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Keep it simple (lemmy.ca)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by Lt_Worf@lemmy.ca to c/memes@lemmy.ml
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[-] Katana314@lemmy.world 49 points 2 years ago

Where this really sucks is in programming when you write things like “The {{objectType}}” in your translations file.

Your program will replace objectType with the actual thing, so “The Ball”. All good, right? But then every other language has the weird conjugation, so “El Bola” doesn’t make sense anymore…

[-] VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf 12 points 2 years ago

El Bola sounds like a very racist super villain too! Probably not what most customers are looking for in a translation...

[-] Lt_Worf@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 years ago

Oh god, I've never thought about that.

[-] tiredofsametab@kbin.social 15 points 2 years ago

Some languages also consider different numbers in different way. I have one ball, two balls, and zero balls. Zero might not be plural like in English. Also, some language have a dual distinction that changes thing when there are two of something (not just singular and plural, but singular, dual, and plural).

[-] zaphod@feddit.de 7 points 2 years ago

English has inconsistent plurals too, one sheep, two sheep, zero sheep, one goose, two geese,...

[-] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 years ago

In Russian, numbers ending in one are singular, except for eleven which is plural.

[-] drathvedro@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

It's even more complicated with two plural declensions except for all numbers in 10-20 range having second form

0 мячей

1 мяч

2 мяча, 3 мяча, 4 мяча

5 мячей, 6 мячей, 7 мячей, 8 мячей, 9 мячей, 10 мячей,

11 мячей, 12 мячей, 13 мячей, 14 мячей, 15 мячей, 16 мячей, 17 мячей, 18 мячей, 19 мячей, 20 мячей

21 мяч

22 мяча, 23 мяча, 24 мяча,

25 мячей, 26 мячей, 27 мячей, 28 мячей, 29 мячей, 30 мячей,

... the rest goes the same as 0-10/20-30....

[-] kabat@programming.dev 2 points 2 years ago

In English that's called paucal vs plural forms, Polish has the same rules as Russian.

Sidenote: there are translation systems that support it, e.g. Qt does (https://doc.qt.io/qt-6/i18n-plural-rules.html).

[-] tiredofsametab@kbin.social 1 points 2 years ago

Neat! I didn't know that. Is that common in other Slavic languages?

[-] nodiet@feddit.de 8 points 2 years ago

although a bit clunky, writing "the {{objectType}} object" would get around this particular issue.

[-] BigNote@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

If by "every other language" you mean "a handful of Indo-European languages, then sure.

this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2023
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