How to Write for Translation

This section provides you with specific rules about how to write for translation, with practical examples. The topics in this section are the most common causes of translation errors. You can use the following basic grammar guidelines to avoid most situations that cause difficulty for translators and readers. The examples for each topic might relate to releases of the GNOME Desktop that predate the release you are working with, nevertheless the linguistic points remain valid.

Topic 1	Gerund
Rule	Do not use a gerund where a translator can mistake the gerund form for an adjective. The most common place for this problem to occur is when a gerund immediately precedes a noun.
Example	Clicking Programs opens the Programs menu.
Rewrite	Click on Programs to open the Programs menu.
Exceptions	You can use the gerund in section headers, for example: Using the Menu Editor. You can use the gerund in the present continuous tense, for example: The application is running. You can use the gerund for the term Settings, for example, when you describe controls in a dialog. You can use the gerund for the adjective following, when you introduce a list or a procedure. You can use gerunds preceded by an article when the gerund is a noun, for example, the setting.

Topic 2	Passive voice
Rule	Use the active voice wherever you can. If you do use the passive voice, analyze the text to see if you can say the same thing in the active voice.
Example	The Menu Editor is started from the Main Menu.
Rewrite	You start the Menu Editor from the Main Menu.
Exceptions	Sometimes you cannot avoid the passive voice. If the sentence does not make sense in the active voice, then use the passive voice, but limit the occurrences.

Topic 3	Indefinite pronouns
Rule	Restrict the use of indefinite pronouns such as it, this, and those, especially at the beginning of sentences.
Example	The Menu Editor is a configuration tool for the Main Menu. It is very useful in setting your system to your system requirements.
Rewrite	The Menu Editor is a configuration tool for the Main Menu. The Menu Editor provides a useful way to set your system requirements.
Exceptions	Very restricted usage only.

Topic 4	Future tense
Rule	Use the present tense in your writing wherever you can. Do not use the future tense, or future passive tenses.
Example 1	In the menu tree you will notice that there are two main menu lists.
Rewrite 1	The menu tree contains two main menu lists.
Example 2	In the menu tree you will have noticed that there are two main menu lists.
Rewrite 2	The menu tree contains two main menu lists.
Exceptions	Restrict the use of the future tense to only those circumstances that will happen at some future point in time, such as next year.

Topic 5	There is, there are
Rule	The terms there is and there are are ambiguous. Do not use these terms.
Example	In the menu tree there are two main menu lists.
Rewrite	The menu tree contains two main menu lists.
Exceptions	Limit your use of these terms. Test your text to see if you can phrase the sentence with a more definite verb.

Topic 6	Sentence length
Rule	See Section 1.2 ― Golden Rules.
Example	If you would like to place a menu item onto the panel, you can drag and drop from the menu to the panel and it will place a launcher there with all the appropriate properties set for you.
Rewrite	You can drag a menu item from the menu to the panel. The drag action places a launcher on the panel with all the appropriate properties set.
Exceptions	Legal statements.

Topic 7	How to introduce lists and procedures
Rule	See Section 2.5 ― Lists.
Example	In the Properties dialog select:
Rewrite	In the Properties dialog select the following parameters:
Exceptions	Single nouns in front of a colon are acceptable, as opposed to a sentence fragment. For example, if the preceding paragraph discusses parameters, you can introduce the list of parameters in the following way: Parameters: Also note the use of the gerund following in this context.

Topic 8	Parentheses
Rule	Use parentheses to introduce abbreviations that you will use later, such as GNOME Documentation Project (GDP). Do not use parentheses to provide explanations.
Example	The theme files should be in a tar.gz or .tgz format (otherwise known as a tarball).
Rewrite	The theme files are usually in a tar.gz or .tgz archive file, known as a tarball.
Exception	None.

Topic 9	Rank of structures within a sentence
Rule	Repeat noun modifiers to make structures equal in rank in a sentence.
Example	You can start applications from panel menus or objects.
Rewrite	You can start applications from panel menus or panel objects.
Exception	None.

Topic 10	Semicolons
Rule	See the entry for Semicolons in Chapter 3 ― Grammar and Usage Guidelines.
Example	The first option in the dialog is selected; all the other options are unselected.
Rewrite	The first option in the dialog is selected. All the other options are unselected.
Exception	None.

Topic 11	Personal pronouns
Rule	Do not use personal pronouns other than you. See also the entry for Gender in Chapter 3 ― Grammar and Usage Guidelines.
Example	We recommend this method of moving a symbolic link.
Rewrite	Use this method to move a symbolic link.
Exception	None.

Topic 12	May
Rule	Replace may with can or might.
Example	These settings may be accessed from the GMC Preferences dialog. You may launch this dialog by selecting the Preferences item from the Settings menu.
Rewrite	You can access these settings from the GMC Preferences dialog. To launch this dialog select the Preferences item from the Settings menu.
Exception	Use may only when you grant permission to do something.

Topic 13	Possessive apostrophe 's, Saxon Genitive. See Appendix C ― Glossary of Terms in This Guide.
Rule	Replace the genitive construction with an of structure. See also the entry for Apostrophe in Chapter 3 ― Grammar and Usage Guidelines.
Example	You can configure a drawer's properties by right-clicking on the drawer's icon and selecting Properties.
Rewrite	To configure the properties of a drawer, right-click on the drawer and select Properties.
Exception	Use the genitive construction for named individuals, for example: Bob's book.

Topic 14	Contractions
Rule	Replace contractions with the relevant complete words. Especially avoid the 's contraction for is and has. Translators can confuse these contractions with each other, or with the Saxon genitive or even with plurals. See also the entries for Apostrophe and Contractions in Chapter 3 ― Grammar and Usage Guidelines.
Example	If you're new to GNOME...
Rewrite	If you are new to GNOME...
Exception	Only use a contraction if you cannot find a reasonable alternative.

Topic 15	Exotic tenses
Rule	Write in the present tense. Avoid conditional phrases and past tenses.
Example	If you are missing any drives that might have been added to your machine, you may right mouse click on the desktop and choose...
Rewrite	If any drives are missing from your machine, right-click on the desktop and choose...
Exception	None.

Topic 16	Gender-specific references
Rule	See Section 1.4.4 ― Do Not Offend Your Audience.
Example	Tell the user to reset his password.
Rewrite	Tell the users to reset their passwords.
Exception	None.

Topic 17	Articles
Rule	Do not omit articles in prose.
Example	Open Main Menu and select item.
Rewrite	Open the Main Menu and select an item.
Exception	None.

Topic 18	When, if
Rule	Use when for an inevitable event. Use if for a conditional event.
Example 1	When the prompt is displayed. This sentence implies that the prompt is definitely displayed. The only question is when the prompt is displayed.
Example 2	If the prompt is displayed. The sentence says that the prompt might, or might not, be displayed.
Exception	None.

Topic 19	Colloquial language
Rule	See Section 1.3 ― Tone.
Example	The Modem Lights Applet is a handy applet that will start your dialup connection.
Rewrite	The Modem Lights applet starts your dialup connection.
Exception	None.

Topic 20	Conjoined sentences
Rule	Do not join sentences with conjunctions such as and or so. Instead, create two sentences.
Example	At the time of publication of this manual there were not any applications that offer full session management for your data, so until there are some and you are aware of their capabilities you should not rely on session management to save your application.
Rewrite	At the time of publication of this manual there were not any applications that offer full session management for your data. Do not rely on session management to save your session, until you have a reliable session-management application.
Exception	Use conjoined sentence structures only for short sentences.

How to Write for Translation

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