Multilingual online memorial: what to check before you choose
A multilingual online memorial only does its job if every relative can read the same page in their own language, from a single link. WhoWasThisGuy.com offers 15 languages, through clearly marked automatic translations, and costs a one-time US$10.
An online memorial is a page where the family gathers the story, photos and memories of someone who has died. When aunts, uncles, cousins and grandchildren read different languages, four things decide the choice: languages, translation, control and cost.
Key takeaways
- Before comparing any platform, write down the language each close relative reads comfortably. If one of them is not on the list of languages, rule the option out, even if it is the cheapest.
- Accept only automatic translation with a visible notice on every translated page, and ask a bilingual relative to review the title and the first paragraph, which is what everyone reads first.
- Choose a page where the person who created it approves what relatives add, and confirm before paying whether the price is one-time or recurring and whether there are ads.
How many languages should the online memorial be readable in?
The right number is the number of languages your relatives read without effort, not the ones they speak now and then. To find out whether that is enough, start with a simple list, relative by relative.
- Write down each person's reading language. A grandmother may speak two languages and only read one of them without tiring.
- Check each language against the platform's list. Don't assume: a language spoken by millions of people may not be available.
- Think about the youngest. Grandchildren who grew up in another country may read only the language of that country.
- Decide which language the original text is written in. Write in the language the person who has died thought and felt in, because that is where the translations start from.
That is three languages, one page and a single text written by you. Without automatic translation, it would be three texts to write, review and update with every new photo.
Is the translation of the multilingual online memorial marked as automatic?
An honest automatic translation says it is automatic, on every translated page, and keeps the original text in view.
Automatic translation can stumble on words of affection, nicknames, and religious or family expressions.
| What to check | What changes for someone reading in another language |
|---|---|
| Visible automatic-translation notice | The reader knows there may be inaccuracies and doesn't blame the person who wrote the text |
| Original text accessible | A bilingual relative can compare it and fix what came out strange |
| Nicknames and affectionate expressions | Translated literally, they lose their meaning; explain them in parentheses |
| Short sentences, no sayings | They translate with fewer errors and are easier to read |
Ask a bilingual relative to read only the title and the first paragraph in their language. It's a task of about ten minutes and covers the part that gets read first.
Who decides what appears on the page?
The person who created the page decides what appears, and relatives can add stories and photos. That combination is what lets you gather everyone's memories without losing the tone the family wants. Ask any platform how this part works before you choose it.
- Confirm whether contributions need your approval. A comment nobody asked for, published immediately, can hurt someone who is already fragile.
- See whether you can decline or remove something later. A mistake in a photo or a name has to be fixable without asking favors.
- Check whether a relative can write in their own language. An uncle who struggles to write in the language of the country where he lives will tell the story better in his mother tongue.
- Use the writing assistant for anyone who doesn't know where to start. On WhoWasThisGuy.com, an AI assistant helps turn memories into words; the final text still passes through you.
Before inviting others, see how to create a memorial page without losing control. As for photos, the way an online tribute page with photos is organized helps you decide what to ask each relative for.
Does everyone open the page with the same link or QR code?
The same link works in a message to someone far away and, as a QR code, on a card or in the funeral program. Everyone arrives at the same place, each reads in their own language, and nobody gets different versions.
- Test the link on the phone of a relative in another country. If they can open the page without help, the rest of the family can too.
- Ask whether people who only want to read need to create an account. One extra step can put off people who are less comfortable with technology.
- Confirm that the reader can choose the language. Without that, the translation exists, but nobody finds it.
- Test the printed QR code with two different devices before sending all the cards to print.
If the page is going to be shown at the funeral, the step-by-step guide to creating an online memorial page for the funeral shows how to prepare the link and the QR code in a few hours.
How much does it cost, and are there ads or a monthly fee?
There is no subscription and no ads. Use that model as a yardstick when comparing: for a page that should last for years, what matters is the total over time, not the price of the first month.
Each platform charges differently: some monthly, some yearly, some once. Confirm these points:
- What currency is the price in? Write the currency out in full: US$10 is not the same as 10 in another currency.
- Is it a one-time or recurring payment? Multiply the monthly fee by 12 and then by the number of years you want the page online.
- Are there ads? An ad next to a photograph of your father or mother says a lot about the platform.
- What happens if you stop paying? Ask whether the page stays visible or disappears.
- Do translation or languages cost extra? The advertised price should include everything the family will use.
What can I start for free before deciding?
WhoWasThisGuy.com is free to start. Memorial pages will open soon, but the most time-consuming work, gathering the stories and choosing the photos, can begin now, on paper or on your phone, without paying anyone anything.
- Ask each relative for a short memory, in the language they write best in.
- Choose, as a rule of thumb, between 10 and 20 photos and note who appears and in which year, while someone still remembers.
- Write the first paragraph in short sentences, with no sayings or inside jokes, so that automatic translation handles it well.
Frequently asked questions
Is automatic translation good enough for a poem or a prayer?
For texts read aloud at a ceremony, such as a poem, a prayer or a eulogy, it's worth asking a bilingual relative for a hand-made translation. If you're short on time, translate by hand only the text someone will read in front of the others.
What if a relative writes in a language nobody in the family reads?
Since the person who created the page decides what appears, you can read the automatic translation before publishing and see whether the tone is appropriate. If something looks doubtful, ask the relative to add a line in a shared language. Publish only after you understand what is written.
When should I send the link to relatives in other countries?
Wait until you have approved the first contributions and tested the link on a phone. Add a short message explaining that the page's translations are automatic and that they can ask for corrections. That way their first contact with the page already comes with the right context.
What is the first step to take today?
Open a sheet of paper and write down the name of each relative who will read the page. WhoWasThisGuy.com is there to bring everything together on a single page.