Voici deux scénarios historiques autant converti en français.

[Ingles of the 57th]

HiMike,

Thanks for the reply.

I certainly didn't suggest that you were trying to offend anybody but the French are extraordinarily sensitive about their language, to the extent that there is a section of the Academie whose sole task is to intercept foreign words attempting to invade the sacred french language and find native french equivalents.

You may recall the incident during the Winter Olympics in France a few years ago where the French had redefined all the Ice-Hockey vocabulary and the Canadian team could not understand a word they said. Even the words for 'puck' and 'stick' were different.

We British don't care overmuch. We gave up our language for the Americans to pillage centuries ago.

Look, what I will do is to go through all the text I can find on the files and render it into the best French that I can. And perhaps German also later.

I am not sure the extent to which the display of text is addressable by modding but it might just be that one optional mod could cause foreign text to be displayed in certain places outside the basic game scenarios. Some areas, like acting upon courier messages, are probably too deep down in the program coding to be addressed. Unless they carried a code number like items on a Chinese menu.

Wider understandability could well help sales enormously. I would hesitate to buy a game available exclusively in a language that I did not understand. As I said, I applaud your initiative and would love to help.

Translation is a very subtle art. Even the formation abbreviations following the scenario names would have to be adjusted to suit the French word order. For example The EEC (European Economic Community) became the CEE (Communite Economique Europeen) in French.

If I can assist in any way do not hesitate to ask. I have that one invaluable and elusive commodity in our brotherhood,......... time to spare.

Best regards,

Geoff Laver

[Ingles of the 57th]

Hi Mike

As an experiment I have amended most of the "intro.text" file for the Buford scenario to French.

I have omitted the Biographical Bit about Buford which can be done later.

NOTEPAD is not very good at accents, not allowing the"input symbol" routine, so I will have eventually have to find another means of editing the text to include accents without destroying the basic layout and structure of the file.

I think I have attached the new "intro.txt" to this post. This is the first time I have tried to do that so I might have a SNAFU.

To see what the change looks like:-

(a)Make a copy of the Buford Scenario Folder
(b)Store it in the WORK\SCENARIOS folder
(c)Rename the Buford Scenario Folder. I used "FG01-Juli1-Les Copains Se Mettaient En Coleur"
(d)Replace the "intro.text" in this folder with the new "intro.text" I hope I have attached.
(e)Choose the Scenario from the User Scenario menu in the game to see the revised introductory blurb.

If you think this effort might be worthwhile, I can push on with the rest of the scenarios.

Also I can amend other accessible text files like "screen.text" to translate the routine courier messages that the scenario sends out.

I intend eventually to put this all in front of a native French speaker. Zimbabwe is rich in exotic ex-pats of all nationalities. In the meantime any corrections or suggestions will be welcome.

Best regards,

Geoff Laver [file name=intro.txt size=4245]http://www.norbsoftdev.com/media/kunena ... /intro.txt[/file]

[Ingles of the 57th]

Hi,

Got an improvement already.

I loaded down the "Babylon" translation add-on for MS WORD. This now enables immediate spelling checks in any language.

Type in the French without any accents and Babylon immediately puts them all in. Fiendish clever these Chinese !

I am torn whether to use Nouvou York and Virginia de L'Ouest or retain the originals ?

Updated "intro.txt" attached

Geoff Laver [file name=intro-96874a29cea3fd8389a5798ce9d64c6a.txt size=4365]http://www.norbsoftdev.com/media/kunena ... d64c6a.txt[/file]

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Hi Ingles of the 57th.

Now that is what I'm talking about.

Thanks...

[Ingles of the 57th]

Hi Mike,

Glad you like it. I will now press ahead with the rest. Should get easier as it goes on as there is a lot of repetition with opportunity for cut and paste from a library file. I was surprised how many scenarios there actually are now when you include all the mods.


It will end up a pretty massive combined mod if you include them all in to the exercise.

I got a list of all the authentic French names for the American States. You might find it of some use.

I am a little wary of clogging up the forum sending routine documents back and forth. Any chance of an e-mail address, please? You have mine.

Best regards,

Geoff Laver [file name=French_Names_for_the_American_States.doc size=26624]http://www.norbsoftdev.com/media/kunena ... States.doc[/file]

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Yeah sure, I'll pm you with my email address.

Sorry about that.

[Ingles of the 57th]

Just an amusing follow up to my comments on Google french.

In one of the messages on screen-txt for "Blood in the Run" there is reference to "Wadworth's lead Brigade". Google rendered this as "Brigade de plomb" i.e. lead pronounced "ledd" as in the metal.

I suppose if Meredith can have an Iron Brigade then Wadsworth is entitled to a Lead Brigade. Perhaps the original heavy infantry.

Geoff Laver

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Ingles of the 57th wrote:

Just an amusing follow up to my comments on Google french.

In one of the messages on screen-txt for "Blood in the Run" there is reference to "Wadworth's lead Brigade". Google rendered this as "Brigade de plomb" i.e. lead pronounced "ledd" as in the metal.

I suppose if Meredith can have an Iron Brigade then Wadsworth is entitled to a Lead Brigade. Perhaps the original heavy infantry.

Geoff Laver

Hi.

I know, the translation is a bit odd in most case's.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Hello, Hello.

If anyone who speaks the french language (better than google), and would like to give 'Ingles of the 57th', and myself a small hand in maybe proof reading changes we make in creating a french mod (small text conversion), we would like to hear from you. Just answer yes, and either me, or Ingles of the 57th will PM you (with Ingles of the 57th permission of course).

Cheers, and take good care.