Re: Please pull git-po master branch

From: Ralf Thielow <ralf.thielow@googlemail.com>
Date: May 2, 2012, 09:13 UTC
Message-ID: <CAN0XMOJ0PBA2qptw2Lm9HOq4SAkeZNAyOwPdvcb-uAcsxKnzwg@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <87d36n2f2r.fsf@thomas.inf.ethz.ch>

Well, basically I've tried to unify the translation with the git-gui one. So i took over some of the translations from them (e.g. "commit").

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>  A related issue is when a single word splits into several in German.
>
>  Examples:
>
>  "commit" -> "Eintrag/Version/eintragen"

I think we have to make a difference between "commit" as a noun and "commit" as a verb here.

>
>  "commit" -> usually translated simply as "Commit", e.g. in the SVN Red
>              Book
>

As I said I've tried to unify with the git-gui translation. Actually, I was wondered why they translate terms like "Tag" or "Commit" because I think they should be known by a Git user. I know German books about Git using many other terms like "Staging" or "Index" as it is.

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> * Make a glossary of the relevant terminology first.  Sadly
>  gitglossary(7) has gotten somewhat stale, and perhaps can also benefit
>  from an overhaul.  Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason recently made a list[4] of
>  the most important terms, which is a good start.
>
> * If you are interested in collaboration, IRC may be a good choice for
>  the many little questions that probably arise?  We hang out in
>  #git-devel on Freenode[3].  Email is of course also an option, but
>  more time-consuming.

I would be happy to work together with you on these things. Tiny changes in the translation of basic terms can make a big difference.

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> Note that in the context of Git, a major problem is that the
> documentation and books are only available in English.  There isn't even
> a glossary.  For example, you translated "detached" as "losgelöst".
> From our experience the detached HEAD is something that users stumble
> into, rather than learn about beforehand.  They usually come crying for
> help when they've already lost their work in the "void" of unreachable
> commits.  Now put yourself into the position of a user.  Where can he
> look up what the root of his problem is?  At least for "detached HEAD"
> there is a wealth of blog posts that rescue the poor user.

That's a basic problem when messages are translated.

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> We think -- pardon the strong words -- that your current draft
> translation makes things harder, not easier, for German users.  The
> issues mentioned above, especially when it comes to ambiguities, splits
> into several terms and mistakes, add up to considerable bad weather, and
> the lack of reference material leaves the user out in the rain.
>
> Of course now that it has been released, we'll also have to file patches
> in the true open source spirit.  Sigh.

I don't think that it's sooo bad that it needs to get reverted. In the end it's an initial version. I'll join the IRC channel to work with you (and others) together to make the translation better.

Thanks