[Localization] Fwd: The virtue of being fuzzy... or what should be translateted in border cases

[Yuan Chao]

Sorry forgot cc. to localization.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Yuan Chao <yuanchao at gmail.com>
Date: Dec 10, 2007 1:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Localization] The virtue of being fuzzy... or what
should be translateted in border cases
To: Alexander Todorov <atodorov at redhat.com>


On Dec 9, 2007 5:43 PM, Alexander Todorov <atodorov at redhat.com> wrote:
> Andi wrote:
> > Do the majority of the translator and/or decision-maker think that using
> > native terms as much as possible is the way the OLPC-XO translations
> > should be ?
Though I personally usually prefers to keep the original term when
reading translated documents, I think it's better for have consistent
native terms as much as possible, i.e., we may need to invent terms
ourselves. This is mainly that the target users of OLPC-XO (8-10 years
old?) have not necessarily learned English.

> I've asked this question on a local Bulgarian translations list.
> We agreed to follow all rules/guides as with other software
> translations. The reasons of that wrere:
> 1) Kids are smart and they learn quickly
> 2) Won't lead to confusion when kids start using "normal"/non XO computers
> 3) Leads to consistency in translations and allows different translators
> to work on the projects (e.g. no other special rules or exceptions).
It's nice to have a written guideline and it's very helpful for
translators of different languages. Maybe you can put it on wiki as a
reference?

Another thought is on the way of description. As sometimes a direct or
the best translation would too hard or abstruse to children. I would
tend to use the simplest words and keep the widely-adopted terms.

> > I fine with that, but I think it should then homogeneous with all
> > translations.
> >
> > And what is about "official" assimilated english terms like e.g. "Chat" ?
> > According to the "Duden", a official dictionary like the Oxford English
> > Dictionary, the english term "Chat" has been accepted as such in the
> > german language.
> >
>
> Hmm, as per that: Especially in German they have lots of English words
> accepted as is. I will personally keep with a local terms where possible
> and feasible and use English ones (transliterated in local language)
> where there is no local term/can't be created or the English term is
> wide spread. e.g. OK is already wide spread in Bulgaria and translators
> have agreed that this should stay, not be translated.
>
> Greetings,
> Alexander.
>
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>



--
Best regards,
Yuan Chao



-- 
Best regards,
Yuan Chao