Re: Summary (Re: A system for localizing documentation strings)

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Jan Djärv <jan.h.d@swipnet.se> writes:

> David Kastrup skrev:
>
>> Emacs has no layers separating the user from the programmer.  It
>> is, after all, the greatest prototyping platform for editing ever
>> invented.  It is quite illusionary to separate "English" from
>> "international" layers.  But that does not mean that _explanations_
>> could not be done in English, or that menu entries and help texts
>> could not be made in English.  Or even customization group names.
>> But what about "talking variable names" which are converted into
>> capitalized space-separated sequences in the customize groups?
>> Translate or not?  If yes, how does one get to know the actual
>> variable name?
>> 
>
> I'd say no.  Once upon a time there was some swedish MS Excel
> version that had all functions translated to swedih.  That didn't
> work so well when trying to open a spreadsheet from the US...
>
> If we wan't to be able to use an international .emacs everywhere,
> variables must have just one name globally.  Even if some people
> find it sad, english seems to be the best.

I was not talking about changing the variable names, just their
circumscription.  If we now do
M-x customize-variable RET confirm-kill-emacs RET
we get

    This is a customization buffer.
    `Raised' text indicates buttons; type RET or click mouse-1 to actuate one.
    Editing a setting changes only the text in the buffer.
    Use the setting's State button to set it or save changes in it.
    Saving a change normally works by editing your Emacs init file.
    See Custom file for information on how to save in a different file.

    See Help for more information.

    Operate on all settings in this buffer that are not marked HIDDEN:
     Set for Current Session Save for Future Sessions
     Undo Edits Reset to Saved Erase Customization   Finish

    Confirm Kill Emacs: Hide Value Value Menu Don't confirm
       State: STANDARD.

    How to ask for confirmation when leaving Emacs. Hide Rest
    If nil, the default, don't ask at all.  If the value is non-nil, it should
    be a predicate function such as `yes-or-no-p'.
    Parent groups: Convenience

It does not talk about "confirm-kill-emacs" but rather about "Confirm
Kill Emacs".  One could make this "Nachfrage beim Verlassen von Emacs
(confirm-kill-emacs):".  Also the parent group is called "Convenience"
rather than the actual existing 'convenience group.  Again, one could
make this into "Übergeordnete Gruppe: Praktisches (convenience)".  The
fallback would be capitalization and hyphen removal, but if a language
(including English) offered a better term, then one could show that
and give the "real" name in parentheses.

-- 
David Kastrup