Some more enhancement for translators

[danbp]

First, sorry for the errors on #5777

I found some other places to add a bit more explanation for translators.

The comments for translators are not very visible on the poEdit interface. And on the french version, we have Original text (the translators: text) written in small (very small) caps.

These comments for translators are not very used in BP (only 6 !) and are realtively recent. So i loose the habit to enable translators comment when working with poEdit. So probably also for other translators. And its finally better (and faster to rea) to get where it happens or what it does near the string to translate.

In the Original text box, the string to translate. So in 2-3 cases, i added this comment directly into the string.

If you want to add them..., here's a patch.

[imath]

Nice patch Dan, 5784.02.patch mainly makes sure esc_attr_x() is echoed and removes the change you made in BP_Activity_List_Table::get_colums() as here we don't need the string to be echoed.

[DJPaul]

The context parameter allows the translator to distinguish between two identical English strings and disambiguate the translation. I think it sets a bad precedent if it is used to provide helpful comments or other guidance for the translator.

[danbp]

I think it sets a bad precedent if it is used to provide helpful comments or other guidance for the translator.

Do you really think that ? ;-)
I guess that any translator could have access to any possible guidance who can help him to achive his work properly. Strictly following the mean of "distinguish beetween two identical english strings" is a little short, because if we want absolutely to be strict, each i18ned string should be commented, at least by using (For ex. translators: this is a verb, not a word.)And so on. And that is far away to be the case with buddyPress, but also most existing plugins and many many themes...

If the goal of a translation is to provide to the software to be used by non english speaking people, it's also the goal of the software developper to help this happen. But not only with the strict respect of an unwritten usage, or thinking about bad precedent. Where do you see a precedent ? And why bad ?

Rules are made to be followed and calm down the folk, but rules are also made to be broken and let people go further sometimes. Sometimes they looks like a progress, sometimes like a revolution. And sometimes like a new maner to do things.

And in this case, i'm afraid that we have to take in account the end user/translator POV, with some master words such as clarity, efficacity and practicity. IMHO.

[slaFFik]

As it's used in WordPress

[slaFFik]

I've just closed related #7285.

I totally understand both "parties" in this ticket. I'm the translator with years of time invested into BuddyPress ru_RU. And I faced with this problem several times and wanted to improve that, but imo it's all about using tools for what they were created.

translators section can be more lengthy, and it's not about context (which is Xprofile admin edit field), but a more lengthy description and/or clarification.
Context is crucial for proper translation, translators section is a help hint of a lower priority.

Take a look at the second screenshot, it's WordPress translation. The usage is rather clear and differentiation in it might be a good point for us.
See also WordPress codex sections:
​https://codex.wordpress.org/I18n_for_WordPress_Developers#Disambiguation_by_context
​https://codex.wordpress.org/I18n_for_WordPress_Developers#Descriptions

[slaFFik]

Visibility of comments for translators is a Glotpress (and poedit) issue, and not the BuddyPress itself. So I'm closing the issue.
Though, there is a lesson from this ticket - make use of comments for translators and context strings even more in BuddyPress core (where appropriate).