[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#13777) Patch: Another revised Sioux nation

["Christian Knoke" <chrisk@xxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://bugs.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=13777 >

On Fri, Aug 26, 2005 at 08:14:32AM -0700, Daniel Markstedt wrote:
> 
> I my previous patch I wanted to give Sioux language names to the 
> leaders too, removing their English translations. That fell through 
> since some people found the new names too exotic and "difficult to 
> remember." However, I thought the praxis in Freeciv was to give native 
> names of leaders. North American Amerind names are apparently an 
> exception. I'm obeying the majority's opinion, so if an Amerind chief 
> is better known under his English translation names, that will also be 
> his name in the game. For the Sioux language leader names added in this 
> latest patch, I could find no English translation.

Well, leader names appear in many places in Freeciv. They have a value for
identification and remembereing a player or a nation. Another aspect is, to
use names (or forms of names) that people are used to, know them from school
or newspapers or so, so they can identify them as belonging to a certain
nation.

In my eyes, accents do not harm, but arabic or japanese letters would do.
Same with names that are widespread used in another form, as for the Sioux
leader names.

Of course its always nicer to have original or historical correct names, but
not for any price.

With city names I think the problem is a bit smaller.

Also think of games on a pubserver. An extreme solution would be, to
translate/transscribe all names in all languages, which is a ton load of
work on translators, and still arise problems, since people can no longer
communicate over cities (or leaders) on the chat line.

Personally, I think it was a step forward for Freeciv, if at least the
localisation of standard messages in pubserver games were fully available.

> Tribe names as cities was rejected at the time because it was an 
> unusual solution that needed more discussion. I hope this idea will be 
> accepted this time!

I hope so, too.

Christian

-- 
Christian Knoke            * * *            http://cknoke.de
* * * * * * * * *  Ceterum censeo Microsoft esse dividendum.