14 votes

Localization and Plurals

Tags: i18n

10 comments

  1. [2]
    rkcr
    Link
    I'm generally fascinated by how pluralization works in other languages - many are far more complex than English. For example, Welsh has rules for 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, and everything else. Why no special...

    I'm generally fascinated by how pluralization works in other languages - many are far more complex than English. For example, Welsh has rules for 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, and everything else. Why no special case for 4 and 5? Who knows!

    7 votes
    1. pun-master-general
      Link Parent
      I've been studying Russian for a few years, and I've likewise always wondered about how strange it is. For any number ending in 1, except 11, you use the nominative singular (for example, 1...

      I've been studying Russian for a few years, and I've likewise always wondered about how strange it is. For any number ending in 1, except 11, you use the nominative singular (for example, 1 доллар, literally "1 dollar"). For any number ending in 2, 3, or 4, except 12, 13, or 14, you use genitive singular (for example, 2 доллара, "2 of dollar"). For anything else, you use genitive plural (5 долларов, "5 of dollars").

      It's not tough to keep track of once you learn it, but I still have no idea what purpose that system serves. It seems bizarre coming from the English perspective of "it's singular if there's one of them, or plural otherwise".

      1 vote
  2. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. sebs
      Link Parent
      It's called a numeronym. Others very common (in tech) are: a11y – accessibility k8s - Kubernetes l10n – localization n11n – normalization v12n – virtualization

      It's called a numeronym. Others very common (in tech) are:

      • a11y – accessibility
      • k8s - Kubernetes
      • l10n – localization
      • n11n – normalization
      • v12n – virtualization
      1 vote
  3. [7]
    vektor
    Link
    rkcr, I declare you a devoted factorio player... right?

    rkcr, I declare you a devoted factorio player... right?

    1. [6]
      rkcr
      Link Parent
      I've actually never played Factorio. I avoid most early access games. Also, based on what I've heard of it, I suspect it'd be problematically addicting.

      I've actually never played Factorio. I avoid most early access games.

      Also, based on what I've heard of it, I suspect it'd be problematically addicting.

      2 votes
      1. [5]
        vektor
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Huh. The factorio dev blog (https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-244) mentioned this exact article recently, so that's why I got that impression. And yes, it is problematically addicting. I've...

        Huh. The factorio dev blog (https://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-244) mentioned this exact article recently, so that's why I got that impression.

        And yes, it is problematically addicting. I've sunk a lot of time into it. 900.. yes, that's it, 900 minutes.

        1 vote
        1. [4]
          rkcr
          Link Parent
          A friend linked the article to me, perhaps he got it from there. But in general I love i18n topics. It's a fascinating and underappreciated part of software.

          A friend linked the article to me, perhaps he got it from there. But in general I love i18n topics. It's a fascinating and underappreciated part of software.

          1 vote
          1. [3]
            vektor
            Link Parent
            Then I'm sure you're aware of Tom Scott's videos on Computerphile in issues like... I think time zones? And Unicode? That kind of stuff. Everything he did on computerphile was great, iirc.

            Then I'm sure you're aware of Tom Scott's videos on Computerphile in issues like... I think time zones? And Unicode? That kind of stuff. Everything he did on computerphile was great, iirc.

            1 vote
            1. [2]
              Kirby703
              Link Parent
              Tom Scott makes a lot of fantastic and well-researched videos on his own channel as well. iirc, he's a linguist and enough experience with Unicode to thoroughly despise it.

              Tom Scott makes a lot of fantastic and well-researched videos on his own channel as well. iirc, he's a linguist and enough experience with Unicode to thoroughly despise it.

              1 vote
              1. vektor
                Link Parent
                Of particular interest ist probably this Playlist: Tom's Language Files: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL96C35uN7xGLDEnHuhD7CTZES3KXFnwm0 But yes, great stuff. Also, how so i Tell my...

                Of particular interest ist probably this Playlist: Tom's Language Files: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL96C35uN7xGLDEnHuhD7CTZES3KXFnwm0

                But yes, great stuff.

                Also, how so i Tell my autocorrect to letzte me weitere english?