Re: iso-codes

[Clytie Siddall <clytie@riverland.net.au>]

On 30/11/2006, at 1:53 AM, Alastair McKinstry wrote:

> Bruno Haible wrote:
> > Clytie Siddall wrote:
> >
> > > I'm a little confused about which file is "iso-639-3". I translate
> > > the iso-codes package for Debian and the TP, and it doesn't list  
> > > such
> > > a file. The listing (ver. 0.55) is:
> > >
> > > iso_3166		country names			410 strings
> > > iso_3166_2	        state/province names	3856 strings
> > > iso_4217		currency names			265 strings
> > > iso_639		language names		484 strings
> > >
> > > iso_3166_2 is usually only partially-translated, since very few
> > > languages have equivalents for all the state/province names in the
> > > world.
> > >
> > > Which file is "iso-639-3", and where do I find it to translate it?
> >
> > Alastair McKinstry can give you the real answer.
> >
> > Maybe this PO file was only in the Debian iso-codes and not  
> > imported into
> > the TP (precisely because there's often nothing to translate), or  
> > something
> > like that? I don't remember it.
> >
> > Bruno

Thanks, Bruno. :)
> >
> Its a sublist of iso-639, for lesser-used languages. These are  
> languages
> you are unlikely
> to see Debian packages translated into, for example (medieval  
> dialects,
> etc.).
Except for fun, of course. :D

apt in Klingon would be great: "Recommended packages" would be  
"Install these packages or incur blood vengeance!" You'd need an  
output module for all the extra intimidating sounds.
> Both iso-639-3 and iso-3166-2 raise an interesting issue: whats the  
> best
> way for gettext
> to handle strings that are unlikely to be translated / need to be
> translated? These files
> contain lots of such strings, that the translator will probably review
> and decide do not
> need translating. Two solutions come to mind:
> - tools fill in the English version. Messy, as it bloats the .mo  
> files,
> but allows easy
> monitoring of new strings when the file changes
> - add a new comment:
> # ,reviewed
> etc. for tools to recognise that this string is deliberately left  
> empty.
>
> Is there an existing solution to this problem?

It would be great to have a solution of some kind. Currently, I think  
files of this type intimate translators with their sheer size, when  
the actual number of strings likely to be translated is quite small.

Also, it annoys the translator (me, at least ;) ) to see a lot of  
untranslated strings recorded against your name, when they're not  
translatable. The file sets you up to fail, and nobody likes that. We  
need motivation. Positive stats. Praise. Chocolate. <insert  
comestible of choice>.

from Clytie (vi-VN, Vietnamese free-software translation team / nhóm  
Việt hóa phần mềm tự do)
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/vi-VN

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