root/Extensions/XL8External.py

from Products.CMFCore.utils import getToolByName
from DateTime import DateTime
from urllib import quote_plus

def changeTransOwner(self):

    mtool = getToolByName(self, 'portal_membership')
    putils = getToolByName(self, 'plone_utils')
    translation_service = getToolByName(self, 'translation_service')
    
    member = mtool.getAuthenticatedMember().getId()

    if putils.getOwnerName(self) != member:
        putils.changeOwnershipOf(self, member)

    # update modification time, too
    now=DateTime()
    #context.edit(translationModTime=now)
    self.getField('translationModTime').set(self, now)
    
    url=self.absolute_url()
    msg = translation_service.utranslate(domain='PloneXL8',
                                         msgid='You have taken ownership of this translation.',
                                         default='You have taken ownership of this translation.',
                                         context=self)
    # Let UTF-8 messages be passed via the URL query string
    msg = msg.encode('utf-8')
    msg = quote_plus(msg)
    
    self.REQUEST.RESPONSE.redirect(url + "?portal_status_message=" + msg)