Mailing-List: contact cocoon-dev-help@xml.apache.org; run by ezmlm
From: Conny Krappatsch <conny@smb-tec.com>
To: peter@ibuildings.nl, cocoon-dev@xml.apache.org
Subject: Re: Internationalization
Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2000 15:07:15 +0200
Content-Type: text/plain
References: <00100611442002.00651@bilbo> <39DDCA6F.6ABBD293@ibuildings.nl>
In-Reply-To: <39DDCA6F.6ABBD293@ibuildings.nl>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Message-Id: <00100615371307.00651@bilbo>
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Peter Verhage wrote:
> Conny Krappatsch wrote:
> > In english one would say: We are a {team} of {4}.
> > In german you say: Wir sind ein {4}er-{team}.
> 
> Problem is you can't always know this before you make it... Maybe for a
> few languages, but when you add a new language, it still can be
> different from the above, so then you have to make some more elements
> dynamic for example... Then you still have to edit the original page to
> make it a little more dynamically... :/ What I mean to say is that you
> should not have to point to the dynamic elements of the text. But if you
> would not, it's a lot more difficult to implement, I know... I don't
> know if there is a perfect way to do it..
> Peter

Hi Peter,

could you explain this a little more. I can't really follow you.

Maybe I have to explain further:

'We are a {1} of {2}.' is the key for the translation table (changed syntax
according to Robins hint). {1} and {2} are references to the parameters which
are really dynamic, i.e. created by XSP, database query, whatever, the i18n
(short vor internationalization) processor doesn't care.
This key leads us to the replacement text, e.g. 'Wir sind ein {2}er-{1}.' The
references in the replacement text are exchanged with the value of the
corresponding parameter.
The replacement text could also be 'Ein {2}er-{1} wir sind.'. (Even though
nobody would say that - sounds somewhat poetic in german.) The translation
would work, as well.
So we don't _make_ content dynamic for translation purpose. Some content _is_
(or may be) dynamic and thus can't be part of the translation key.

Oh wait, my example in the proposal looks like we want to translate word by
word. Maybe that was confusing. Actually we translate phrase by phrase.

It's still possible that I simply don't understand the problem you describing.
:-|
An example could possibly enlighten me ;-)

regards,
Conny


-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Conny Krappatsch                              mailto:conny@smb-tec.com
SMB GmbH                                        http://www.smb-tec.com