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Well, names should not be translated. Street names, for example, would be useless translated. But UI labels should be presented in the profile-selected langua

Well, names should not be translated. Street names, for example, would be useless translated. But UI labels should be presented in the profile-selected language rather than the local language.

activiation 3y ago
If you don't know the language, they are useless either way.... All you need to hear is "take the next right"
- cratermoon 3y ago
  You don't need to know the language to know you're looking for a sign that says "Rue Neuve" or "Nieuwstraat"
  - activiation 3y ago
    You don't need to know the language if you are following GPS directions either... You don't even need street names
  - weikju 3y ago
    Unless the street or place names are written in a script you can’t read…
    - cratermoon 3y ago
      True, but then showing them in the user's first language isn't going to help much, either. At some point the software should say, in effect, "I have no idea what to do. Whatever I'm showing you might be completely wrong, please guide me to do what you want". Instead, it seems to default to confidently showing you whatever its best guess is, even if that leads you into trouble. I guess I've gone off on a tangent a bit.
      - weikju 3y ago
        No, you are completely right, and I think that's the direction the original question/comment leads to: there is already a known preference (in the browser settings, OS settings, account history) to have a better prediction of what the user wants - and the possibility of adding settings to override/change that if needed! Instead, every site/service/app is just trying to guess, and often enough guesses wrongly.
stevekemp 3y ago
I live in Finland, which has two official languages - Finnish and Swedish. Streetnames are usually written in both languages, as are bus-stops, tram-stops, etc. Google maps always shows me directions and routes in Swedish despite my attempts to make it use Finnish. Can be a bit jarring and distracting, but I've mostly become resigned to it.

Well, names should not be translated. Street names, for example, would be useless translated. But UI labels should be presented in the profile-selected language rather than the local language.

activiation 3y ago

If you don't know the language, they are useless either way.... All you need to hear is "take the next right"

cratermoon 3y ago
You don't need to know the language to know you're looking for a sign that says "Rue Neuve" or "Nieuwstraat"
- activiation 3y ago
  You don't need to know the language if you are following GPS directions either... You don't even need street names
- weikju 3y ago
  Unless the street or place names are written in a script you can’t read…
  - cratermoon 3y ago
    True, but then showing them in the user's first language isn't going to help much, either. At some point the software should say, in effect, "I have no idea what to do. Whatever I'm showing you might be completely wrong, please guide me to do what you want". Instead, it seems to default to confidently showing you whatever its best guess is, even if that leads you into trouble. I guess I've gone off on a tangent a bit.
    - weikju 3y ago
      No, you are completely right, and I think that's the direction the original question/comment leads to: there is already a known preference (in the browser settings, OS settings, account history) to have a better prediction of what the user wants - and the possibility of adding settings to override/change that if needed! Instead, every site/service/app is just trying to guess, and often enough guesses wrongly.

stevekemp 3y ago

I live in Finland, which has two official languages - Finnish and Swedish. Streetnames are usually written in both languages, as are bus-stops, tram-stops, etc. Google maps always shows me directions and routes in Swedish despite my attempts to make it use Finnish. Can be a bit jarring and distracting, but I've mostly become resigned to it.