To begin, resources on how to translate software into a Filipino language are very scant; non-existent in the case of Iloko. I have had to search through the Internet for resources about how software is translated for other languages that I have had some familiarity such as Spanish, Catalan, Chinese and Japanese. Namely, I've looked at these guides that detail some of the subtleties and "gotchas" that translators have experienced with these languages. What facilitated this has been the Microsoft Language Portal (en-US).
It allows users to lookup translations for various languages for many of the big-ticket software products, e.g. Word, Office and Windows. Also, you can download a listing of terminology in TBX (TermBase eXchange) format. In addition, they make available "Style Guides" that have recommendations on how to translate software into a target language and/or locale.
I noticed within the past couple of years, Filipino (Tagalog), has been added to the list. I haven't been able to look at the terms list. I can't find an affordable (read: "open source") TBX application yet. I have read the style guide for Tagalog and it touches on some issues that I've had in the back of my head ever since I embarked on translating software. As a result, I plan on writing a similar guide for Iloko.
Overall, I agree with many of the points that the authors of the guide have made, but there are a few areas where I disagree. Since Iloko is not as prevalent as a language on computers or software, I hope that translators who use my guide will agree using my recommendations, even though they differ from what has been published in the Filipino/Tagalog guide. And, if it has more people who agree, then it may influence those translating software into Tagalog.
With that in mind, I plan on commenting on those areas where I disagree and how I plan on translating into Iloko. I plan on writing about the following in subsequent posts:
- Addressing the User in Software
- Verb Forms
- Computer Terminology and Jargon
Addressing the User in Software
How the software "speaks" to the user. Iloko, and for that matter Tagalog, have a T-V distinction, in other words, Tagalog uses various forms of the second-person pronoun according to social standing. The Microsoft guide suggests the use of the singular form, viz.: ikaw, ka, iyo. I disagree. I don't want that level of familiarity with software, nor do I want to be talked "down to". I think that the plural (and more formal) forms should have been suggested and implemented.
Verb Forms
The choice in verb forms is complicated by the fact that Tagalog and Iloko inflect for transitivity and focus. It has been mentioned that Filipinos talk in the "passive". Depending on your linguistic point of view, this can be correct... or, not. Nonetheless, for software to sound natural to the user, the most apt verb form or forms should be used. For many commands, the suggestion is to translate using actor-focused forms, even when there are objects, specific objects are involved.
Computer Terminology and Jargon
I will just come out and say it: There are too many English terms that it borders on the line of almost being Taglish. I read somewhere that "to save" could not be translated "directly" so verb forms such as "i-save" or "lino-load" appear. It looks as though there weren't enough time invested to find corresponding words or formations to expressed what was needed to be conveyed. I did find this gem, panatilihin = "to make persist", i.e. "save" and it could have been used. I think that it was to be more hip, than to preserve the language at that point. Although there are instances where using a loan would be less "confusing", but the frequency of such a word would be low and rather "deep" within the user interface that those with computer jargon would truly have understood. I would venture a guess that the term "save" has more frequency.
All in all, using the style guides that I've found have inspired me to write a similar guide for Iloko. It's given me more focus and a framework to work with and, hopefully, it will assist others who plan on translating future software into Iloko. I hope to take off somewhat of a burden from the translators mind regarding such details and focus on making Iloko more prevalent in the computing world.
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