Re: [Bug-gnulib] Re: version-etc, AUTHORS, WRITTEN_BY

[Paul Eggert]

Bruno Haible <address@hidden> writes:

> Ehm, which language are you talking about?

Runyakitara.  Just kidding: I don't know Runyakitara.  Though I'm not
kidding about the existence of the language; it has millions of native
speakers.

Seriously: I don't really know; I just suspect that the problem will
come up eventually, and I made up a language to try to make that point.


> I'm not aware of any language where it is _mandatory_ to prefix or suffix
> proper names.

Yes, I suspect that translators will be able to come up with
circumlocutions that avoid the prefixes, albeit with awkward
translations.


>    msgid "BEGIN blocks must have an action part"
>    msgid "END blocks must have an action part"

That's a bit different, since the msgids are computerese; they aren't
normal English.  Since they're awkward in English (the BEGIN and END
are capitalized because they're in some sense quoted), it's OK to
translate them awkwardly into Runyakitara.


> The ice in thin here, I admit. It's only the passive voice of "Written by"
> which saves us.

Here we're in agreement.  Anyway, I hope that we've provided enough
information to Jim so that he feels comfortable deciding.