Re: Bug#407746: [URGENT] Please update debconf PO translation for the package libpam-ldap 180-1.7
On Sat, Mar 10, 2007 at 02:42:22AM +0100, cobaco (aka Bart Cornelis) wrote:
> On Friday 09 March 2007, Steve Langasek wrote:
> > Can I ask why a number of sentences in the English text that were phrased
> > as requests have been turned into questions in the translation?
> sure, basically that's the result of a discussion on debian-l10n-dutch back
> in september 2003. Brief overview of the consensus in that discussion is
> that:
> - the literal translation of the "Please select/enter ..." (which we started
> with) has to formal a connotation for most people, making it sound weird
> when written (at least in most places, that's less so in the middle of a
> paragraph).
> - Leaving out the please in the translation is also undesirable as that
> makes it an imperative, where it's a polite request/gentle direction (when
> speaking you'd add inflection to make that clear, but that is obviously
> not possible in writing)
> -> the best solution in most cases seems to be to make it a question form
Ok.
> I'm curious, and a bit puzzled though. gcide defines request as:
> 1. The act of asking for anything desired; expression of
> desire or demand; solicitation; prayer; petition;
> entreaty.
> [1913 Webster]
> so I would expect going from request -> question would be a style issue
> mostly, but since you asked about it I'm guessing there's some subtle
> difference to a native speaker?
Well, the one gives the user instructions, the other asks a question; asking
a question seems to me that it will usually be a repeat of the short
description?
Anyway, yes, it is a style question -- I just know that the question style
is a style that Christian has specifically discouraged the use of in
English. :)
--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
vorlon@debian.org http://www.debian.org/
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