Обсуждение: Use singular number when appropriate

Hi,

I thought about using the dual, but wasn't sure how many languages
support it.

Best,
David.
-- 
David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org> http://fetter.org/
Phone: +1 415 235 3778

Remember to vote!
Consider donating to Postgres: http://www.postgresql.org/about/donate

On 15/06/2021 07:59, David Fetter wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I thought about using the dual, but wasn't sure how many languages
> support it.
>
>     if (fail_count == 0 && fail_ignore_count == 0)
>          snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf),
>                  _(" %s %d test%s passed. "),
>                  success_count == 1 ? "The" : "All",
>                  success_count,
>                  success_count == 1 ? "" : "s");

Constructing sentences like that is bad practice for translations. See 
https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/manual/html_node/Plural-forms.html.

- Heikki

On Tue, Jun 15, 2021 at 04:59:24AM +0000, David Fetter wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I thought about using the dual, but wasn't sure how many languages
> support it.

I don't think that you can assume that appending something will work in all
languages.  Note that it also doesn't always work in english (e.g. this/these),
as seen in this inconsistent change:

-                 _(" %d of %d tests failed, %d of these failures ignored. "),

+                 _(" %d of %d test%s failed, %d of these failures ignored. "),

On Tue, 2021-06-15 at 04:59 +0000, David Fetter wrote:
> I thought about using the dual, but wasn't sure how many languages
> support it.

I think none of the languages for which we cater uses the dual.
But I guess you were joking, since the tests are not translated ...

>      if (fail_count == 0 && fail_ignore_count == 0)
>          snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf),
> -                 _(" All %d tests passed. "),
> -                 success_count);
> +                 _(" %s %d test%s passed. "),
> +                 success_count == 1 ? "The" : "All",
> +                 success_count,
> +                 success_count == 1 ? "" : "s");

... and that wouldn't be translatable.

Yours,
Laurenz Albe

On Tue, Jun 15, 2021 at 09:37:11AM +0200, Laurenz Albe wrote:
> On Tue, 2021-06-15 at 04:59 +0000, David Fetter wrote:
> > I thought about using the dual, but wasn't sure how many languages
> > support it.
> 
> I think none of the languages for which we cater uses the dual.  But
> I guess you were joking, since the tests are not translated ...

I was.

> >      if (fail_count == 0 && fail_ignore_count == 0)
> >          snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf),
> > -                 _(" All %d tests passed. "),
> > -                 success_count);
> > +                 _(" %s %d test%s passed. "),
> > +                 success_count == 1 ? "The" : "All",
> > +                 success_count,
> > +                 success_count == 1 ? "" : "s");
> 
> ... and that wouldn't be translatable.

Thanks, will rearrange.

Best,
David.
-- 
David Fetter <david(at)fetter(dot)org> http://fetter.org/
Phone: +1 415 235 3778

Remember to vote!
Consider donating to Postgres: http://www.postgresql.org/about/donate