diff --git a/.github/workflows/book.yml b/.github/workflows/book.yml
index 98870b2cb..02846a63c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/book.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/book.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Determine book language
       run: |
-        [[ "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" =~ ^book-ja.*$ ]] && book_language="ja" || book_language="en"
+        [[ "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" =~ ^book-.*$ ]] && book_language=${GITHUB_REF_NAME:5:2} || book_language="en"
         echo "BOOK_LANGUAGE=$book_language" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
     - name: Generate ToC
diff --git a/book/README.md b/book/README.md
index ce3ccff0d..c07cd375a 100644
--- a/book/README.md
+++ b/book/README.md
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ The `/book` folder contains generator scripts and extra content required to crea
 - `/book/en/explore-patterns.md` - Shows the mind map of all patterns. Allows readers to link to the mind map directly.
 - patterns content:
   - The English patterns are in `/patterns`
-  - The translated patterns (e.g. for Japanese) are in `/translation/ja`
+  - The translated patterns are in `/translation/<YOUR_LANGUAGE>`[^1]
 
 The book is generated in multiple languages.
 
 The descriptions above are for the English book. You find the English content in `/book/en`.
 
-For other languages (e.g. for Japanese), the content is mirrored and translated to folders like  `/book/ja`.
+For other languages the content is mirrored and translated to folders like `/book/<YOUR_LANGUAGE>`[^1].
 
 For more on the translation process see [these translation instructions](../translation/README.md).
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ The book is generated in multiple languages.
 Depending on which **branch** a change is merged into, a different book is generated:
 
 * changes merged to `main` branch: triggers the book generation for the **English** book.
-* changes merged to `book-ja` branch: triggers the book generation for the **Japanese** book.
+* changes merged to `book-<YOUR_LANGUAGE>`[^1] branch: triggers the book generation for the book in the given language e.g. `book-jp` for the **Japanese** book.
 
 ## Objectives of the book
 
@@ -64,3 +64,5 @@ There are a couple of good reasons to publish the InnerSource patterns as a gitb
 [InnerSourcePatterns]: https://github.com/InnerSourceCommons/InnerSourcePatterns
 [book_production]: https://patterns.innersourcecommons.org
 [book_staging]: https://innersourcecommons.gitbook.io/innersource-patterns-staging/
+
+[^1]: Replace `<YOUR_LANGUAGE>` with the 2-letter language code for your language.
diff --git a/book/scripts/generate_toc.rb b/book/scripts/generate_toc.rb
index 391e03310..49a608c2f 100644
--- a/book/scripts/generate_toc.rb
+++ b/book/scripts/generate_toc.rb
@@ -72,14 +72,16 @@ def generate_patterns_overview(patterns)
 puts "Generating ToC for language: #{BOOK_LANGUAGE}"
 
 ## Files to be used for the different languages
-if (BOOK_LANGUAGE == "ja")
-  TOC_TEMPLATE_FILE = "../ja/toc_template.md"
-  TOC_FILE = "../ja/toc.md"
-  PATTERNS = Dir["../../translation/ja/patterns/*.md"]
-else 
+## Note: the folder structure for the patterns is slightly different for 'en' than it is for the other languages,
+## hence this slightly complicated logic here.
+if (BOOK_LANGUAGE == "en")
   TOC_TEMPLATE_FILE = "../en/toc_template.md"
   TOC_FILE = "../en/toc.md"  
   PATTERNS = Dir["../../patterns/2-structured/*.md","../../patterns/2-structured/project-setup/*.md", "../../patterns/3-validated/*.md"]
+else 
+  TOC_TEMPLATE_FILE = "../#{BOOK_LANGUAGE}/toc_template.md"
+  TOC_FILE = "../#{BOOK_LANGUAGE}/toc.md"
+  PATTERNS = Dir["../../translation/#{BOOK_LANGUAGE}/patterns/*.md"]
 end
 
 # Generate list of patterns and sort them by name