Dutch Style Guide for Community

Dutch Style Guide for Community

Table of contents Introduction... 4 Approach... 4 Content Principles...4 The Facebook Voice...4 Basics... 5 Be Brief...5 Consider Your Audience...5 Make it Readable...6 Use Active Voice...6 Style... 6 Abbreviations...6 Acronyms...7 Capitalization...8 Consistency...9 Gender...9 Numbers (includes currency, dates and times)... 10 Pronouns... 12 Punctuation... 12 Spacing... 13 Titles and Subtitles... 14 Tone... 15 Other Language Conventions... 15 Calls to action (CTA)... 15 Grammar preferences... 16 Localization Guidelines...16 General Information... 16 Product Names... 16 User Interface... 17 Buttons... 17 Mobile... 18 Third Party UI... 19 Tokens... 19 2

References...21 Facebook References... 21 Public References... 21 3

Introduction Created: May 2014 The purpose of this document is to provide the stylistic guidelines for community translators who contribute to Facebook Dutch localization. The scope of this style guide includes general Facebook content standards, Dutch language conventions and localization specific guidelines. Approach Content Principles All Facebook content should follow these 3 simple rules. This keeps people's experience consistent, builds trust and strengthens our brand. 1. Keep It Simple Use short words and sentences, and keep the number of words to a minimum. 2. Get to the Point Clearly explain how things work and give people enough information to make good decisions. 3. Talk Like a Person Keep things friendly, conversational and respectful, like you re talking to a neighbor. The Facebook Voice The Facebook voice is our personality. Our tone may change in different contexts, but we always sound like Facebook: simple, straightforward and human. Simple: Stick to common words that people use in everyday speech. Be concise. Write short sentences that are easy to understand. 4

Straightforward: Keep terms and messaging consistent across all channels, on and off Facebook. Don't bury information or gloss over it. Don't use language that s vague or possibly misleading. Human: Translate like you re talking to someone one-on-one. (Read your content out loud if you re not sure it sounds natural.) Stay neutral. Avoid language that s opinionated, cutesy, irreverent or otherwise over the top. Don't sound like a robot. Even the smallest bits of interface content should be approachable. Basics Be Brief Use as few words as possible while still being clear. Make sure every word has a job to do Replace jargon with everyday terms Consider Your Audience Facebook reaches people of all ages and backgrounds in nearly every country around the world. While most websites have a target demographic, we want to help people around the world connect each other on Facebook. This means our audience is truly everyone. Exceptions When translating for specific audiences (ex: advertisers, developers, people in security checkpoints, and so on), you may need to incorporate special terminology or adjust your tone. However, the basic standards above still apply. 5

Make it Readable Readability is a measure of how easy it is to both read words and understand them. With an audience of diverse ages, cultures and literacy levels, readability helps make Facebook usable and accessible. Use Active Voice In an active sentence, the subject of the sentence is doing something. In a passive sentence, something is being done to the subject (making the subject passive). English Error Example Correct Example 12 other people liked this Deze pagina is door 12 12 andere personen vinden page. andere personen leuk deze pagina leuk. {name1} has added {name2} as an admin gevonden. {name2} is toegevoegd als beheerder door {name1}. {name1} heeft {name2} toegevoegd als beheerder. Style Abbreviations An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word. Abbreviate text if space is an issue or to make the text easier to read at a glance. Use abbreviations according to Dutch conventions, irrespective of English source. For example, "m" stands for meter, not minutes (min.). When the last syllable or syllables are cut in order to abbreviate a word, the abbreviated word cannot end in a vowel. Words should not be abbreviated by omitting only one letter. When a syllable with more than one consonant needs to be cut, all consonants before the vowel need to be included in the abbreviation. Abbreviations are followed by a full stop: 3 min. 6

Avoid using acronyms or abbreviations in chapter and section titles, to improve readability of the text. Try to avoid abbreviating running text as much as you can. Use shorter alternatives/synonyms when applicable. Units of time: Century 21e (use regular text, not superscript) Decades de jaren 80 Months jan, feb, mrt, apr, mei, jun, jul, aug, sep, okt, nov, dec (no periods) Dates 9 jan or 1 feb Days zon, maa, din, woe, don, vri, zat, or zo, ma, di, wo, do, vr, za if space is really tight (no periods) Hours min., sec., u Other common usages: Examples Use bijv. etc. and enz. Always include a period with etc. or enz. Where possible, spell out "enzovoort" or use an alternate word. info (no period) Spell out informatie on first use unless space is very limited Facebook Don't abbreviate Facebook. US VS or spell out as Verenigde Staten (never USA, U.S.A. or U.S.) Acronyms Acronyms are abbreviations formed using the first letters of a compound term. URL, SMS and PC are common acronyms. Make sure you use the correct capitalization in Dutch (sms, pc, cd, dvd, etc.). If an uncommon English acronym is used in Dutch, it should be followed by the Dutch translation between brackets the first time it appears in a particular text. 7

Exceptions Use an acronym only if it helps clarify meaning and there s no common word to replace it. Then: Define the acronym in parentheses the first time you use it. Ex: API (Application Program Interface) Don t use periods. Ex: API, not A.P.I. Capitalization Write "internet" in lowercase Respect Dutch conventions regarding use of capitalization, irrespective of the English source. For example, do not capitalize each word in strings like "Gesprek annuleren". When naming legal documents, only the first word will have initial capital: "Verklaring van rechten en verantwoordelijkheden". In titles, capitalize only the first word of the title. Do not copy the capitalization of the English source in headers or error messages with each word starting with a capital (see the Titles and Subtitles sections for more information). Names of days or months are not capitalized in Dutch (example: zaterdag 5 juli). Names of languages and nationalities are capitalized. Accents on capital letters are not required. Words should not be capitalized after a colon. Keep ID as is: user ID = gebruikers-id. One exception to this rule is governmentissued ID, which should be translated as officieel identiteitsbewijs. 8

English Error Example Correct Example Something Isn't Working Er Werkt Iets Niet Er werkt iets niet Offers Unavailable Aanbiedingen Niet Beschikbaar Aanbiedingen niet beschikbaar You're Temporarily Blocked from Posting Je Kunt Tijdelijk Geen Inhoud Meer Plaatsen Je kunt tijdelijk geen inhoud meer plaatsen One person likes this Één persoon vindt dit leuk Eén persoon vindt dit leuk. Consistency The general rule is to keep consistency in translating the same terminology with the same concept. Terms and software options should always be looked up in the Translations application. In case a terminology inconsistency is found, do not hesitate to ask. You can also find terminology in the online glossary. Be sure to check the live Facebook environments on the web and in official apps as well. Avoid inconsistencies, not only terminology inconsistencies, but also inconsistencies in sentence structure, titles, etc. For titles or sections, always use nouns or verbs, but avoid mixing the structures. Gender Use the standard gender rules for Dutch. In strings mentioning their with a singular subject, always use zijn/haar or zijn of haar (or use the article de or het if necessary) only use hun when it s absolutely clear that more than one person is involved. Use the article het for account (het account, dit account, zakelijk account, persoonlijk account, etc.) 9

Use the article de for ID : the user ID = de gebruikers-id. English Error Example Correct Example {name1} added {page} as {name1} heeft {page} {name1} heeft {page} their {=hometown}. toegevoegd als hun toegevoegd als zijn/haar Facebook requires everyone to use their real names. {name1} updated their cover photo. {=hometown}. Facebook verplicht iedereen om hun echte naam te gebruiken. {name1} heeft hun omslagfoto bijgewerkt. {=hometown}. Facebook verplicht iedereen om zijn of haar echte naam te gebruiken. {name1} heeft de omslagfoto bijgewerkt. {name1} heeft zijn/haar omslagfoto bijgewerkt. Numbers (includes currency, dates and times) We use numbers in text, when referring to currency, and in time stamps and dates. In case of writing out numerals ( twenty ) or writing the number ( 20 ), follow the source. However, maintain consistency within the text. Numerals in headlines and text Use the numerical form of numbers (ex: 2, 3, 4, and so on), except for the number one, which is spelled out in most contexts. Title Case Headline: 5 redenen om aanbiedingen te proberen News feed story: Johan Smid en 2 andere vrienden vinden dit leuk Use comma as decimal separator, and do not add any symbol as thousand/mile separator for figures less than 10000. For 10000 and higher numbers, add a period: 10 100 1000 10.000 10

100.000 1.000.000 Currency Currency symbols should precede the amount, not follow it: USD 450/ $ 450. When using currency symbols, include a space between sign and number. Use the numerical form and use a comma to set off decimal numbers: Game: 10 tegoedpunten ter waarde van $ 1 Ledger/payment flow: $ 1,00; $ 2,50 Time stamps and dates Dates should be written using the Dutch day, month and year format, different from the order used in the US, which is month/day/year. Keep it in mind when translating, as 06/02/2013 would refer to the 2nd of July, instead of the 6th of February. Time: use 24 hours format and separate hours and minutes with a colon (:): 9:00 uur, 12:30, 18:15, 22:00 uur, etc. Use the numerical form and write the numbers as compactly as possible 5 minuten geleden 9 januari om 21:16 Exceptions: Spell out one in text, except when telling time (ex: 1 uur), presenting a series (ex: 1-7) or providing a time stamp (ex: 1 week geleden). If you need to mention currency or time alongside another type of number, spell out the other number to make the currency or time more prominent (ex: koop twee aanbiedingen en bespaar $ 20). This is a rare case. Measurements and conversions When using currency symbols or units of measurement, include a non-breaking space between number and sign: 2 m., 50, etc. 11

Pronouns Standard Dutch rules apply. Use the informal je, jij, jou and jouw at all times, unless indicated otherwise (see Tone section for more information). Avoid overuse of 'jou' and 'jouw', which are emphatic forms. When the source uses a possessive determiner in a noun phrase (e.g. John s timeline, with John s being the determiner), always translate using the van construction. English Error Example Correct Example {owner} s timeline {owner} s tijdlijn de tijdlijn van {owner} Facebook s Declaration of rights and responsibilities {owner}s tijdlijn Facebooks Verklaring van rechten en verantwoordelijkheden Verklaring van rechten en verantwoordelijkheden van Facebook Punctuation Dutch language punctuation rules should be followed. In a sentence ending with a term within quotation marks or brackets, the period should go outside the closing quotation mark or bracket. The use of em-dash ( ) in the English text does not always warrant its use in the Dutch translation, depending on the context, it can be replaced with a comma, colon or brackets. Try to avoid the use of em dashes as much as possible. Never split the subject and verb of a sentence by a comma. Increase readability by adding a comma between verbs that are in separate clauses. Use parentheses for adding the translation of an English acronym the first time it appears in a text. If something needs to be clarified inside a sentence which is already between brackets, use square brackets within the brackets: (xxxx [xxx] xxx) 12

Note: Dealing with punctuation rules is a little different in UI translations. Make sure to follow the English source strings to avoid any potential issues. For example, a source string may not include a period after a full sentence though the general rule is that we should add a period after a full sentence in Dutch. Some strings are structured this way on purpose, as periods are sometimes added automatically when rendering the string on the site, so please follow the punctuation used in source strings. English Error Example Correct Example Please refer to the privacy setting at the top of this page to control social ads shown by third party applications on Facebook. Als je wilt bepalen welke netwerkbezigheden er door apps van derden worden getoond kun je terecht bij de privacyinstellingen bovenaan Als je wilt bepalen welke netwerkbezigheden er door apps van derden worden getoond, kun je terecht bij de privacyinstellingen bovenaan Only one person's name should be listed on the account profiles (timelines) are for individual use only When we are required to provide information, in most instances we share basic information only such as name and IP address. deze pagina. Het account mag de naam van slechts één persoon bevatten profielen zijn alleen bedoeld voor individueel gebruik. Wanneer we verplicht zijn om gegevens te verstrekken, geven we in de meeste gevallen alleen basisinformatie zoals naam en IP-adres door. deze pagina. Het account mag de naam van slechts één persoon bevatten. Profielen (tijdlijnen) zijn alleen bedoeld voor individueel gebruik. Wanneer we verplicht zijn om gegevens te verstrekken, geven we in de meeste gevallen alleen basisinformatie, zoals naam en IP-adres, door. Spacing Use non-breaking spaces to prevent improper division of elements such as product names, part numbers, page number references, numbers, dates, etc. Nonbreaking spaces can be added by pressing Ctrl + Shift + space bar. No space is allowed between numbers and the % sign: 47%. When using currency symbols or units of measurement, include a space between number and sign: 2 m., 50, etc. 13

Titles and Subtitles Titles and subtitles help you organize information, introduce ideas and highlight key concepts. Interface content Dialogs and pop-ups usually have just one title and subtitle. Titles Translate titles according to the following instructions: Always capitalize the first word of a title Don't capitalize any other words in the title (with the exception of proper names and acronyms) Don't put periods at the end of titles o Exception: Question marks are okay, where appropriate Subtitles Use sentence case, with the first word capitalized and the rest of the words in lowercase. Exception: Proper nouns (Facebook Mobile, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.) o Don t put periods at the end of subtitles o Exception: Question marks 14

Tone Use an informal tone ( je, jij, jou, jouw when appropriate, not u or uw ) in all Facebook translations, unless otherwise indicated. Overall style should be clear and concise to help readability. Literal translations should be avoided, as they impair comprehension and make the target text sound unnatural. Ideally, the translated text should be easy to read, convey the same information as the English and be able to pass as a text originally written in the target language. The source text often includes polite phrases such as Please and Sorry. These should not be included in the Dutch translations (unless explicitly relevant to the context, which is rare). English Error Example Correct Example Please wait Een ogenblik geduld Een ogenblik geduld alsjeblieft To continue, please update your computer's clock: Werk alsjeblieft de klok van je computer bij om verder te gaan: OR Je moet de klok van je computer bijwerken om verder te gaan Werk de klok van je computer bij om verder te gaan: Other Language Conventions Calls to action (CTA) All CTA items should use an imperative verb form (when appropriate). Register today! should be translated as Meld je vandaag nog aan (or Registreer vandaag nog! ) instead of Vandaag aanmelden! (or Vandaag registreren!). 15

Grammar preferences Word order: please put the auxiliary verb before the main verb ( hebben gezien, not gezien hebben ). Use the perfect tense in Dutch when translating English past tense: English Error example Correct example {name1} and {nmore-friends} {name1} en {n-morefriends} reageerden op {name1} en {n-more-friends} hebben gereageerd op de {=status} van {owner}. commented on {owner}'s {=status}. de {=status} van {owner}. There was a problem Er was een probleem Er is een probleem opgetreden Profile could not be found. Profiel kon niet worden gevonden. Kan profiel niet vinden. Localization Guidelines General Information Product Names Product and feature names should be consistently translated. Some product and feature names are translated and others are used in English based on strategic decisions. For example, Messenger was translated in many languages, but now changed back to English in all languages. Never translate Facebook. Registered trademarks and the trademark terms should remain the same as well. Some features of Facebook are translated, such as Pages Manager, Ads Manager, etc. English Error Example Correct Example Facebook Mobile Facebook Mobiel Facebook Mobile Facebook-mobiel Pages Manager Pages Manager Paginabeheer 16

User Interface Buttons Buttons are one of the main ways people take action on Facebook, so they should be clear, active and specific. The general rule for Dutch is that buttons should use the infinitive instead of imperative, so for Cancel use Annuleren and not Annuleer. Buttons should never contain a full stop within them. When there is more than one word in a button, every word tends to be capitalized in English. Such capitalization should be avoided in Dutch and only the first word should be capitalized. When providing instructions, button names, menu names, section names, etc. do not use any quotation marks. Only use quotation marks for direct quotes (double) or to indicate irony (single). 17

English Error Example Correct Example Click Export & Import Klik in Power Editor op de knop button in Power Editor Exporteren en Importeren Klik in Power Editor op de knop Exporteren en Importeren Klik in Power Editor op de knop Exporteren en importeren If you're the admin of a Page and you don t see the Page in the dropdown menu, press the Download button on the top right of Power Editor. Once you create a Custom Audience using your list of email addresses or phone numbers, you'll see a button to "Create a Lookalike Audience" Klik in Power Editor op de knop Exporteren en Importeren Als je een beheerder van een pagina bent en de pagina niet in het vervolgkeuzemenu ziet, klik je op de knop Downloaden rechtsboven in Power Editor. Als je een beheerder van een pagina bent en de pagina niet in het vervolgkeuzemenu ziet, klik je op de knop Downloaden rechtsboven in Power Editor. Zodra je een aangepaste doelgroep met je lijst met e-mailadressen of telefoonnummers hebt gemaakt, zie je een knop om een vergelijkbare doelgroep te maken Zodra je een aangepaste doelgroep met je lijst met e-mailadressen of telefoonnummers hebt gemaakt, zie je een knop om een vergelijkbare doelgroep te maken Als je een beheerder van een pagina bent en de pagina niet in het vervolgkeuzemenu ziet, klik je op de knop Downloaden rechtsboven in Power Editor. Zodra je een aangepaste doelgroep met je lijst met e-mailadressen of telefoonnummers hebt gemaakt, zie je een knop om een vergelijkbare doelgroep te maken Mobile Mobile UI localization has more space constraint than regular UI localization. Mobile strings sometimes come with specific description about the allowed number of characters. It is important to keep translation within this limit in order to avoid any truncation issues, e.g.: in SMS-related translations. 18

If possible, try to put the most important information at the front of the sentence so that it won t be buried with other information. However, translations should not deviate from the English source unless instructed otherwise, since this may cause accuracy issues. Third Party UI If you encounter third party UI terms, please check if they were localized. For example, please check the existing translations on iphone if they refer to iphone UIs. For any Microsoft terminology, you can check the Microsoft Language Portal (http://www.microsoft.com/language/en-us/default.aspx). Tokens UIs often include tokens which are a portion of full sentences and represent the bricks of what will be seen by the users. Note that text in { } are placeholders and replaced by either a variable or another string. For example, {name} is replaced by a user name and {count} is replaced by a number. If the placeholder contains the = sign right after the opening bracket, it means that it will be replaced by exactly the same text that it contains 19

{user} edited his {=changed relationship status} that you followed The {user} token will be replaced by the name of the user, while the {=changed relationship status} token will be replaced exactly by the words changed relationship status, and this will look like Jane edited her changed relationship status that you followed Do not translate anything between { }. Always double check the corresponding placeholder translation to make sure your translated sentence makes sense. The placeholder is usually offered in a separate string with in the description the corresponding sentence. English Your ads are not currently running. To get them to run, {=add a payment method}. Correct Example Je advertenties worden momenteel niet weergegeven. {=add a payment method} om ze weer te geven. With {=add a payment method} translated as Voeg een betalingsmethode toe, so that it reads: Je advertenties worden momenteel niet weergegeven. Voeg een betalingsmethode toe om ze weer te geven. 20

References Facebook References Glossary in Admin Panel Public References These are a few of the generally recommended public references. The official Dutch dictionary (Van Dale: http://www.vandale.nl/) Free online dictionaries such as http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/ The online Woordenlijst Nederlandse Taal (based on Het Groene Boekje): http://www.woordenlijst.org/ The Microsoft Language Portal (http://www.microsoft.com/language/en-us/default.aspx). 21