From: Phillip Gawlowski Date: 2009-12-31T17:49:11+09:00 Subject: Re: The ruby website translator On 31.12.2009 09:30, James Britt wrote: > So here's someone offering to help out with a community-driven, > open-source project that clearly needs the help, and is greeted with a > lecture on grammar and told to come back later. A firm grasp of the language translated to and/or from isn't "nice to have", it's essential. It is even more essential in technical writing, since it requires a very high level of exact translation to eliminate possible double-meanings. A German - English example: "source code" Can be translated as "Quelltext", "Programmcode", or "Code-Quelle erstellen", only the first two are proper translations of the term "source code", the third option meaning "generate academic source for code", or "acquire academic source for code". This is made even more difficult in that "code" can mean "program source code", *or* "cypher". Two words, and a whole paragraph of possibilities. ;) > I'm sure we all want translations to be clear and accurate, but surely > we can find some way to encourage more people to contribute what they can. Sure. But I don't know about you, but proof-reading and editing aren't really fun if the source material is anything like the OP's initial email. Suggestions were requested, suggestions were provided. I also admit to a certain... terseness in my written English (it's a known fault, but one difficult for me to fix, it being a personality trait), but--especially as a non-native English speaker--I take care to write at least clear English (not that I always succeed), and I am doubly aware of grammatical errors since they jump at me from any given text. I blame the endless drills in school on false friends. However, I'm also cringing when I catch myself making a typo. I'm hypercritical, not hypocritical. ;) -- Phillip Gawlowski