[Bf-committers] "howto translate garlic ..." ( request for instructions )

Lars Krueger lars_e_krueger at gmx.de
Tue Sep 20 21:01:10 CEST 2011


-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:56:37 +0200
> Von: Knapp <magick.crow at gmail.com>
> An: bf-blender developers <bf-committers at blender.org>
> Betreff: Re: [Bf-committers] "howto translate garlic ..." ( request for instructions )

> On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 11:05 AM, Jass <gaia.clary at machinimatrix.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > Am 20.09.2011 07:05, schrieb Knapp:
> >>> 1.) When i am in doubt how to make a pyrticular translation, who can i
> ask ?
> >> Not sure I can help but I am a native USA speaker and live in Germany.
> >> I German is far from perfect but I have been learning German for 5
> >> years so perhaps I can help with the English side of it, if you have a
> >> question.
> >>
> >
> > 1.) Order of words
> > Often the order of the words changes when translated. Especially
> > we often have  the combination "<verb> <object>"  in english
> > which translates to german as "<object><verb>".
> >
> > Examples:
> >
> > english:
> >
> >     Display Camera
> >     Display Lamp
> >
> > translation (correct):
> >
> >     Kamera anzeigen
> >     Lampe anzeigen

I prefer this one.

> >
> > alternative translation (bad but with emphasis on the function):
> >
> > Anzeige: Kamera
> > Anzeige: Lampe

Sounds like Google Translate did it.

> >
> > 2.) Special words:
> >
> > I often find that the german translation of a GUI is simply not
> > understandable when fully translated. It often makes sense
> > (to me) when a set of "main objects" and "main functions"
> > just keep their names as in english. Examples:
> >
> > Lattice

Gitter. The mathematical "lattice" is Gitter in German as well.

> > Mesh

Mesh. I think the German "Netz" is ambiguous. Could mean mesh or (computer) network.

> > Playback

Wiedergabe.

> > Quad

Viereck. Unless you refer to a ready-made model of an ATV :-) Joke Explained: In German an ATV is called a Quad.

> > Triangle

Dreieck.

> >
> > So is there a dictionary of words which should keep untranslated ?
> > Or is this up to the translators taste ?

In German technical reports (the closest I can think of in this context) I leave technical terms untranslated (read: English) only if there is no German equivalent or the German equivalent is ambiguous. Same holds for terms that are taken from English, e.g. Byte.

One prime example is safety and security. Both translate to "Sicherheit", which can cause lots of misunderstandings.

> 
> First for these questions to get a good answer you need to ask a
> native speaker. I would suggest the German Blender IRC.
> 
> Second the key to a good GUI is using words that the first time user
> will understand without looking in the manual. This is often not
> possible but is a good goal. Another factor is that here in Germany
> most young people that are involved with computers have really good
> English so I would guess that the users that want the German version
> will be the older people that do not know much or any English thus you
> should stick with good German and forget the English. Of course do
> keep in mind that I am not a native speaker, I just live here.

I usually use the English version of a program, if possible. Sometimes the translations are horrible (Don't try git-gui or gitk in German!), sometimes incomplete: (Lotus Notes: Wollen Sie stationary?), and most of the time you don't find anything on the 'net if you search for the German text.

One trick I tell my students is the following:
Go to the English Wikipedia page of the concept (e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygon_mesh) and click on the "Deutsch" link under "Languages".

-- 
Dr. Lars Krueger


NEU: FreePhone - 0ct/min Handyspartarif mit Geld-zurück-Garantie!		
Jetzt informieren: http://www.gmx.net/de/go/freephone


More information about the Bf-committers mailing list