====== Common Translation Errors ======

Translators - even professional translators - usually make these error when
translating computer software.

===== Overview of common errors =====

==== Capitalisation ====

**Wrong**: no capitalisation in translation\\
**Correct**: translation follows translation language capitalisation convention

==== Double words ====

//Translator could not decide which word was more appropriate//

**Wrong**: two translated words for one original word\\
**Correct**: choose one word if you have two options

==== Translated things that should stay in English ====
 
**Wrong**: translating program function name like get_file_attributes()\\
**Correct**: leave program syntax or function names untranslated

==== Variables ====

**Wrong**: variables left out of translation\\
**Correct**: variable in translation in the correct order for the language

**Wrong**: environment variable names (eg. EDITOR) and possible fixed values (eg. COLOR, TRANSPARENT) translated\\
**Correct**: left in English and perhaps surrounded by single quotes to indicate that they are not in the target language on purpose.

==== Punctuation ====

**Wrong**: leaving out end punctuation and whitespace (eg. ''"File: "'')\\
**Correct**: copying end punctuation and whitespace almost exactly as the original into the translation.

**Wrong**: adding missing fullstops to translated sentence\\
**Correct**: if full sentences do not contain a fullstop in the original do not add one to the translation.

**Wrong**: adding exclamation marks (!) to the translation when they occur in the original\\
**Correct**: use exclamation marks to correspond with the tone of the application and the convention of the translated language.  Ie you may leave them out of the translation.

**Wrong**: leaving out ellipses (...)\\
**Correct**: always add ellipses to the translation

==== Accelerators ====

**Wrong**: leaving out accelerators (either _&~ depending on the application)\\
**Correct**: if the original has an accelerator so should the translation

**Wrong**: placing the accelerator exactly in the same position as the original\\
**Correct**: place the accelerator on the word / syllable / part of the sentence
that is accented in its pronunciation or is the focus of the sentence.

**Wrong**: using the same letter for accelerator keys\\
**Correct**: try to vary the letters chosen as the accelerator key (in some
languages almost all words start with U or I.  In this case make an effort to
choose other letters)

==== HTML ====

**Wrong**: HTML tags are translated\\
**Correct**: HTML tags are not translated

**Wrong**: translatable HTML entities are not translated\\
**Correct**: translate items that will be viewable.  Eg HTML img tag's alt entity <img alt="translate me">, a tag's title
entity <a href=blah title="translate me">.