Elton CarvalhoMar 11

English speakers of the fedi. In a software with the interface in English, Reading a menu with verbs such as Save, Open, Close, Edit, Format etc., do you read them as imperative (an order: "do this") or as an infinitive (the "base form" of the verb, like "to do this")?

Are you a native speaker or have English as a second language?

#Dev #ux #ui #software #interface #translation #uiux #uxui #gui

Native speaker, imperative
25.7%
Native speaker, infinitve
18.2%
Second Language, imperative
20.9%
Second Language, infinitive
35.2%
Poll ended at .
Show threadElton CarvalhoMar 11
Iff English is your second language, how are these verbs tusually translated to *your* language in software interfaces?
Imperative in English, Imperative in my language
19.3%
Imperative in English, Infinitive in my language
24.6%
Infinitive in English, Imperative in my language
4.2%
Infinitive in English, Infinitive in my language
51.9%
Poll ended at .
Show threadJe ne suis pas goth

@eltonfc I mean, if by infinitive you mean it has to have "to" on front of the verb ("to save" etc.), then mechanically, the English version is "imperative," while my interpretation is "infinitive" because in French it's translated as such.

If not, then it's infinitive for both.

Mar 11 at 6:21amWeb
Show threadAmesMar 14

@jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc I'm a native English speaker and I parse menus the same way. Even though 'File' on its own is *technically* imperative I *read* it as infinitive.

(tbh the 'To + verb = infinitive' rule is trying to pretend English works like Latin. The root verb can have an infinitive sense for most native English speakers I think.)

Show threadAmesMar 14
@jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc Just voted and I see the native speakers are leaning towards 'imperative' but I am sceptical. I mean (eg) 'File save [this document]' is *not* grammatical. Nobody is 'file saving' anything. They are 'Save'-ing within the *category* of 'File'-ing. Maybe English menus should say 'Filing', 'Editing' etc.
Show threadAmesMar 14
@jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc And no I will not be dying on this hill, lol.
Show threadNormanDunbarMar 14
@runoutgroover @jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc This native speaker agrees!
Show threadJuniper 🏳️‍⚧️🌲Mar 14
@runoutgroover
I don't interpret the "File" menu as a verb but as a noun. The menu does not contain suboperations of the operation of filing; it contains operations related to the file object. I think this is backed up by other menus. For example, Inkscape has File, Edit, View, Layer, Object, Path, Text, Filters, Extensions, and Help. Edit is the only one I would read as a verb. (All of them, except maybe Extensions, can be read as either a noun or a verb, though the verb senses of Object and Text are probably excluded by context.)
@jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc
Show threadFunctionKeyMar 14
@eruonna @runoutgroover @jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc as a non native English speaker, i relate to this
Show threadSaule, anar en Mousses5d ago
@eruonna @eltonfc @jenesuispasgoth @runoutgroover yes. When the word can be a name I tend to read it as a name and not a verb, too (non native speaker)
Show threadCubeOfCheese6d ago
@runoutgroover @jenesuispasgoth @eltonfc oh that's interesting. I've never thought of File as a verb at all. I've also read that one as a noun.
Like below this are all the things you can do with a File.