Re: [PATCH 1/2] po/de.po: add German translation

From: Thomas Hochstein <thh@inter.net>
Date: Sep 15, 2010, 11:44 UTC
Message-ID: <gcvg.1009151344.2868@thorondor.akallabeth.de>
In-Reply-To: <20100915093313.44396t6yr62ixccg@webmail.tu-harburg.de>

Christian Stimming schrieb:

Show 5 quoted lines

>  I do not agree about the importance  
> of statements on this mailing list like "This translation translates  
> too much terms - I cannot find the commands I'm used to". The point of  
> a translation is to enable the usage of a program to people who do  
> *not* know the original language. This is the target audience.

I don't agree. I prefer to use localized/translated software [1], even though I'm able to speak English, because it's just easier to use, but I strongly consider translated technical terms nearly unusable - you lose a common base for communication with other people and you can't use most documentation any longer as it'll be in English or at least use the original, non-translated technical terms. So I think the target audience for a German translation is neither only nor primarily people not understanding English [2] but all those who do speak English but prefer a localized environment.

Don't let us get back to the times where a "computer" was a "Rechenmaschine", the CPU a "Zentralrecheneinheit" or email "elektronische Post" ...

-thh

[1] And German translations of books, movies etc. - mostly, that is. [2] You won't get far in IT if you're not able to understand at least some English, I think.