Why translate OpenType feature long names?

l10n
#1

Hi all translators,

I think it is a bad idea to make long names of OpenType typographic features translatable because these long names are like keywords and need a long sentence to explain what they mean. Without these explanations long names are not understandable and may induce errors. For example "Half Widths" is only applicable to East-Asian tetragrams.

So you need operating instructions such as
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_typographic_features#OpenType_typographic_features
to be able to use these typographic features and this page is available only in English. So I think it is easier for the user to search the right long name in this webpage and use automatic translation tool to understand associated explanation if she does not read English.
If we translate long names it will be very difficult for the end-user to return to the original English long name to be able to find its explanation.

So I suggest to make these long names untranslatable.

Best regards.
JBF

#2

Jean-Baptiste Faure (<jbfaure@libreoffice.org>) kirjutas P, 9. detsember
2018 kell 19:00:

Hi all translators,

I think it is a bad idea to make long names of OpenType typographic
features translatable because these long names are like keywords and
need a long sentence to explain what they mean. Without these
explanations long names are not understandable and may induce errors.
For example "Half Widths" is only applicable to East-Asian tetragrams.

So you need operating instructions such as

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_typographic_features#OpenType_typographic_features
to be able to use these typographic features and this page is available
only in English. So I think it is easier for the user to search the
right long name in this webpage and use automatic translation tool to
understand associated explanation if she does not read English.
If we translate long names it will be very difficult for the end-user to
return to the original English long name to be able to find its
explanation.

So I suggest to make these long names untranslatable.

Hi,

Strong -1 from me. By the same logic, all software localization is
pointless because everyone can "use automatic translation tool to
understand" what the various menu commands, buttons, icons, etc. do.

Best,
Mihkel
Estonian team

#3

Well, did you find a description of these OpenType typographic features in another language than English? How do you do to find the meaning of a feature long name if you do not have the real long name in English ?

My point is not, automatic translation is available so translation in LO is not necessary. My point is that, in this particular case, translation make things more obscure instead of more clear. Here feature long names are keywords making a link between the command name and the description of the feature. Translating these long names breaks this link.

Best regards.
JBF

#4

Hello, JBF,

if you do not want these translated, you can always leave them in English
(and even add something like " (Google me for explanation)" in your
translation. But those who want can and will translate this.

Also, there are languages with non-latin scripts that need to transliterate
this.

Lp, m.