIDS_SITE

Optional

Is the media suitable for young children? If so, this media file will be displayed in the Kids’ Area.

For “no”, write N, False, or 0. For "yes", write Y, True, or 1. Defaults to "yes".

Y

N

AUDIO_INCLUDE_IN_GAMES

Optional

Is the media suitable to be used in FirstVoices Games? If so, this media file may be used in games.

For “no”, write N, False, or 0. For "yes", write Y, True, or 1. Defaults to "yes".

Y

N

VIDEO_EMBED_LINK

Optional

If you wish to link a video from Youtube or Vimeo to your dictionary entry, add the video URL in this column.

This column is not related to any other video columns.

https://youtu.be/4RxNvoO7CMw

 

Related entry link columns

When uploading a batch, you can add an additional column to quickly create a links between words and phrases in the spreadsheet. For example, this can be used to upload words with links to related phrases, or to upload a word with a link to its plural form.

Header

Required?

 

Example

Header

Required?

 

Example

RELATED_ENTRY

Optional

Copy the TITLE information (i.e. the word/phrase title) for another row in the spreadsheet. When the batch uploads, the entry in this row will link to the entry in that row.

The text should exactly match the TITLE information of the other row.

duus

RELATED_ENTRY_ID

Optional

List the unique ID for any word or phrase on your FirstVoices language site. When this new entry uploads, it will contain a link to that word or phrase.

9deb9c27-6941-4620-b7d8-d7b8fe0987ec

 


Available options for PART_OF_SPEECH


At this time you are not able to enter a custom PART_OF_SPEECH. You can choose from a fixed set of options shown in the list below:

  • Adjective

  • Adverb

  • Affirmation

  • Article/Determiner

  • Auxiliary Verb

  • Command

  • Conjunction

  • Connective

  • Demonstrative

  • Entity (Noun-like word)

  • Event/Activity (Verb-like word)

  • Interjection

  • Intransitive Verb

  • Modal

  • Modifier

  • Name

  • Negation

  • Noun

  • Noun Modifier

  • Number

  • Particle

  • Personal Pronoun

  • Plural Marker

  • Postposition

  • Prefix

  • Preposition

  • Pronoun

  • Quantifier

  • Question Marker

  • Question Word

  • Reciprocal Pronoun

  • Reciprocal Verb

  • Reflexive Pronoun

  • Reflexive Verb

  • Relative Pronoun

  • Root

  • Suffix

  • Tense/Aspect

  • Transitive Verb

  • Verb

  • Verb Modifier

  • Word Piece/Affix

 


Common errors to double check for


There are a few common errors made during batch preparation. Here are some things to double check before sending a batch spreadsheet to the FirstVoices team:

  • Are all the column headings spelled correctly? (i.e. AUDIO_TITLE, not AUDIOTITLE or AUDIO TITLE)

  • Does every row have word or phrase listed in the TYPE field?

  • Are all of the categories and speakers you reference in your spreadsheet spelled the same on your FirstVoices site, including their capitalization? (e.g. The category "Food" is not accidentally spelt "food" in your spreadsheet.)

  • Have you already created any new custom categories or speakers that you reference in your spreadsheet?

  • Are all of the parts of speech that you reference spelled the same as in the Parts of Speech list above?

  • Did you write the .wav or .mp3 extension after your filenames in the AUDIO_FILENAME column? (i.e. my-great-sound.mp3, not just my-great-sound)

  • Have you added information in the AUDIO_SPEAKER , IMG_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT , and VIDEO_ACKNOWLEDGEMENT columns, as needed?

 


Resources


Templates

 

Minimal columns

Recommended columns

All columns

 

Minimal columns

Recommended columns

All columns

Text headers only

Text and media headers

Example batches

 

Minimal columns

Recommended columns

All columns

 

Minimal columns

Recommended columns

All columns

Text data only

Text and media data