Data from the Translation Bureau

You can now create your own linguistic tools using data from the Translation Bureau

Would you like to create a spelling checker or a terminology bank using reliable data?

Look no further: The Translation Bureau has the solution!

The federal government launched the open data initiative, which is about "greater openness and accountability, strengthening democracy and driving innovation and economic opportunities for all Canadians".

As part of this initiative, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and the Translation Bureau worked together to transfer all of its terminological data from TERMIUM Plus® to the open data site.

Thousands of pieces of data are now just a click away—providing you with access to trusted data to build the linguistic tool that you've always wanted!

We're here to help you!

To learn how to download the data, please follow the instructions below.

1. Go to the Government of Canada's open data site.
2. In the field Search Data, write Termium Plus. Click Submit.
3. Select the dataset found.
4. On the page called TERMIUM Plus®, find the field you are interested in under the heading "Resource Name" and then click the Download button.
5. You will see a window that asks "Do you want to open or save this file?" Click Save.
6. Once the zipped files are saved to the computer, simply open them. You will see a list of CSV files.
7. Copy the CVS files that you are interested to the drive of your choice.
8. In each file, you have to convert the data so that you can read them. Here's how to do so:
   1. Launch a spreadsheet software (e.g. Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc) and click Open.
   2. Choose the drive that you want to copy the CSV files to.
      1. If you do not see a choice of files, select the option "all files" beside the window called "File Name."
   3. Open the CVS file you want.
   4. In the Text Import Wizard, choose the Delimited option and click Next.
   5. In the second window, unmark the Tab delimiter and click on Comma. Click on Next.
   6. In the third window, make sure the chosen format is General and click Finish.
9. You'll see the data clearly organized by column. All that is left to do is to play with the columns to see all the data for each one.
10. Based on these data, you can create a variety of linguistic tools such as a spelling checker or a terminology data bank.