Internationalization (i18n)#

Overview#

The MCP Server Security Standard (MSSS) is designed to be translated into multiple languages to support the global security community. This document describes the translation process and guidelines.

Authoritative Language#

English is the authoritative language for all MSSS documents. In case of conflicts, ambiguities, or discrepancies between translations, the English version shall govern.

Supported Languages#

Current status is tracked in languages.json:

• Authoritative: English (en)
• Supported: English only (as of v0.1)
• Planned: Spanish, Portuguese (BR), French, German, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese

Translation Guidelines#

1. What to Translate#

The following documents SHOULD be translated:

• README.md (repository root)
• CHANGELOG.md (repository root)
• standard/msss.md
• standard/profiles.md
• standard/threat-model.md
• All controls in controls/
• governance/contributing.md
• This file (i18n/README.md)

The following documents MAY remain English-only:

• JSON schemas (technical, language-neutral)
• research/notes.md (internal documentation)

2. Directory Structure#

Translations SHALL use the following structure within each version directory:

v0.1/
├── standard/             (English - authoritative)
│   ├── msss.md
│   └── ...
├── i18n/
│   ├── es/              (Spanish translations)
│   │   ├── standard/
│   │   │   └── msss.md
│   │   └── controls/
│   │       └── MCP-FS-01-path-allowlisting.md
│   ├── pt-BR/           (Portuguese Brazil translations)
│   │   └── ...
│   └── fr/              (French translations)
│       └── ...

3. Translation Process#

1. Claim a document: Open an issue to indicate you’re translating a specific document to avoid duplicate work
2. Translate: Maintain the same structure, headings, and formatting as the English version
3. Preserve technical terms: Some terms should NOT be translated:
   • Control IDs (e.g., MCP-FS-01)
   • Status enums (PASS, FAIL, NOT_APPLICABLE, MANUAL_REVIEW)
   • Level designations (L1, L2, L3)
   • Domain codes (FS, EXEC, NET, etc.)
   • RFC 2119 keywords (MUST, SHOULD, MAY - translate but keep reference to RFC 2119)
4. Add attribution: Include translator credit at the bottom:

   ---
   **Translation**: [Your Name] (@github_username)
   **Date**: YYYY-MM-DD
   **Based on**: English v0.1.0

5. Submit PR: Follow contribution guidelines in governance/contributing.md

4. Maintaining Translations#

• Translations MUST track the English version they’re based on (e.g., “Based on: English v0.1.0”)
• When the English version is updated, translation maintainers SHOULD be notified
• Outdated translations MUST include a warning banner indicating they’re not current

Example banner:

> ⚠️ **Translation Notice**: This translation is based on English v0.1.0. The authoritative version has been updated to v0.2.0. Some content may be outdated.

5. Quality Standards#

Translations MUST:

• Be technically accurate
• Use consistent terminology (create a glossary for your language)
• Maintain the same level of formality as the English original
• Preserve all links and references
• Not alter the meaning or requirements of controls

Translations SHOULD:

• Be reviewed by at least one other fluent speaker
• Follow local conventions (e.g., date formats, decimal separators)
• Adapt examples to be culturally appropriate where necessary

6. Glossary#

Each language translation SHOULD maintain a glossary file mapping English technical terms to the target language:

v0.1/i18n/{lang}/glossary.md:

# Glossary: English → Spanish

| English | Spanish | Notes |
|---------|---------|-------|
| MCP server | Servidor MCP | Do not translate "MCP" |
| Tool | Herramienta | Technical term |
| Resource | Recurso | |
| Prompt | Prompt | Keep in English or use "Instrucción" |

7. RFC 2119 Keywords#

RFC 2119 keywords (MUST, SHOULD, MAY) have specific legal meanings. Translations SHOULD:

1. Translate the keyword for readability
2. Keep the English term in parentheses for clarity
3. Reference RFC 2119 in an introductory note

Example (Spanish):

## Lenguaje Normativo

Este estándar utiliza las siguientes palabras clave según se definen en RFC 2119:

| Término | Significado |
|---------|-------------|
| **DEBE (MUST)** | Requisito absoluto. El incumplimiento resulta en FALLO. |
| **DEBERÍA (SHOULD)** | Recomendado. La desviación requiere justificación documentada. |
| **PUEDE (MAY)** | Opcional. Sin impacto en el cumplimiento si se omite. |

8. Version Synchronization#

• Translation version numbers SHOULD match the English version they’re based on
• If a translation lags behind (e.g., English is v0.2 but Spanish is still based on v0.1), clearly mark this in the document header

9. Community Coordination#

• Translation discussions happen in GitHub Discussions under the “i18n” category
• Language-specific channels MAY be created for larger translation communities
• Quarterly sync meetings for active translators (announced in Discussions)

Volunteer#

We welcome translation volunteers! To contribute:

1. Check languages.json for priority languages
2. Open an issue: “Translation: [Language] - [Document]”
3. Fork the repository and create your translation
4. Submit a pull request

See governance/contributing.md for detailed contribution guidelines.

Contact#

For translation questions:

• Open an issue with the translation label
• Join GitHub Discussions → i18n category

Version: 0.1.0 Last Updated: 2025-01-15