Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (Cyborg)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo

CIRCLE WITH A DOT

  1. Home
  2. Uncategorized
  3. English speakers of the fedi.

English speakers of the fedi.

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Uncategorized
devsoftwareinterface
81 Posts 52 Posters 187 Views
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

    @williamoconnell examples of "save" being interpreted as infitive may be:

    "[I want to] save [the file]"
    "[I must] save [the file]"

    Of course, imperative is something like "Computer, save this file"

    williamoconnell@mas.toW This user is from outside of this forum
    williamoconnell@mas.toW This user is from outside of this forum
    williamoconnell@mas.to
    wrote last edited by
    #62

    @eltonfc Interesting, I think I always thought of it as imperative, but I guess in other languages it would typically be localized to be the infinitive? As an English speaker the idea of writing something like "I want to save the file" on a UI sounds unnatural to me; as though you're just giving the computer information and it's going to make its own decision.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

      @jjj what motivates de question is that in English, the infinitive and imperative forms are identical. In Portuguese, they are translated in the infinitive: "Fechar" instead of "Feche" or "Fecha"

      J This user is from outside of this forum
      J This user is from outside of this forum
      jjj@functional.cafe
      wrote last edited by
      #63

      @eltonfc I understand that. As I wrote it is the same in Swedish. I don't understand what you mean with how they are usually translated. That would depend on the original text, I can't say how often either is used in general.

      eltonfc@bertha.socialE 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • ylyej@mastodon.bahia.noY This user is from outside of this forum
        ylyej@mastodon.bahia.noY This user is from outside of this forum
        ylyej@mastodon.bahia.no
        wrote last edited by
        #64

        @hobbs mds eu sempre entendi como infinitivo

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

          English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

          Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

          #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

          donutage@mastodon.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
          donutage@mastodon.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
          donutage@mastodon.social
          wrote last edited by
          #65

          @eltonfc Interesting question! I can't say I'd ever really thought about the grammatical tense/mood of menu items before, but my gut says they read as imperatives (also, we call them "commands", right?). I know German, on the other hand, renders them as infinitives (although I guess those could also be interpreted as formal imperatives).

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

            English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

            Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

            #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

            leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
            leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
            leonardof@bertha.social
            wrote last edited by
            #66

            @eltonfc Já vi esses verbos descritos como sendo imperativos (em diretriz de interface gráfica, provavelmente do GNOME, provavelmente não a atual), mas na minha cabeça é infinitivo. Infinitivo para eles seria "to make", não "make"

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

              Iff English is your second language, how are these verbs tusually translated to *your* language in software interfaces?

              leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
              leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
              leonardof@bertha.social
              wrote last edited by
              #67

              @eltonfc quer resposta em português também??

              eltonfc@bertha.socialE 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                Iff English is your second language, how are these verbs tusually translated to *your* language in software interfaces?

                hugu@masto.donte.com.brH This user is from outside of this forum
                hugu@masto.donte.com.brH This user is from outside of this forum
                hugu@masto.donte.com.br
                wrote last edited by
                #68

                @eltonfc o infinitivo em inglês seria "to close", certo?

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • jleedev@mastodon.sdf.orgJ jleedev@mastodon.sdf.org

                  @eltonfc

                  "why is the software calling me a dolt?" https://folklore.org/Do_It.html

                  The 1992 mac hig doesn't address this directly but does label a button "Don't Save".

                  On the one hand, it can't be the infinitive since it doesn't have "to", but I had to look up what the "plain form" or "base form" of the verb is even called.

                  The 1992 hig calls them verbs or actions, which makes more sense than claiming that it really is imperative.

                  dcporter@better.bostonD This user is from outside of this forum
                  dcporter@better.bostonD This user is from outside of this forum
                  dcporter@better.boston
                  wrote last edited by
                  #69

                  @jleedev @eltonfc The intention of these menus and button titles was definitely imperative. I'm surprised that there's the two options are so close – and I'm extra surprised and very intrigued that ESL folks are reporting 2x in favor of infinitive.

                  jleedev@mastodon.sdf.orgJ 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                    @jjj what motivates de question is that in English, the infinitive and imperative forms are identical. In Portuguese, they are translated in the infinitive: "Fechar" instead of "Feche" or "Fecha"

                    malcontato@bolha.oneM This user is from outside of this forum
                    malcontato@bolha.oneM This user is from outside of this forum
                    malcontato@bolha.one
                    wrote last edited by
                    #70

                    @eltonfc @jjj “infinitive and imperative forms are identical” apenas nas flexões verbais em que acontece o bare infinitive, não? Que é quando precedido de verbos modais ou alguns verbos específicos. Eu aprendi que exceto esses casos a flexão infinitiva exige preposição “to”

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • dcporter@better.bostonD dcporter@better.boston

                      @jleedev @eltonfc The intention of these menus and button titles was definitely imperative. I'm surprised that there's the two options are so close – and I'm extra surprised and very intrigued that ESL folks are reporting 2x in favor of infinitive.

                      jleedev@mastodon.sdf.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      jleedev@mastodon.sdf.orgJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      jleedev@mastodon.sdf.org
                      wrote last edited by
                      #71

                      @dcporter @eltonfc It makes me wonder, outside the computer what verb form is used for a to-do list in various languages.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • leonardof@bertha.socialL leonardof@bertha.social

                        @eltonfc quer resposta em português também??

                        eltonfc@bertha.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
                        eltonfc@bertha.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
                        eltonfc@bertha.social
                        wrote last edited by
                        #72

                        @leonardof arrgh limitação do Moshidon que não mostra o idioma, só o botão para mudar

                        leonardof@bertha.socialL 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • J jjj@functional.cafe

                          @eltonfc I understand that. As I wrote it is the same in Swedish. I don't understand what you mean with how they are usually translated. That would depend on the original text, I can't say how often either is used in general.

                          eltonfc@bertha.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
                          eltonfc@bertha.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
                          eltonfc@bertha.social
                          wrote last edited by
                          #73

                          @jjj my point is that the same string "Close" is translated to Swedish in the imperative form and to Portuguese in the infinitive form. I'm curious how it's done in other languages.

                          J 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                            @leonardof arrgh limitação do Moshidon que não mostra o idioma, só o botão para mudar

                            leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
                            leonardof@bertha.socialL This user is from outside of this forum
                            leonardof@bertha.social
                            wrote last edited by
                            #74

                            @eltonfc 😅

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                              English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

                              Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

                              #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

                              wordshaper@weatherishappening.networkW This user is from outside of this forum
                              wordshaper@weatherishappening.networkW This user is from outside of this forum
                              wordshaper@weatherishappening.network
                              wrote last edited by
                              #75

                              @eltonfc tbh as a native english speaker I've gotten to the point where I see those words in menus as *nouns* rather than verbs. (I may have been computering too long, that's a valid observation)

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                                @jjj my point is that the same string "Close" is translated to Swedish in the imperative form and to Portuguese in the infinitive form. I'm curious how it's done in other languages.

                                J This user is from outside of this forum
                                J This user is from outside of this forum
                                jjj@functional.cafe
                                wrote last edited by
                                #76

                                @eltonfc Ok, I understand now, I think.

                                The results of your polls are very interesting and surprising to me. I didn't know of this difference.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                                  English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

                                  Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

                                  #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

                                  drahardja@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
                                  drahardja@sfba.socialD This user is from outside of this forum
                                  drahardja@sfba.social
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #77

                                  @eltonfc I think most verbs in menus are intended to be imperative, with whatever is selected being the noun (eg copy *this*).

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                                    English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

                                    Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

                                    #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

                                    penguin42@mastodon.org.ukP This user is from outside of this forum
                                    penguin42@mastodon.org.ukP This user is from outside of this forum
                                    penguin42@mastodon.org.uk
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #78

                                    @eltonfc I don't think in either imperative or infinitive etc - as a native speaker, I just think in terms of knowing the thing I want to do is if I click on the option with that name.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • eltonfc@bertha.socialE eltonfc@bertha.social

                                      English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

                                      Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

                                      #Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

                                      quixoticgeek@social.v.stQ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      quixoticgeek@social.v.stQ This user is from outside of this forum
                                      quixoticgeek@social.v.st
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #79

                                      @eltonfc needs an option "native speaker, doesn't understand the question"

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • lritter@mastodon.gamedev.placeL lritter@mastodon.gamedev.place

                                        @dveditz @eltonfc a lot of these menu options lead to places though, dialogs. so you're figuratively entering a conversation. a command line rarely does that. your instructions are expected to be complete.

                                        dveditz@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                                        dveditz@infosec.exchangeD This user is from outside of this forum
                                        dveditz@infosec.exchange
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #80

                                        @lritter @eltonfc

                                        fair point. in English those items use the imperative followed by "..." (an incomplete command?). An infinitive would make sense in that context and I could imagine a "To Print" or similar menu, but I've never seen one. The English form used is imperative.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • mattdm@hachyderm.ioM mattdm@hachyderm.io

                                          @virtulis @eltonfc

                                          To me:

                                          "Rename file [to a name I will provide]."

                                          I wonder how much this has to do with growing up with command-line interfaces vs graphical ones.

                                          zygous@toot.communityZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          zygous@toot.communityZ This user is from outside of this forum
                                          zygous@toot.community
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #81

                                          @mattdm @virtulis @eltonfc

                                          To me, a Brit, it’s [I want to] Rename File. I had to ponder this, though, because I genuinely wasn’t sure how I think about it, at first. Perhaps with a GUI I’m hoping to do something, whereas with a CLI I can be more confident and use the imperative 😆

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
                                          • R relay@relay.publicsquare.global shared this topic
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • World
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups