Re: avoid 'fixes' in translations

[Kenneth Nielsen <k nielsen81 gmail com>]

On 30-01-2012 17:51, Ryan Lortie wrote:
> hi translators,
>
> This is my opinion on a topic that I don't know a lot about.  I think
> I'm right, but I'd like feedback.
>
> I recently noticed this bug:
>
>    https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=612698
>
> While I agree with the fact that it is wrong to have "MB" meaning
> anything other than "1 million bytes", I disagree with the idea that
> translation is an appropriate means by which to fix this problem.
>
> I also noticed a similar problem in the Canadian English translations at
> one point -- lots of silly things like "can not" being changed to
> "cannot".
>
> Translation should attempt to best-preserve what was said by the person
> who said it -- not what they might have said if they had a different
> opinion on a topic (like the way in which units should be used).  It
> doesn't matter if this opinion is wrong -- that should be filed as a bug
> and fixed in the source strings.  Doing this in translations only fixes
> the problem for a small subset of the users.
>
> There's also another problem with this approach.  Taking the "MB"/"MiB"
> example: if an application were incorrectly using "MB" to mean "1048576
> bytes" then a translator may feel justified in translating it to "MiB".
> Meanwhile, a bug could be filed against that application to change their
> incorrect usage of "MB".  When that app makes the change, "MB" now means
> 1000000.  The translation, however, will still be converting "MB" to
> "MiB", so we have a situation where "MiB" means 1000000 bytes, which is
> just totally insane.  This is not theoretical -- this very case occurred
> in GLib for quite some languages and the bug report I linked to above is
> discussing doing it in file-roller where I notice that the Spanish and
> Norwegian Nynorsk translations have already done the same.
>
> TL;DR: If you disagree with how something is written in the English
> string, please file a bug against the relevant component.  Never use
> translation as a way to 'fix' bugs or change something that you disagree
> with.
>
> Cheers

Hallo Ryan

I just want to say that I wholeheartedly agree with you in this matter. 
And actually, without being condescending, I don't really think that it 
is a matter of an opinion, but simply the only way that it makes sense. 
Authors _author_, translators _translate_ not _interpret_. I often make 
comments along the lines you mention above when proofreading the 
translations.

The absolutely only case that I can think of where it can be allowable 
has to do with timing. If:
1) It is immediately before release (i.e. a fix in code cannot possible 
trickle out even assuming the developers see the bug report right away)
2) A bug report _IS_ formed to have it fixed in the right place
3) A translator comment is made to make sure that the information about 
the "fix" is not lost
3) The fix in the original string, made by the developers, will without 
a doubt make the string fuzzy, so the translators will need to revisit 
the string (and their comment) again when it is fixed.

If all those conditions are meet, then it _can_ make sense.


On another note. I have also had quite a few discussions concerning "the 
level" of the language, where sometimes translators has __added__ 
explanation because they thought the original string was to difficult 
(high level) for "ordinary users" to understand, which is my opinion is 
really bad. Also in those cases, the authors decide on the level, if 
translators thinks it is wrong, report it, don't try and fix it.


It would be nice if there was a GNOME guideline on this. We should have 
a look to see if there actually is on the website, and otherwise suggest 
adding one.

Regards Kenneth