an introduction to translating software documentation
DESCRIPTION
An Introduction to Translating Software Documentation. Ryan Ginstrom. What I will talk about today. What is it? Honing skills Tools of the trade The good, the bad, and the ugly. Many different types. Readers Targets. Readers. End users Programmers “Pointy-haired people” Marketing - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
An Introduction to Translating Software Documentation
Ryan Ginstrom
What I will talk about today
What is it? Honing skills Tools of the trade The good, the bad, and the ugly
Many different types
Readers Targets
Readers
End users Programmers “Pointy-haired people”
– Marketing– Managers– Purchasing departments…
Target: end users vs. developers
End users Developers
不具合の究明 Troubleshooting Debugging
推奨されない Obsolete Deprecated
X モードでアプリケーションを起動する
Run the program in X mode
Load the application in X mode (run also OK)
Targets
Platform– Microsoft / *Nix / Mac / Web application / mobile d
evices
Layer– Device driver / desktop application / online shoppi
ng cart / Webmail
Purpose– Instruct / inform / publicize
What is good translation?
Should read like a target-language document Not like a translation Write for the reader
– Needs– Expectations
Honing skills
Technical knowledge Knowledge of source language Technical writing
Honing technical knowledge
Read one technical book in our target language per month– Think about that
Learn to program?
Learn to program!
Python– www.python.org– Easy to learn – Powerful
Ruby– http://www.ruby-lang.org/– Powerful– “Made in Japan”
Visual Basic– Pros: Simple, useful– Con: Dead (replaced by VB .NET)
Source language
Know the terminology in the source language Read fluently “Good enough” isn’t
Rite away…
English original (method description):
Performs last rites on the object.
Japanese translation:
オブジェクトに対して最終書き込みを行います。
??
Target language
Technical writing Pretending to sound like you know what
you’re talking about
Weaknesses abound
We’re not engineers We’re not technical writers We’re not native speakers of one of our
languages
We are translators
Humility(but not too much!)
Keep an open mind Constantly learn
Tools of the trade
Dictionaries Technical references Technical style guides Software
Dictionaries
電気情報和英辞典オーム社 編
数学 英和・和英辞典小松勇作 編
和英 コンピュータ用語大辞典Japanese-English Dictionary of Computer(AKA “The Lacker”)
Technical references
O’Reilly’s “In a Nutshell” series Books on software development Textbooks
Mostly target language
Others…
The Windows Interface Guidelines for Software Design
Developing User Interfaces for Microsoft Windows
Technical style guides (online)
Apple Publications Style Guide (PDF) http://developer.apple.com/documentation/
Sun – Writing for the Webhttp://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/
Technical style guides (dead trees)
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
Read Me First!A Style Guide for the Computer Industry (Sun)
From Microsoft Manual of Style
Correct
On the File menu, click Open.
Incorrect
On the File menu, choose the Open command.
Reference:
[ ファイル ] メニューから [ 開く ] コマンドを選択し…
But from Sun’s manual…
Menu option names appear in the document’s default font and do not receive any special typographic styling.
From the Edit menu, choose Paste.(or)Choose Edit Paste.
-- Read Me First!
Microsoft Manual of Style on Usage
application Avoid in content for home users and information workers; use program instead.
button In general, refer to a button only by its label. Correct:Select the file you want to open and then click OK.
computer Not PC or machine or box, regardless of audience.
hint Do not use hint as a heading for a type of note; use tip instead.
input Avoid in all content as a verb; use type or another appropriate verb instead. (c.f. 入力 )
menu item Do not use in content for home users or information workers. Use command instead (c.f. メニュー項目 )
Software
Translation memory Online/electronic dictionaries Text to speech/dictation Gluing
The good, the bad, and the ugly
Sample source and translation You make the call Then look at what I thought when I wrote this
Exceptional
Japanese original
このメソッドでは、要素の取得に失敗する場合、例外が発生します。
English translation
In this method, an exception occurs if the acquisition of the element fails.
UGLY
このメソッドでは、要素の取得に失敗する場合、例外が発生します。
In this method, an exception occurs if the acquisition of the element fails.
This method throws an exception if it fails to acquire the element.
例外の発生 : Throw/raise an exception
Use the source, Luke!
ファイルの保存時に保存元と保存先のファイル内容を比較する
When saving a file, the contents of the save source and save destination files are compared
BAD
ファイルの保存時に保存元と保存先のファイル内容を比較する
When saving a file, the contents of the save source and save destination files are compared
When you save the file, the original file and the file to be saved are compared.
Don’t be afraid to write English
Count on it
この参照カウントは、 LoadLibrary 関数が呼び出されるたびに 1 増加し、 FreeLibrary 関数が呼び出されるたびに 1 減少します。
This reference count is incremented each time LoadLibrary is called and decremented each time FreeLibrary is called.
GOOD
この参照カウントは、 LoadLibrary 関数が呼び出されるたびに 1 増加し、 FreeLibrary 関数が呼び出されるたびに 1 減少します。
This reference count is incremented each time LoadLibrary is called and decremented each time FreeLibrary is called.
参照カウント : reference count1 増加 : increment1 減少 : decrement
More on exceptions
例外 :
XYZException - 引数 foo が null の場合に発生します。
Exceptions:
XYZException – Thrown if parameter foo is null.
UGLY (trick question)
例外 :
XYZException - 引数 foo が null の場合に発生します。
Exceptions:
XYZException – Thrown if parameter foo is null.
Throws:
XYZException – If parameter foo is null.
Convention!
The dating game
このサンプルでは、これらのテーブルを XML データとして保存します。
In this sample, these tables are saved as XML data.
BAD
このサンプルでは、これらのテーブルを XML データとして保存します。
In this sample, these tables are saved as XML data.
In this sample, these tables are saved as an XML file.
データ : File
What’s your destination?
保存先のフォルダを開いて,「 foo. exe」をダブルクリックして下さい。
Open the save destination folder, and double click the “foo.exe” icon.
UGLY
保存先のフォルダを開いて,「 foo. exe」をダブルクリックして下さい。
Open the save destination folder, and double click the “foo.exe” icon.
Open the folder where you saved the file, and click on the “foo.exe” icon.
The user just wants to get the job done
More API stuff
インデックスが範囲外の場合に 黒色 ( 0, 0, 0 ) を返します。
If the index is outside the scope, returns black (0, 0, 0).
BAD
インデックスが範囲外の場合に 黒色 ( 0, 0, 0 ) を返します。
If the index is outside the scope, returns black (0, 0, 0).
If the index is out of bounds, returns black (0, 0, 0).
範囲外 : out of bounds
Thank You