How much work is a translation/localization of an entire new language?

[Carsten Agger]

Hello,

I'm new to this list. I've been using Ubuntu and free software since 
2005 and have also been active in the general movement. I am currently a 
member of the General Assembly of Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE).

In my day job, I'm working as an architect on free/open source products, 
currently only projects specifically related to our work for the 
government of Greenland.

My question/problem is this: I'd like to understand how much work it 
would take to localize Ubuntu into a completely new language where no 
volunteers were available but commercial translation is.


How much work would it be to translate the standard edition of Ubuntu 
with all pre-installed programs? In terms of hours or weeks? How many words?

I'm trying to see how I might arrive at an estimate. It would, of 
course, also be necessary to do technical work like creating new 
language packages.

Specifically, I'd like to see Ubuntu translated into Greenlandic (an 
Inuit language also known as Kalaallisut). There is a project for this 
on Launchpad, but it doesn't seem to have much activity since 2010, and 
I suspect there aren't enough volunteers available - not that 
surprising, since there's only about 60,000 speakers of the language.



Best,
Carsten