Languages and translation

A Skillsail module can be written in one language and presented to learners in several others. The player includes a language picker, and exports include all configured languages.

Source language and learner default

Every module has two separate language settings:

• The source language is the first language in the configured language list. It is the primary authoring language that Skillsail and connected AI assistants use when they create or edit content.
• The learner default language is the language shown first when someone opens the module. It must be one of the configured languages, but it does not have to be the source language.

For example, you can author a module in English while making German the default for learners.

Adding and removing languages

You can add or remove languages at any time. When you add a language, Skillsail creates the missing translations for the module's existing title and components. Removing a language removes it from the learner-facing module and from future exports. Modules you exported earlier are not affected.

If you change the source language, Skillsail uses the new first language as the primary authoring language for later work. Changing the learner default only changes which configured language learners see first.

Keeping translations up to date

Skillsail first saves a new slide, question, or interactive activity in the source language, then automatically translates it into every other configured language. Source-language edits also refresh the other configured language versions automatically.

If a translation provider, usage allowance, or concurrent source edit prevents one or more versions from being completed safely, the source content remains saved and Skillsail reports the affected languages. Retry those languages after resolving the reported issue. Review the result before publishing or exporting, especially when terminology must follow company or industry wording.

Voiceover languages

AI voiceover is available for many but not all languages. If a module already uses voiceover, a newly added slide automatically receives narration and audio for every configured language after its translations finish. If any translation is incomplete, automatic voiceover is skipped for that slide so source-language speech is not attached to the wrong language version. Skillsail reports affected and fallback languages. Voiceover follows the language version selected by the learner where supported.

Player interface text

Buttons and labels in the player, such as Next, Back, and Submit, are translated separately from your module content. You do not need to translate those standard interface labels yourself.

Good practices

• Keep one clear source language and make your content changes there first.
• Check the reported translation and voiceover status after adding or editing content, and retry any affected languages.
• After editing a slide, check which languages are reported as having narration recorded from the earlier text, and re-record those where the spoken version no longer fits.
• Review names, legal wording, safety instructions, and industry-specific terms in every published language.
• Use complete phrases where possible. Very short fragments can be harder to translate reliably.

Related

• Modules and components
• Themes and completion