Alternative source language

Pootle has the ability to display an alternative source language while translating. Thus, translators who know another language better than English can take part in the translation project. Also, it provides a way to dissambiguate terminology seeing how other languages have translated the same translation unit.

Since version 1.3, it is also possible to define multiple alternative source languages.

In order to have this feature available, it must be enabled by the Pootle server administrator (disabled by default). See pootle.prefs for reference.

Users who want to use the functionality need to specify the desired alternative source language in their options page. If “None” is selected in the drop-down list, the feature will be disabled for the current user.

Note that if the selected project doesn't have the alternative source language it couldn't be displayed.

• Plural units are not supported yet (nothing is displayed) -- fixed in 1.3
• Unit context (such as msgctxt in PO) is not taken into account -- fixed in 1.3
• The first match from the alternative source language project is used - not specifically from the unit or file corresponding to the current unit -- fixed in 1.3
• This might need lots of memory and possibly processing power in large projects