In this article
Banana.ch SA website is translated in several languages. In order to make translator's work as easy as possible follow these guidelines:
- Use active voice.
- Use the subject-verb-object sentence structure. It’s not used by all languages, but it’s widely recognized.
- Use positive words when talking about positive situations.
Example:
NO: "Don’t you think she did a great job?”
YES: “She did a good job, right?”
Specific guidelines for translations
- Consider cultural differences - avoid or be careful about making references to things of local or regional importance - they might not be understood universally.
- Be brief but clear - don’t sacrifice clarity for brevity. You may need to repeat or add words to make your sentences clearer to a translator.
- Avoid words with multiple meanings (if possible)
In English for example the word "once" could mean "one time", "after", "in the past", or "when"
NO: Once you install the software you need to enter the license key
YES: After you install the software you need to enter the license key - Measurements - all our measurements are in metric system, but spell out all units.
- Currencies - all currencies must be indicated with their 3-letter abbreviation, such as USD and not $.
External translators
As an external translator translating for Banana.ch, you can follow these guiding principles to ensure effective and efficient translation work with your supervisor and Banana.ch team members:
- Utilize Translation Tools such as Deepl or ChatGPT to speed up work. Note: the output of these tools need not to be considered as final but as a good foundation for your work. Pay close attention to these tools' translations of our company's name and products. See Consistency in this list.
- Agile Methodology: Work in short, iterative cycles, regularly updating and improving translations. This approach allows you to adapt to changes in the project and ensures continuous improvement. Engage with other team members and/or translation supervisors frequently. Share your translations for peer review and be open to suggestions. Agile is about collaboration and flexibility, so be prepared to make changes based on team feedback.
- Never Delete Translations: Even if a translation seems outdated or incorrect, do not delete it. Instead, update it or mark it for review.
- Revisions: Use Drupal's revision system to track changes and maintain a history of translations. It also allows reverting to previous versions if needed.
- Consistency: Maintain consistency in terminology and style throughout your translations. Be consistent with our writing style, tips and branding. Please see our Guidelines for more information.
Program text translations
For translating text in Banana Accounting please go to developer's section :