[Kde-i18n-fa] re: some problems

[Arash Zeini]

On Monday 22 September 2003 23:55, Seyed M Tabatabi wrote:

> On Monday September 22 03 2:57 pm, Ali Yazdy wrote:
> > dear Arian
> > sorry for misspelling. I don't know if this word has
> > been discussed before or not. but first I think to use
> > the word cache itself in translation will not be a
> > great sin, but if we insist to use a Farsi word it
> > would be better to use a meaningful word. Imagine  a
> > user that has some experience in working with Englilsh
> >  environments before. when he/she sees the farsikde,
> > how the hell he can  guess the meaning of zaghe is
> > cache? but I will change the translation to zaghe
> > anyway.
>
> here is my $.02:
>
> Farsi is a beautiful and capable language. The words can be invented if
> needed but it would be simpler and more fun to use something familiar
> and relevant for english equivalent term rather than blindly translating
> literaly. I agree few if any would use kargozar for server.

For this see one of my previous emails. Kargozar is a word in Farsi, and to 
our understanding a nice one too., you can look it up in dictionaries and 
it makes sense in connection with client: kargozar <-> kargir.

> e.g. for CACHE why not use Zakhireh (arabic word but used in farsi
> anyways and most people undrestand it readily) or PASTOO or NAHANEH; and
> for SERVER why not use BARBAR, just the same way as Piyamgeer is a good
> (but not literal) translation for Answering Machine; (and I think it is
> accepted by the people and people like it and use it). I am not intended
> to branch out another farsikde;  just trying to make a point here.

IMHO to use barbar for server would be wrong. And kargozar is not a literal 
translation too. And in the context of barbar what would you use for 
client?
Payamgeer is accepted now, but in the beginning it was a very strange 
sounding word. Doornama was the same and it was the case with 'hawapeyma' 
around 50 or 60 years back. Look that word up in Steingass and see what I 
mean. In Steingass airplane is translated as 'tayarreh'. What we use today 
with so much acceptance was a very weired sounding word some years back. 
That's what I wrote as an answer to ArashP yesterday: Habit is a big 
teacher here. We do not care if people laugh today a bit, tomorrow they 
may not want anything else. And I like to repeat againa and again: WE DO 
NOT INVENT WORDS, WE JUST TRY TO CHOOSE THE BEST ONE.

You are right with the word 'cache'. Our choice might not be the best. BUT: 
based on frequency I have to use "Kaashe" in Farsi, but then the next one 
will write an email and say: "Why didn't you use xyz?" FYI the dictionary 
gives 19 different translations for cache!!! Which one do you recommend to 
use? And FYI Farhangestan has failed to suggest a word for cache.

> I guess translation of technical term is more like an art than a
> science.

Exactly, specially in Iran, where the officials have failed to cope with 
the growth, and this is the reason why these discussions pop up. Because 
there are no official standards and guidelines, people beginto judge based 
on taste and not based on knowledge, common sense or something so 
wonderful like standards.
An example: there is a list of "The approved terms for telecommunications 
proposed and certified by Iran Telecom" and "approved by the Academy of 
the Persian Language and Literature", which we call Farhangestan in short. 
It carried two dates: January 2000 and July 2002.
Surprise: it contains just 28 entries. Later a second part was published, 
which contains around 107 entries. 
NOTE: I am not critisizing their work, I am providing you with information 
about our resources and possibilities.

> One question I have though is how the translations is accepted and
> approved by the group here.  What is the procedure? I mean in one of
> farsikde screenshots I saw PISHFARZ ( a tab ) which was supposed to mean
> Default ( tab). Is this correct? I mean is it cosher to mix a farsi
> pishvand (i.e PISH) with an arabic root (i.e. FARZ) to make a supposedly
> Farsi new term (i.e. PISHFARZ)? IF this is not sound who Should I
> complain to?
>
> Hassan.

Translations are sent to me, the coordinator, and I may distribute it to 
those who are more familiar with FarsiKDE for a review. If the 
translations are good I commit them. When time is tight I may commit 
unchecked translations and do the check later. And I keep on checking the 
translations with regard to consistancy.

"Pishfarz" is the default and known translation for "default" in Iran. And 
the dictionary lists 29 different entries for it.

Thanks and greetings,
Arash
-- 
The FarsiKDE Project
www.farsikde.org