Forum: CAT Tools Technical Help
Topic: Setting up translation strings for a website translation
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: @6233114
[quote]6233114 wrote:
The reason I ask is that the above string can be translated once and displayed on say 30 pages. This approach would be preferred due to the "don't repeat yourself" (DRY) methodology of programming - and cheaper to translate. [/quote]
This is exactly the approach that is followed by most software translations. It creates a need for extensive beta testing, though. And for a good product, it requires that the programmer is able to program exceptions into the program when they occur.
Let's change your example a bit:
[i]Click the link to view a {{ variable }}.[/i]
This is fine... until the variable starts with a vowel. Then you're in trouble, in English. All languages have similar pitfalls.
If you were a non-English programmer programming a program in a non-English language, and the English translator pointed this out to you, would you as the programmer be able to program a fix for this (i.e. have the resources to do it, e.g. let the program evaluate whether the variable starts with a vowel and then select the correct strings for it), so that the English translation of your program always works? And what about all those exceptions that all the other languages' translators tell you about? This can become expensive, in programming costs.
The alternative would be for the translator to translate strings as "Click the link to view a/an {variable}" and "The {variable} is/are not found", which is generally frowned upon. I mean, how would you feel as an English speaker if you visit a web site or use a program that tells you "There is/are 20 photos on this page"?
But yes, most software translation projects actually work that way, and software translators have learnt to come up with tricks to "fix" such sentences.
For example, if the English translator in the example above knew (when translating the list of variables) that all the variables will have to fit into a single boilerplate sentence, he can take steps to ensure that he always translates the variables as words that don't begin with vowels. The problem is that translators who translate lists of variables often can't see how those variables will be used in full sentences, so they have to guess, and hope and pray.
[quote]Also, can the translation software not include the variables in a text sting when the count is made of the total words to be translated? [/quote]
The variable will be counted as one word in most CAT tools that can recognise variables. And it's fair to the translator, because he has to decide where to put the variable (he has to treat the variable as a word anyway).
So, in most CAT tools that I've worked in, word counts would work like this:
string = Please enter a {variable} to continue. (6 words)
variables = phone number; fax number; e-mail address (6 words)
total word count: 12
The translation cost may be low, but then you get testing costs, and problem fixing costs. You might ask if it wouldn't have been cheaper to just let the translators translate this:
Please enter a {variable: phone number} to continue. (6 words)
Please enter a {variable: fax number} to continue. (6 fuzzy words)
Please enter an {variable: e-mail address} to continue. (6 fuzzy words)
variables = phone number; fax number; e-mail address (6 words)
... and see if you can get discounts on fuzzy words. But I've only ever seen one or two software translation projects that worked that way -- it's not the norm.
Topic: Setting up translation strings for a website translation
Poster: Samuel Murray
Post title: @6233114
[quote]6233114 wrote:
The reason I ask is that the above string can be translated once and displayed on say 30 pages. This approach would be preferred due to the "don't repeat yourself" (DRY) methodology of programming - and cheaper to translate. [/quote]
This is exactly the approach that is followed by most software translations. It creates a need for extensive beta testing, though. And for a good product, it requires that the programmer is able to program exceptions into the program when they occur.
Let's change your example a bit:
[i]Click the link to view a {{ variable }}.[/i]
This is fine... until the variable starts with a vowel. Then you're in trouble, in English. All languages have similar pitfalls.
If you were a non-English programmer programming a program in a non-English language, and the English translator pointed this out to you, would you as the programmer be able to program a fix for this (i.e. have the resources to do it, e.g. let the program evaluate whether the variable starts with a vowel and then select the correct strings for it), so that the English translation of your program always works? And what about all those exceptions that all the other languages' translators tell you about? This can become expensive, in programming costs.
The alternative would be for the translator to translate strings as "Click the link to view a/an {variable}" and "The {variable} is/are not found", which is generally frowned upon. I mean, how would you feel as an English speaker if you visit a web site or use a program that tells you "There is/are 20 photos on this page"?
But yes, most software translation projects actually work that way, and software translators have learnt to come up with tricks to "fix" such sentences.
For example, if the English translator in the example above knew (when translating the list of variables) that all the variables will have to fit into a single boilerplate sentence, he can take steps to ensure that he always translates the variables as words that don't begin with vowels. The problem is that translators who translate lists of variables often can't see how those variables will be used in full sentences, so they have to guess, and hope and pray.
[quote]Also, can the translation software not include the variables in a text sting when the count is made of the total words to be translated? [/quote]
The variable will be counted as one word in most CAT tools that can recognise variables. And it's fair to the translator, because he has to decide where to put the variable (he has to treat the variable as a word anyway).
So, in most CAT tools that I've worked in, word counts would work like this:
string = Please enter a {variable} to continue. (6 words)
variables = phone number; fax number; e-mail address (6 words)
total word count: 12
The translation cost may be low, but then you get testing costs, and problem fixing costs. You might ask if it wouldn't have been cheaper to just let the translators translate this:
Please enter a {variable: phone number} to continue. (6 words)
Please enter a {variable: fax number} to continue. (6 fuzzy words)
Please enter an {variable: e-mail address} to continue. (6 fuzzy words)
variables = phone number; fax number; e-mail address (6 words)
... and see if you can get discounts on fuzzy words. But I've only ever seen one or two software translation projects that worked that way -- it's not the norm.