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 threadlick here for more infoMar 11

@eltonfc oh, that's an interesting question. I never really thought about it and I think it... explains some things?

Do I understand correctly, the question is whether I interpret "close" as "i want (the computer) to close the file" versus "computer, close the file"?

Because now I realize i've never ever talked to a computer the way people talk to chatbots and maybe that's one of the reasons it feels really weird. Well, in addition to all those other reasons.

So yeah, infinitive in every case and every language for me. I'm communicating a desire for a thing to be done, not giving orders.

Edit: and yeah, at least in Latvian and Russian it is and always was infinitive. Saglabāt, сохранить, etc. Never even crossed my mind it's completely ambiguous in English.

Show threadlick here for more infoMar 11

@eltonfc and for some verbs imperative makes no sense to me at all.

Surely, when I click "rename file" the actual command is "present me with an input field to enter a new name"? I'm the one doing the renaming. The stupid piece of metal is just logging my actions to the best of its ability.

Show threadMatthew MillerMar 11

@virtulis @eltonfc

To me:

"Rename file [to a name I will provide]."

I wonder how much this has to do with growing up with command-line interfaces vs graphical ones.

Show threadlick here for more infoMar 11
@mattdm @eltonfc hmm perhaps, but then a follow up question: what about writing a todo list for yourself?
Show threadMatthew MillerMar 11

@virtulis @eltonfc

You mean, not from a menu?

Not sure I understand the question :)

Show threadlick here for more infoMar 11
@mattdm @eltonfc no, I mean if you take a piece of paper and write a list of things you need to do today, is that different from writing a command on the command line, and if yes, why
Show threadTommi NieminenMar 14
@virtulis @mattdm @eltonfc Of course one would use imperative there! After all, they are commands to yourself. (I wonder if they use the first person imperative in Hungarian that has it? In Finnish you are forced to use the second person, like the future me is a totally different person.)
Show threadElton Carvalho

@tomminieminen actually, at least in Mastodon's translations, the substantive form of the verb is used: "Follow" is translated as "Követés".

@virtulis @mattdm

Mar 14 at 1:09pmWeb