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Author Topic: Wanted to ask about translation (Translation group)  (Read 3688 times)

lmgg

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Wanted to ask about translation (Translation group)
« on: August 16, 2014, 10:51:07 AM »
One of the things I'd wanted to check when i got access to the alpha was the Spanish translation, but it still has only English as the only option. However, I've seen by the forum that US2 will surely be translated to several languages.
With this, I wanted to say that I'd like to offer my help in making one, or revising an existing one if available.
I'm native Spanish, quite familiar with general English, very familiar with astronomy and astrophysics vocabulary, and very careful regarding orthography and grammar.
I have also translated several applications myself, and even helped in the Spanish transl. of one project, a XML editor called CamProcessor (sourceforge.net/projects/camprocessor/).
I'm able to make a professional-looking one for US2, and I'd be very pleased to make it for an application I really like. It should be a easy work for me too, if I may say it ;D.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2014, 12:01:01 PM by lmgg »

Xriqxa

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2014, 10:56:22 AM »
I used Google Translate for Spanish text and it works fine. No translation errors or anything.

lmgg

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2014, 11:16:42 AM »
I'm sorry to say this, but mahine translation is still very imperfect. Translation must still be a task that should be carried away human, and this issue is more important in a professional application like US2.
Altough Google seems almighty, it still a dumb computer program that knows nothing about the context of the words it is tranlating.
Could you guess how many time have I seen, for example, "close" translated as "cerca" (near), instead as "cerrar" (to close)? I'd bet there are a lot of these kind of mistakes by now.

FiahOwl

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2014, 11:56:51 AM »

This message is only viewable with Universe Sandbox Galaxy Edition. Access it and much more with promo-code '132708'.

« Last Edit: March 22, 2021, 02:12:03 AM by FiahOwl »

lmgg

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2014, 03:16:47 AM »
English stringGoogle translationMy (human) translationReason for the change
homecasa (house)menu principal (main menu)Was a complete meaning mismatch.
selectseleccione (to select, in present subjunctive)seleccionar (to select, in infinitive)Verb tense was completely inappropriate.
editedición (edit, as noun)editar (edit, as verb)A verb is more suitable for describing an UI control.
simsim (sim)simulación (simulation)"sim" doesn't exist in Spanish, and no one calls a simulation "sim" in Spain.
days per secdía por segundo (day per second)días por segundo (days per second)Seems like Google translator can not realize a mere plural.
years per secaño por segundo (year per second)años por segundo (years per second)Seems like Google translator can not realize a mere plural.
profilerperfilador (pencil, as the one used for eyebrows or lips)rendimiento (performance)Complete meaning mismatch. Used the word for the thing the profiler measures.
feedbackretroalimentación (feedback, as the term used in signal processing)comentarios (comments)Much better suited and descriptive word.
helpayudar (help, as verb)ayuda (help, as noun)Although a verb is usually more suitable for a UI control, the translation of "ayuda" as is very common in Spanish software.
findencontrar (to find)buscar (to search)Although is a suitable translation, "buscar" is more descriptive for the task the control performs, and is very common to translate "find" as "buscar" in Spanish software.

And that's only for the strings that can be seen by launching the application and doing nothing else!!!
What would you think if you get to see an application translated like this in English? "What a piece of **** is this program?!", isn't it? That's why there is an university degree called "Translation and interpretation".

I'm going to insist once more, even if it's not like i'm going to be paid for this. I do not have to get access to the top secret code of the application, if that were your main concern. Localization files usually come in plain text or XML, that's all that a translator needs.

PS: An image is worth a thousand words, this is going to be the 'feel' for Spanish people. I still think that both Spanish users and US2 itself do not deserve this lack of professionalism.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2014, 05:17:03 AM by lmgg »

gabriel.dac

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2014, 08:02:58 PM »
Not only Spanish. I could do a translation to Portuguese

WitheHole18

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2014, 01:43:26 AM »
and italian  ;)

gabriel.dac

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2014, 09:16:03 AM »
Woohoo! traslation group formed

Percebob

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2014, 09:34:31 AM »
Well, I could do French, but it'd be better to know what the devs have in mind before forming anything.

lmgg

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2014, 11:57:33 AM »
Yeah, in the end is the developers decision. I hope they choose the correct one... If every non-english language is going to be translated with Google Translator it will be a complete mess. About 40% of the game would be only "understandable" in English, and this is a bit unfair for non English-speaking fans as it is always a pleasure to use whatever computer app in your own language!

In short, we are offering our honest help, and I hope they trust us. In any case, we won't do it worse than Google, that's 100% for sure. Translating "profiler" as "eyeliner"... it still "kills" me ;D ;D (Spanish idiom)

PS: Making a translator group is a great idea!!

andy

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Re: Wanted to ask about translation (Translation group)
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2014, 02:32:56 PM »
I could do polish translation if anyone cares;) I was one of the polish translators of WinSCP tool.

Percebob

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Re: Wanted to ask about Spanish translation
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2014, 02:40:58 PM »

In short, we are offering our honest help, and I hope they trust us. In any case, we won't do it worse than Google, that's 100% for sure. Translating "profiler" as "eyeliner"... it still "kills" me ;D ;D (Spanish idiom)

PS: Making a translator group is a great idea!!
Oh yes, it is always nice to have a community driven internalisation project and I would be happy to help the devs and my fellow non-english speakers to better understand US². But, as I have stated before, it is useless to start forming groups if, in the end, the devs choose to go their way to translate the game (paying actual people that are qualified for it, using decent translation software (a.k.a not google trad))

« Last Edit: August 18, 2014, 02:46:33 PM by Percebob »