Distinguish translated fields from language independent fields in forms

Many edits are created and approved with text that should be translated in field that aren't translated. For example, putting "(date)" or “(below the portrait)” in Lettering fields.

To remind contributors and referees of the distinction it might be useful to make a visual distinction between the field types. For example there could be a symbol after one type of fields, a different field border, or  a different background tint in the field and under the field title.

And, in case someone reads it, each guideline text (in the Documentation center and the pop-up help text) should have an explicit language statement at the top:

• fr.numista.com:
  • Ce champ doit être rédigé en français et sera traduit pour les autres langues de l'interface Numista.
  • Ce champ est indépendant de la langue et n'est pas traduit pour chaque langue de l'interface Numista. Utilisez la langue de l'article.
• de.numista.com:
  • Dieses Feld sollte auf Deutsch verfasst sein und wird für andere Numista-Oberflächensprachen übersetzt.
  • Dieses Feld ist sprachunabhängig und wird nicht für jede Numista-Oberflächensprache übersetzt. Verwenden Sie die Sprache des Artikels.
• en.numista.com:
  • This field should be written in English and will be translated for other Numista interface languages.
  • This field is language independent and isn't translated for each Numista interface language. Use the language of the item.

And so on. Obviously the language specified should be English for Numista language interfaces where the field content is displayed in English.

But I feel the help text will be less useful than a visual cue on each field as an immediate and constant reminder.

The biggest problem is the approval part. Why do refs approve them (do we need more vetting)? 

I think the guidelines describe what belongs there and what not.

Lettering is what is written on the example coin/note/object … nothing more nothing less, no place holder or descriptions etc..

Additional study of the guidelines wouldn't be terrible, but I wouldn't want to drive decent referees away with extra hoops to jump through. I was trying to think of ways to make it easier for everyone to recognize some issues.

(I try to review the guidelines every few months, and I learn more each time. There's a lot of parts to them.)

bjherbison

To remind contributors and referees of the distinction it might be useful to make a visual distinction between the field types. For example there could be a symbol after one type of fields, a different field border, or  a different background tint in the field and under the field title.

+1

bjherbison

And, in case someone reads it, each guideline text (in the Documentation center and the pop-up help text) should have an explicit language statement at the top:

• fr.numista.com:
  • Ce champ doit être rédigé en français et sera traduit pour les autres langues de l'interface Numista.
  • Ce champ est indépendant de la langue et n'est pas traduit pour chaque langue de l'interface Numista. Utilisez la langue de l'article.
• de.numista.com:
  • Dieses Feld sollte auf Deutsch verfasst sein und wird für andere Numista-Oberflächensprachen übersetzt.
  • Dieses Feld ist sprachunabhängig und wird nicht für jede Numista-Oberflächensprache übersetzt. Verwenden Sie die Sprache des Artikels.
• en.numista.com:
  • This field should be written in English and will be translated for other Numista interface languages.
  • This field is language independent and isn't translated for each Numista interface language. Use the language of the item.

And so on. Obviously the language specified should be English for Numista language interfaces where the field content is displayed in English.

As translator into Spanish, I found this problem translating guidelines. They are written in English/French, and assume that fields are edited in the same language. Finally I took some decisions.

General guidelines for all texts

https://en.numista.com/help/general-guidelines-for-all-texts-186.html

NOTE: I mentioned this in the translators' forum, which is only accessible to translators and administrators. https://en.numista.com/forum/topic147942.html

Many of these guidelines refer to the texts that can be entered in the free text fields of the page of a coin, banknote or exonumia, but these pages can only be created or modified in English and French. So if I translate/adapt the rules and their examples into Spanish usage, it makes not sense and is not useful when a Spanish speaking user edits a page. On the other side, the translation/adaptation into Spanish is useful when translate database entities (artists, issuers, issuing entities, etc.).

I did this on the Spanish version of this help article:

• Add a new section at the beginning:
  
  0. Scope of these guidelines
  The follow guidelines should be applied in two different contexts:
• Database entities: These elements (issuers, ruling authorities, issuing entities, artists, mints, printers, marks, currencies, denominations, tags and banknote signatures) can be edited in all languages supported by Numista. This article contains the rules that must be applied in Spanish. The rules to be applied in another language can be accessed by changing the language of the Numista interface.
  ⚠️ Rules related to standards and recommendations of the Spanish language are indicated with a link to them, type [LINK TO OFFICIAL SPANISH DICTIONARY].
• Pages of the Numista catalogue: The pages of coins, banknotes and pieces of exonumia can only be created or modified in English or French, so their free text fields must follow the rules of the language used. For convenience, this article includes the rules to follow in those languages, using quoted blocks.
  ⚠️ The pages of the Numista catalogue can only be edited in English and French.
   
• For each rule, write:
  • the rule translated and adapted to the Spanish usage,
  • the examples translated and adapted to the Spanish usage,
  • a block quote with
    • the English version of the rule (if it is different) and the examples, and
    • the French version of the rule (if it is different) and the examples.

Guidelines for a language-dependent field

For example: https://en.numista.com/help/coin-name-142.html

I did this on the Spanish version of these help articles:

• Add a note at the beginning:
  ⚠️ This is a free text field in the pages of the Numista catalogue. It can only contains text in English or French.
• I write each rule in Spanish, but explain how it should be applied in English and French when editing the page of the catalogue.

I think this could also be done on the English and French side.