Gle Irl StyleGuide

Irish Style Guide
Contents
What's New? .................................................................................................................................... 4
New Topics ................................................................................................................................... 5
Updated Topics ............................................................................................................................ 5
About This Style Guide ................................................................................................................ 6
Scope of This Document .............................................................................................................. 6
Style Guide Conventions .............................................................................................................. 6
Sample Text ................................................................................................................................. 6
Recommended Reference Material ............................................................................................. 7
Normative References .............................................................................................................. 7
Informative References ............................................................................................................. 8
Language Specific Conventions ...................................................................................................... 9

Country/Region Standards ........................................................................................................... 9
Characters ................................................................................................................................ 9
Date ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Time ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Numbers ................................................................................................................................. 13
Sorting ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Geopolitical Concerns ................................................................................................................ 21
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions ......................................................................... 22
Adjectives ................................................................................................................................ 22
Articles .................................................................................................................................... 22
Capitalization .......................................................................................................................... 24
Compounds............................................................................................................................. 28
Gender .................................................................................................................................... 31
Genitive ................................................................................................................................... 32
Modifiers ................................................................................................................................. 33
Nouns ...................................................................................................................................... 33
Personification ........................................................................................................................ 34
Prepositions ............................................................................................................................ 34
Pronouns ................................................................................................................................. 37
Punctuation ............................................................................................................................. 38
Singular & Plural ..................................................................................................................... 41
Split Infinitive ........................................................................................................................... 41
Subjunctive ............................................................................................................................. 41
Symbols & Non-Breaking Spaces........................................................................................... 41
Syntax ..................................................................................................................................... 42
Terminology English Terminology and the Irish Language System .................................... 43
Verbs ....................................................................................................................................... 45
Word Order ............................................................................................................................. 47
Yes and No ............................................................................................................................. 47
Style and Tone Considerations .................................................................................................. 48
Audience ................................................................................................................................. 48
Style ........................................................................................................................................ 48
Tone ........................................................................................................................................ 49
Voice ....................................................................................................................................... 49
Localization Guidelines .................................................................................................................. 50

General Considerations ............................................................................................................. 50
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... 50
Accessibility ............................................................................................................................ 52
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................ 53
Applications, Products, and Features ..................................................................................... 54
Frequent Errors ....................................................................................................................... 54
Glossaries ............................................................................................................................... 54
Fictitious Information ............................................................................................................... 55
Recurring Patterns .................................................................................................................. 55
Standardized Translations ...................................................................................................... 55
Unlocalized Items.................................................................................................................... 55
Using the Word Microsoft ....................................................................................................... 57
Software Considerations ............................................................................................................ 57
User Interface ......................................................................................................................... 57
Messages ................................................................................................................................ 69
Keys ........................................................................................................................................ 76
Document Translation Considerations ....................................................................................... 81
Titles ....................................................................................................................................... 81
Copyright ................................................................................................................................. 82
What's New?
Last Updated: February 2011
The Microsoft Style Guide has been restructured and redesigned to include more detailed information for the
translation team. New sections have been added, such as, Bias-Free Language, English Terminology and the
Irish Language System. More detail has been added in some sections, such as, Abbreviations, Compounds,
Negation. Additional examples have been added in many sections, and a Table of Contents has been added in
order to assist translators in finding the references they need.
There are no major changes, however, to the recommended style for localizing Microsoft products which has
been used for Windows XP, Windows 7, Office 2003, Office 2007, and Office 2010 while every effort has been
made to identify and resolve any challenges encountered in the earlier localizations. The most significant of these
were the Yes/No answers to different types of questions and the issue of how to treat nouns preceded by
placeholders which might be numerals.
Examples provided throughout the Style Guide are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not normative
unless expressly indicated. One minor change introduced here is the recommendation to use the verb brigh as
a transitive rather than an intransitive verb in examples relating to pressing keys or buttons. An issue which
surfaced in previous localizations was the question of whether to use the verb Ceangail or Nasc for Connect. It
has been noted that Ceangail is more familiar and in popular usage, while Nasc is felt to be somewhat formal
although useful to avoid ambiguity. Thus, we recommend the use of Ceangail as far as possible. Another issue
which caused some confusion in previous loclizations was that the English term Setup can refer to either of two
different concepts, one meaning to configure (Cumraigh) and the other meaning to install (Suiteil). It was often
unclear to the translation team which concept was intended so we recommend that translators contact their
Microsoft contact if in doubt about this or a similar issue. Finally, an issue arose concerning the abbreviations
used in English for byte and bit, some source recommending a capital B for bit and a lower-case b for byte
and other recommending the opposite, or indeed a capital B for both. As a result, it was decided to emend the
recommended abbreviations given in Foclir Romhaireachta is Teicneolaocht Faisnise to a capital B for byte
(and the Irish term, beart) and a lower-case b for bit (and the Irish term, giotn), and all related terms.
A new terminology glossary has been provided for the current localization project. In the event that translators find
terms in the product which does not appear in existing sources, however, we invite you to refer to the handbook
mentioned below to assist you in recommending Irish equivalents. For reasons of continuity and co-ordination,
any new terms of this kind should be compiled and sent to the Moderator.
A terminology handbook for Irish which focuses on term-formation methods, is in development and the current
draft is available for download at the address below. It will be replaced by updated versions as they become
available.
http://www.irish.ie/Tearmai_&_Aistruchain/Treoirlinte.asp - An Dracht-lmhleabhar faoi fhorbairt agus

bhunphrionsabail na tarmeolaochta sa Ghaeilge
4
New Topics
The following topics were added:
Compounds with Product or Component Names
Compounds with Abbreviations or Numerals
Hyphenation and compound terms
Use of eclipsis or lenition after singular preposition and article
Personification
Measurements and Numerals
Terminology English Terminology and the Irish Language System
Anglicisms
Verbs and Verb Forms
My Terminology
The verb can
Verbs in Error Messages
Yes and No
Keys
Main Menus
Menu Items and Commands
Articles and Possessive Pronouns
Negation
Appendix A: Trademarks ( and )
Updated Topics
All the topics were updated.
5
About This Style Guide
The purpose of this Style Guide is to provide everybody involved in the localization of Irish Microsoft products with
Microsoft-specific linguistic guidelines and standard conventions that differ from or are more prescriptive than
those found in language reference materials. These conventions have been adopted after considering context
based on various needs, but above all, they are easy to follow and applicable for all types of software to be
localized.
The Style Guide covers the areas of formatting, grammatical conventions, as well as as stylistic criteria. It also
presents the reader with a general idea of the reasoning behind the conventions. The present Style Guide is a
revision of our previous Style Guide version with the intention of making it more standardized, more structured,
and easier to use as a reference.
The guidelines and conventions presented in this Style Guide are intended to help you localize Microsoft products
and materials. We welcome your feedback, questions and concerns regarding the Style Guide. You can send us
your feedback via the Microsoft Language Portal feedback page.
Scope of This Document

This Style Guide is intended for the localization professional working on Microsoft products. It is not intended to
be a comprehensive coverage of all localization practices, but to highlight areas where Microsoft has preference
or deviates from standard practices for Irish localization.
Style Guide Conventions

In this document, a plus sign (+) before a translation example means that this is the recommended correct
translation. A minus sign (-) is used for incorrect translation examples.
In Microsoft localization context, the word term is used in a slightly untraditional sense, meaning the same as e.g.
a segment in Trados. The distinguishing feature of a term here is that it is translated as one unit; it may be a
traditional term (as used in terminology), a phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph.
References to interface elements really only refer to translatable texts associated with those interface elements.
Example translations in this document are only intended to illustrate the point in question. They are not a source
of approved terminology. Always check for approved translation in the Microsoft terminology database.
Sample Text
Leabharlann Nisinta na hireann
Is misean na Leabharlainne an taifead doicimadach agus intleachtach ar shaol na hireann a bhaili, a
chaomhn, a chur chun cinn agus a chur ar fil agus cur le rochtain a sholthar ar an domhan mr deolas
taifeadta.
T an Leabharlann Nisinta ar oscailt saor in aisce dibh sid go lir ar mian leo na bailichin a chead i
gcomhair bhair nach bhfuil ar fil trd an tseirbhs phoibl leabharlainne n tr leabharlann acadil. Is g Ticad
Litheora a fhil d'fhonn an chuid is m de na catagir bhair a chead.
6
N thugann an Leabharlann leabhair ar iasacht, agus is sna seomra litheoireachta agsla a dhantar an
litheoireacht. T seirbhs cipela ag an Leabharlann freisin, agus is fidir ftachipeanna, grianghraif,
sleamhnin, n micreascannin a fhil den chuid is m de na mreanna sna bailichin. T clr leannach
taispentas ag an Leabharlann.
Is cuid den Leabharlann Nisinta iad an Oifig Ginealais, Oifig an Phromh-Arailt ar Shrid Chill Dara, agus an
Chartlann Nisinta Ghrianghrafadireachta i mBarra an Teampaill.
Bhunaigh an Dublin Science and Art Museum Act, 1877, Leabharlann Nisinta na hireann agus bh foril san
Acht gur chir mramh na mbailichn a bh i seilbh Chumann Roga Bhaile tha Cliath a dhlsi sa Roinn
Eolaochta agus Ealaon mar a bh ann ag an am ar mhaithe leis an bpobal agus leis an gCumann, agus chun
crocha an Achta.
Bh foril i gComhaont 1881 gur chir go bhfeidhmeodh an Leabharlann faoi mhaoirsi Comhairle ar a mbeidh
dh Iontaobhaithe dag, agus is an Cumann a cheapfadh ochtar acu agus an Rialtas a cheapfadh ceathrar acu;
bhronn an Comhaont seo an dualgas maidir le hoifigigh na Leabharlainne a cheapadh ar na hIontaobhaithe
freisin.
Thinig deireadh leis an socr stairiil nuair a bunaodh Leabharlann Nisinta na hireann mar institiid
cultrtha uathrialaitheach an 3 Bealtaine 2005 faoi Acht na nInstitiid Cultrtha Nisinta 1997.
Chun stair nos sonraithe a fhil faoin Leabharlann t an ranng seo roinnte de rir ama ag tos le buns na
Leabharlainne.
Chun tuilleadh faisnise a fhil, dan teagmhil leis an duine seo a leanas:
Sharon N Bhaoill, Uasal,
Leabharlann Nisinta na hireann,
Srid Chill Dara,
Baile tha Cliath 2,
ire.
Teileafn: +353 1 603 0213
Facs: +353 1 661 2523
Romhphost:info@nli.ie
Cruthaithe an 08/02/2010 ag 14:00
Source: National Library of Ireland website
Recommended Reference Material

Use the Irish language and terminology as described and used in the following publications.
Normative References
These normative sources must be adhered to. Any deviation from them automatically fails a string in most cases.
When more than one solution is allowed in these sources, look for the recommended one in other parts of the
Style Guide.
1. Microsoft LIP Glossaries
7
2. Foclir Romhaireachta is Teicneolaocht Faisnise (An Gm, 2004)
3. Foclir FIONTAR (FIONTAR, 2004)
4. Taisce Tarmaochta (An Coiste Tarmaochta, An Gm agus FIONTAR, 2004)
5. www.focal.ie terms tagged Computers, Computer Science or Information Technology
Informative References
These sources are meant to provide supplementary information, background, comparison, etc.
1. www.acmhainn.ie Oll-liosta an Choiste Tarmaochta [for miscellaneous terminology]
2. www.focal.ie [for additional sources]
3. www.achtanna.ie Achtanna an Oireachtais [for legal terminology]
4. http://www.irish.ie/Tearmai_&_Aistruchain/Treoirlinte.asp - An Dracht-lmhleabhar faoi fhorbairt agus
bhunphrionsabail na tarmeolaochta sa Ghaeilge [for guidelines on term formation in Irish]
5. Treoracha dAistritheoir Gaeilge [EU guide for translators into Irish, useful for legal translations and for
general guidelines]
6. Treoracha dAistritheoir (An Gm) [Translating guidelines from An Gm, available here:
http://www.irish.ie/dynamic/file/Treoracha%20dAistritheoiri.pdf]
7. Treoir Eagarthireachta dAistritheoir [Editing guidelines for translators produced by the Department of
Culture, Arts and Leisure NI, available here: http://ec.europa.eu/translation/irish/irish_en.htm]
8. Graimar Gaeilge na mBrithre Crosta
9. In Ord is in Eagar (Antain Mac Lochlainn)
Translators are required to adhere to standard Irish spelling and grammar as described and used in the following
publications.
1. Gramadach na Gaeilge agus Litri na Gaeilge: AN CAIGHDEN OIFIGIIL (Oifig an tSolthair, 2004)
2. Graimar Gaeilge na mBrithre Crosta (An Gm, 1999)
3. Molta n gCoiste Tarmaochta http://www.acmhainn.ie/caighdean.htm
4. Foclir Gaeilge-Barla (An Gm, 1977)
5. English-Irish Dictionary (An Gm, 1959)
8
Language Specific Conventions
This part of the style guide contains information about standards specific to Irish.
Country/Region Standards
Characters
Country/region Ireland
Lower-case characters a, , b, c, d, e, , f, g, h, i, , j, l, m, n, o, , p, r, s, t, u, , v, x, z
Upper-case characters A, , B, C, D, E, , F, G, H, I, , J, L, M, N, O, , P, R, S, T, U, , V, X, Z
Characters in caseless
n/a
scripts
Extended Latin characters , , , , , , , , ,
Note on alphabetical order Alphabetical order is not necessarily indicative of sorting order.
Total number of characters 54

a 0061
A 0041
00E1
00C1
b 0062
B 0042
c 0063
C 0043
d 0064
D 0044
e 0065
E 0045
00e9
00c9
Unicode codes
f 0066
F 0046
g 0067
G 0047
h 0068
H 0048
i 0069
I 0049
00ED
00CD
j 006a
J 004a
l 006c
L 004c
9
m 006d
M 004d
n 006e
N 004e
o 006f
O 004f
00F3
00D3
p 0070
P 0050
r 0072
R 0052
s 0073
S 0053
t 0074
T 0054
u 0075
U 0055
00FA
00DA
v 0076
V 0056
x 0078
X 0058
z 007a
Z 005a
The Irish alphabet consists of 22 letters of the English alphabet (+) 5 extended
Notes
vowels, in both upper and lower case.
Date
Calendar/Era Roman
First Day of the Week Monday
First Week of the Year Ist January
Separator / [slash]
Default Short Date

dd/mm/yy
Format
Example 17/03/11
Default Long Date Format dd/mm/yyyy
Example 17/03/2011
10
Additional Short Date

dd/m/yy
Format 1
Example 17/3/11
Additional Short Date

dd-mm-yy
Format 2
Example 17-03-11
Additional Long Date

dd-mm-yyyy
Format 1
Example 17-03-2011
Additional Long Date

dd mmmm, yyyy
Format 2
Example 17 March, 2011
Leading Zero in Day Field

Yes
for Short Date Format
Leading Zero in Month

Field for Short Date Yes
Format
No. of digits for year for

2
Short Day Format
Leading Zero in Day Field

Yes
for Long Date Format
Leading Zero in Month

Field for Long Date Yes
Format
Number of digits for year

4
for Long Day Format
Date Format for

Any of above
Correspondence
Example 17/03/11, 17/03/2011, 17-03-11, 17-03-2011, 17 March, 2011
Format with slashes or Long Date Format 2 is commonly used on official

forms, format with hyphens or months spelled out more common in
Notes correspondence.

st th
Dates written in English as 1 January, 6 June should be written as
1 Eanir, 6 Meitheamh. The name of the month remains unaffected, and it is
11
not necessary to include after the number as a translation for -st, -nd or -th
d is for day, number of d's indicates the format (d = digits without leading zero, dd =
digits with leading zero, ddd = the abbreviated day name, dddd = full day name)
Abbreviations in Format M is for month, number of M's gives number of digits. (M = digits without leading
Codes zero, MM = digits with leading zero, MMM = the abbreviated name, MMMM = full
name)
y is for year, number of y's gives number of digits (yy = two digits, yyyy = four digits)
Time
24 hour format Yes
Standard time format HH:mm:ss
Standard time format

23:22:34
example
Time separator Colon [:]
Time separator examples 03:24:12
Hours leading zero Yes
Hours leading zero example 03:24:12
String for AM designator n/a
String for PM designator n/a
Use 24-hour format for times, change from AM/PM if necessary to

Notes
ensure consistency
Days
Country/region: Ireland
Day Normal Form Abbreviation
Monday Luan Luan
Tuesday Mirt Mirt
Wednesday Cadaoin Cad.
Thursday Dardaoin Dar.
Friday Aoine Aoine
12
Day Normal Form Abbreviation
Saturday Satharn Sath.
Sunday Domhnach Domh.
First Day of Week: Luan

Is first letter capitalized? Yes
Notes: An alternative way of expressing days of the week follows the format:
D Luain, D Mirt, D Cadaoin, Dardaoin, D hAoine, D Sathairn, D Domhnaigh, but has the meaning on
Monday/on Tuesday, etc
If 3-letter abbreviations are required, use the first 3 letters of each day.
Months
Month Full Form Abbreviated Form Long Date Form
January Eanir Ean. Eanir
February Feabhra Feabh. Feabhra
March Mrta Mr. Mrta
April Aibren Aib. Aibren
May Bealtaine Beal. Bealtaine
June Meitheamh Meith. Meitheamh
July Iil Iil Iil
August Lnasa Ln. Lnasa
September Men Fmhair M.F. Men Fmhair
October Deireadh Fmhair D.F. Deireadh Fmhair
November Samhain Samh. Samhain
December Nollaig Noll. Nollaig
Is first letter capitalized?: Yes

Notes: The name of the month remains unchanged after numerals in dates, eg 4 Feabhra 2011
Numbers
Follow the standard rules for lenition or eclipsis after numbers if the number is written as a word and you know
what it is. In most cases, however, you will only see a placeholder where a number in numeric form will at some
point be automatically inserted and it will be impossible to judge how to treat the following noun in advance. Thus,
13
it is recommended that all nouns following placeholders for numbers should be left in the singular and uninflected.
This will occur before nouns such as day(s), week(s), month(s), year(s), and in other contexts referring to
the number of files, items, folders etc to be deleted, uploaded, exported etc.
Watch out for placeholders which may unexpectedly turn out to be numbers:
English example Irish equivalent
Are you sure you want to send the <x> items to the (+) An bhfuil fonn ort go cinnte an <x> mr seo a
Recycle Bin? sheoladh chuig an mbosca athchrsla?
Phone Numbers
Country/ International Area Number of Separator Number of Digit
region Dialing Codes Digits Area Digits Groupings
Code Used? Codes Domestic Domestic
Ireland +353 Yes 2; 3; 4 Space 8; 9; 10 (##) ### ####;

(###) ### ####
(###) ### ###
(####) #####
Country/ Number of Digit Number of Digit Number of Digit

region Digits Groupings Digits Mobile Groupings Digits Groupings
Local Local Mobile International International
Ireland 6; 7 ### #### 10 (###) ### 10; 11; 12 +353 # ###

### ### #### ####: +353 ##
### ####; +353
#### ### ###
Notes: For Northern Ireland, the format is somewhat different: area code (3 digits) (+) local code (2 digits) (+)
local number (6 digits)
Landline telephone numbers in Ireland are currently being upgraded as capacity in reached in certain areas. In
these cases, migration is from 6-digit to 7-digit local numbers.
Addresses
Disclaimer: Please note that the information in this entry should under no circumstances be used in examples as
fictitious information.
Address Format:
1. First Name LastName [Title]
2. [CompanyName]
3. Address1
14
4. [PostalCode City/Town]
5. County
6. [Country]
Example Address:
(+) ine N Bhriain, Uas.
Gaelchras
24 Srid Thomis
An Ns,
Co. Chill Dara
ire
Local Postal Code Format: (+) Baile tha Cliath 6
(+) Bal Feirste BT9 SGX
Notes: At time of writing, postal codes in the Republic of Ireland apply only to parts of Dublin city and are written
zzzz x [Dublin 6, Dublin 11, Dublin 6w etc.] A new national system of post codes is due to be introduced in 2011
or 2012. These postcodes are as yet unpublished, and usage guidelines are due to be published in tandem with
the new codes.
Postal codes in Northern Ireland consist of 6 characters: zzx zzz [BT9 SGX]
Currency
Currency Name Euro
Currency Symbol
Currency Symbol Position Symbol appears before amount, eg 25.36
Positive Currency Format 12.56
Negative Sign Symbol -
Negative Currency Format -12.56
Decimal Symbol .
Number of Digits after Decimal 2
Digit Grouping Symbol ,
Number of Digits in Digit

3
Grouping
Positive Currency Example 3,265,126.23
Negative Currency Example -3,265,126.23
ISO Currency Code EUR
15
Currency Subunit Name cent
Currency Subunit Symbol n/a
Currency Subunit Example 0.23
Notes: Euro and cent should remain in singular at all times, and should remain unaffected in the genitive and
dative cases.
Digit Groups
Decimal Separator: .
Decimal Separator Description: Full stop
Decimal Separator Example: 21.45, 9.99
Thousand Separator: ,
Thousand Separator Description: Comma
Thousand Separator Example: 1,234
Notes: n/a
Measurement Units
Metric System Commonly Used?: Yes
Temperature: Celsius
Category English Translation Abbreviation
Linear Measure Kilometer Cilimadar km
Meter Madar m
Decimeter Deicimadar dm
Centimeter Ceintimadar cm
Millimeter Millimadar mm
Capacity Hectoliter Heictiltear hl
Liter Ltear l
Deciliter Deiciltear dl
Centiliter Ceintiltear cl
Milliliter Milliltear ml
Mass Ton Tonna n/a
Kilogram Cileagram kg
16
Category English Translation Abbreviation
Pound Punt n/a
Gram Gram g
Decigram Deiceagram dg
Centigram Ceinteagram cg
Milligram Milleagram mg
English Units of Inch Orlach or.

Measurement
Feet Troigh tr.
Mile Mle n/a
Gallon Galn G
Notes: n/a
Percentages
% symbol should appear after numerals, with no preceding space
Sorting
1. Lowercase letters precede capital letters when the spelling of the word is otherwise the
same.
2. The extended characters , , , , are not the equivalents of a, e, i, o, u and treated as
separate letters of the alphabet. In sorting order, they follow the unaccented vowels, eg, a, , e,
Sorting rules
, i, , o, , u, .
3. Non-alphabetical characters (i.e. symbols like @ ! #) and digits are ignored in sorting order
and the term or string is sorted by the first alphabetical character. Digits will appear before
alphabetical characters
a, , b, c, d, e, , f, g, h, i, , j, l, m, n, o, , p, r, s, t, u, , v, x, z
a 97
A 65
225
193
b 98
Character B 66
sorting order c 99
C 67
d 100
D 68
e 101
E 69
233
17
201
f 102
F 70
g 103
G 71
h 104
H 72
i 105
I 73
237
205
j 106
J 74
l 108
L 76
m 109
M 77
n 110
N 78
o 111
O 79
243
211
p 112
P 80
r 114
R 82
s 115
S 83
t 116
T 84
u 117
U 85
250
218
v 118
V 86
x 120
X 88
z 122
Z 90
@
Aaron
bhar asbhainte
Examples of
bhar inslithe
sorted words
bhar inslichin
achar
achoimre
18
Achoimre ar Shuomh RDF
achoimrigh
ACL
acmhainn
acmhainn ardtaifeach
acrainm
acrainm tr litir
adamhach
adamhacht
admhil
admhil dhiltach
ADP
ADPCM
ADT
Aero
aerg
aerg Yagi
AES
AFP
ag forlu
ag oibri ar lne
ag oibri as lne
andere
ndere
chaque
chemin
cote
cot
cte
ct
ut
Czech
hia
irdisch
lvi
19
lie
lire
llama
lug
Lwen
lza
Lbeck
lu
luck
lye
Mnner
mta
mr
mchten
myndig
pia
pint
pylon
smtlich
ran
savoir
erbra
Sietla
lub
subtle
symbol
vga
verkehrt
vox
waffle
wood
yen
yuan
yucca
al
20
ena
enva
zipeil
zoo
zmil
zmil amach
zmil isteach
Zrich
Zviedrija
zysk
zzlj
zzlz
zznj
zznz
Geopolitical Concerns
Part of the cultural adaptation of the US-product to a specific market is the resolving of geopolitical issues. While
the US-product should have been designed and developed with neutrality and a global audience in mind, the
localized product should respond to the particular situation that applies within the target country/region.
Sensitive issues or issues that might potentially be offensive to the users in the target country/region may occur in
any of the following:
Maps
Flags
Country/region, city and language names
Art and graphics
Cultural content, such as encyclopedia content and other text where historical or political references may
occur
Some of these issues are relatively easy to verify and resolve: the objective should be for the localizer to always
have the most current information available. Maps and other graphic representations of countries/regions and
regions should be checked for accuracy and existing political restrictions. Country/region, city and language
names change on a regular basis and need to be checked, even if previously approved.
A thorough understanding of the culture of the target market is required for checking the appropriateness of
cultural content, clip art and other visual representations of religious symbols, body and hand gestures.
Guideline
As country/region and city names can change, please use the most up-to-date Irish list for every release of your
product. This list can be requested from your Microsoft project contact.
21
Microsofts Geopolitical Strategy Group (GPS) has a tool called "PoliCheck" that runs a file containing updated
information on sensitive terms. Contact your Microsoft project representative if you wish to have a look at this list
for Irish or if you need to install the tool.
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions

This section includes information on how to apply the general rules of the Irish language to Microsoft products and
documentation.
Adjectives
In Irish, adjectives should be handled in the following manner.
According to the rules of Irish grammar nouns and adjectives must agree in gender, number and case. However,
a difficulty arises when two nouns are qualified by the same adjective and the nouns are not of the same gender
or number. In this event it is recommended that the adjective agree with the noun nearest to it:
Please select a valid device or directory. (+) Roghnaigh glas n comhadlann bhail.
Enter correct name or data. (+) Cuir isteach ainm n sonra cearta.
Find corresponding text or files. (+) Aimsigh tacs n comhaid chomhfhreagracha.
Possessive adjectives
The frequent use of possessives is a feature of English language. However in Irish, possessive adjectives are
often replaced with an article, for example Mch an romhaire rather than Mch do romhaire. Possessive
adjectives can be used where the user is being addressed directly rather than in a general sense, for example
Type your name > Clscrobh dainm. Avoid using possessive adjective your unless ownership is important in
context.
Possessive adjectives must be used in certain terms. For example Mo Romhaire, Mo Chuid Doicimad. These
should be checked with the appropriate glossary.
Articles
General considerations
In many cases, the article (definite or indefinite) is omitted in English terms or titles although it is conceptually
implied.
Please pay attention to this phenomenon when translating, as in Irish it is usually more natural to include the
article in such cases. While the terms provided in the Community Glossary often appear without the article due to
shortage of space and/or lack of context, it is recommended that the Irish translation reflects the natural style and
rhythm of the language insofar as space allows:
Change paragraph formatting (+) Athraigh formidi na n-alt.
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Change appearance of text (+) Athraigh cuma an tacs.
Many error messages in English vary with regard to the use of articles, demonstrative and possessive pronouns.
Please be consistent in how you deal with such variation in Irish.
For instance, in English the article may be omitted but is implied, and should be included in the Irish translation.
On the other hand, demonstrative pronouns are unnecessary in some contexts (see examples below) and should
not be included in such contexts in the Irish translation. Possessive pronouns are often superfluous in error
messages and can safely be replaced with the article.
English example Irish example Explanation
File already exists (+) Is ann don chomhad cheana. In complete sentences, use
The file already exists determiners consistently even if the
US string does not.
This file already exists
Not enough memory to complete (+) Nl dthain cuimhne ann chun No need to use a demonstrative
this operation. an oibrocht a chur i gcrch. construction, unless it is important
in context.
Windows Vista cannot start your (+) N fidir le Windows Vista an Avoid using possessive marker
system. If the problem persists, cras a thos. M leanann an your unless ownership is
contact your network administrator. fhadhb ar aghaidh, tigh i important in context.
dteagmhil leis an riarthir lonra.
Unlocalized Feature Names

Microsoft product names and non-translated feature names are used without definite or indefinite articles in the
English language. Follow the natural syntax of the Irish language while treating the product or component name
as a nonIrish proper name, i.e. without any grammatical inflection.
English example Irish example
Windows Mail shares your Internet Connection (+) Danann Windows Mail do shocruithe Nasc Idirln
settings with Internet Explorer a chomhroinnt le Internet Explorer.
Website addresses will be sent to Microsoft (+) Cuirfear seolta suomhanna Grasin chuig
Microsoft.
Localized Feature Names

Translated feature names are handled in this way. Product names and non-translated feature names should also
be treated as proper nouns in Irish.
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In contrast with the above, translated feature names are used with a definite or indefinite article as they are not
treated as proper names.
Hide the Task Manager when it is minimized (+) Folaigh an Bainisteoir Tascanna nuair at s
oslaghdaithe.
Check for updates in your installed Media Player's (+) Lorg nuashonrchin sa teanga inar suiteladh do
language Sheinnteoir Men.
Articles for English Borrowed Terms

When faced with an English loan word previously used in Microsoft products, consider the following options:
Motivation: Does the English word have any formally motivated features that would allow a
straightforward integration into the noun class system of Irish language?
Analogy: Is there an equivalent Irish term whose article could be used?
Frequency: Is the term used in other technical documentation? If so, what article is used most often?
The internet may be a helpful reference here.
Technology-related acronyms in English are generally borrowed in Irish, for example CD-ROM, DVD [see section
on acronyms below]. The use of articles with acronyms is discussed below.
Capitalization
If the first word in the English source string is capitalized, the corresponding first word in the target language
should also be capitalized. If the word in the English source string is not capitalized, the corresponding first word
in the target language should also not be capitalized, unless language-specific rules specify different
capitalization. In German, for instance, any noun is spelled upper-case and a noun in phrase-initial position would
always be capitalized, even if the English source string begins with a lower-case noun.
24
In the Irish translation, only the initial word of a string should be capitalized:
Save As (+) Sbhil mar
Save as Web Page (+) Sbhil mar leathanach Grasin
Print Preview (+) Amharc roimh phriontil
If a string appears as a part of another string, single quotes should be used and the enclosed words should not be
inflected, either initially or terminally:
Continue without Undo? (+) Lean ar aghaidh gan Cealaigh?
25
Are you sure you want to exit Setup? (+) An bhfuil t cinnte go bhfuil fonn ort scor de
Suiteil?
Names of features, specific to Microsoft products, should be capitalized, but if they are everyday concepts they do
not need to be in single quotes even when the context requires inflection:
Do you want to send this file to the Recycle Bin? (+) An bhfuil fonn ort an comhad seo a sheoladh go
dt an Bosca Athchrsla?
There are new icons on your Desktop. (+) T deilbhn nua ar do Dheasc.
Some common terms, however, should always be capitalized in the Irish translation. These include Internet and
Web, as they are proper nouns:
Internet (+) Idirlon
Internet connection (+) nasc Idirln
Web (+) Grasn
Web site (+) lithren Grasin, suomh Grasin
Save as Web Page (+) Sbhil mar leathanach Grasin
Other proper nouns, such as tradenames and copyright product names, should not be translated and are always
capitalized:
Microsoft (+) Microsoft
Microsoft Access (+) Microsoft Access
Microsoft Office (+) Microsoft Office
Windows (+) Windows
Acronyms and initialisms should also be capitalized, but only those which refer to proper names should be
capitalized in their complete form:
GUI (Graphical User Interface) (+) GUI (comhadan grafach sideora)
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) (+) HTML (Teanga Mharcla Hipirtacs)
IP (Internet Protocol) (+) IP (Prtacal Idirln)
ID (identity) (+) ID (aitheantas)
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PIF (Program Information File) (+) PIF (comhad faisnis romhchlir)
WWW (World Wide Web) (+) WWW (An Grasn Domhanda)
Some measurement abbreviations require capitalization:
M (mega-) (+) M (meigea-, meigi-)
MB (megabyte) (+) MB (meigibheart)
Mb (megabit) (+) Mb (meigighiotn)
Hz (hertz) (+) Hz (heirts)
MHz (megahertz) (+) MHz (meigiheirts)
Names of countries, nationalities and their derivative adjectives, and languages should be capitalized in Irish:
Republic of Ireland (+) Poblacht na hireann
Irish (noun, of nationality) (+) ireannach
Irish (adjective) (+) ireannach
Irish (language) (+) Gaeilge
American (adjective) (+) Meiricenach
Names of days and months are also capitalized in Irish, but not seasons of the year:
Monday, Tuesday, Sunday, etc (+) Luan, Mirt, Domhnach, etc
January, February, December, etc (+) Eanir, Feabhra, Nollaig, etc
spring, summer, autumn, winter (+) earrach, samhradh, fmhar, geimhreadh

In the English software additional short text in brackets often starts with a capital letter. This practice should be
followed in the Irish translation, but standard punctuation procedures should be followed, i.e. if the string is a
grammatical sentence the word(s) in brackets should follow the full stop and be preceded by one space:
Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings (+) Danadh Windows mo shocruithe cuimhne forla
(Recommended). a bhainisti. (Molta)
In some English product-specific terms, a capital letter appears in the middle of a word. This practice is
unacceptable in Irish and should be avoided at all costs:
27
AutoCorrect (+) Uathcheartaigh
AutoFormat (+) Uathfhormidigh
Some strings are concatenated at run-time and you will occasionally find strings that seem to lack a subject or
simply start in the middle. Be careful not to start such strings with an upper-case letter, unless the spelling rules of
your language require it.
Example of a string:
is trying to connect to this computer. If you allow, you will be disconnected, but you can resume later. Do you want
to allow this connection?\r\n
unknown software exception\r\n (+) eisceacht neamhaithnid bogearra\r\n
acquired (+) faighte
Log off user (+) Logil amach sideoir.
Edit... (+) Cuir in eagar ...
Many more nouns and verbs are capitalized in the English source string than would normally be expected. You
should not try to mimic the capitalization in the source strings, but use your knowledge of the spelling conventions
of Irish to decide which words in a string to capitalize and which to leave lower-case. Over-capitalization is
awkward and leads to inconsistencies in the UI.
Should an English noun be capitalized in the source string and be translated by two words in the target language,
be consistent in capitalizing either both words, or neither word, or capitalize one word and not the other. Be
consistent in the application of spelling rules.
Compounds
Generally, compounds should be understandable and clear to the user. Overly long or complex compounds
should be avoided. Keep in mind that unintuitive compounds are ultimately an intelligibility and usability issue.
Noun and verb compounds are a frequent word formation strategy in English. Product user interfaces, online help,
and documentation contain a number of such examples. However, not all languages use compounding to create
complex word meanings.
English examples Irish example
Internet Accounts (+) Cuntais Idirln
Logon script processing (+) priseil script logla isteach
Workgroup Administrator (+) Riarthir Grpa Oibre
Internet News Server Name (+) Ainm Freastala Nuachta Idirln
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Compounds in general
The Irish language has a natural and traditional facility for deriving compounds in term formation. Such terms
typically take the form of prefix + noun, prefix + verb, prefix + adjective and prefix + adverb. The prefix can be an
adjective, a noun or a particle.
compact disc (+) dlthdhiosca
core-dumping (+) crdhumpil
paste special (+) sainghreamaigh
mismatch (+) mmheaitseil
transmit (+) tarchuir
download (+) osldil
spacebar (+) spsbharra
password (+) pasfhocal
navigation (+) nascleanint
write head (+) scrobhchnoga
interface (+) comhadan
mutually exclusive (+) comheisiach
double click (+) dchliceil
well-defined (+) dea-shainithe
subsequent (+) iartheachtach
composite (+) ilchodach
overflow (+) rshreabhadh
backward (+) siarghabhlach
Compounds can also be formed using suffixes:
directory (+) comhadlann
computer (+) romhaire
icon (+) deilbhn
hierarchy (+) ordlathas
cutting (+) gearrthg
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Terms can also be formed by compounding nouns with nouns, nouns with verbs, nouns with adjectives:
file name (+) comhadainm
keyword (+) eochairfhocal
thesaurus (+) strchiste
print (+) clbhuail
typeset (+) clchuir
endorse (+) droimscrobh
handwritten (+) lmhscrofa
This facility can be extremely useful in the formation of technical terms but it is important to keep term
transparency in mind at all times so that new terms will not confuse or baffle the user. For instance, while the
preferred term for file name is ainm comhaid the compound form (comhadainm) is easily recognizable and may
be preferred if space constraints prevail. The other compounds cited above are well-established and should not
be split up into their individual elements.
Compounds with Product or Component Names

The compounds below contain both product and component names. The product names are marked in red.
Product names are usually trademarked and, therefore, must remain unchanged. Additions to a product or
component name are added with a hyphen or, if that is not appropriate, you need to create a periphrastic
construction.
Follow the natural syntax of the Irish language while treating the product or component name as a non-Irish
proper name, i.e. without any grammatical inflection.
Windows password (+) pasfhocal Windows
Microsoft Word document (+) doicimad Microsoft Word
Microsoft SQL Server Database (+) bunachar sonra Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft BackOffice product family (+) tirg gaolmhara Microsoft Back Office
ActiveX Control (+) rialtn ActiveX
Compounds with Abbreviations or Numerals

Follow the natural syntax of the Irish language while treating compound terms containing abbreviations or
numerals. Do not insert hyphens unless the hyphen is an integral part of an English acronym or initialism. While
accepted guidelines for inflection and plural forms after numerals written in Irish recommend that the normal rules
be implemented from 1 to 19 (when the figures are designated by numbers), there will be many instances in the
30
localization project where the numerals will be indicated by a place-holder, thus making it impossible to know
which plural form or which initial inflection should apply. For this reason, it is recommended that all numerals are
followed by the uninflected form of the nominative singular noun.
The compounds below contain either an abbreviation or a numeral followed by a component name. The
abbreviation or numeral is marked in red in the English examples. The Irish examples below show how such
constructions should be translated.
English examples Irish examples
CD-ROM drive (+) tiomntn CD-ROM
2-D gridlines (+) lnte greille 2D
24 bit color value (+) luach datha 24 giotn
3.5 Floppy (+) diosca bog 3.5, diosca bog tr horlach go leith
51/4-inch Floppy (+) diosca bog 5, diosca bog cig orlach is ceathr
35mm slides (+) sleamhnin 35 mm
Hyphenation and compound terms

In translating compounds which combine noun and verb or adjective using hyphenation in English, avoid following
this format literally, as far as possible. It is recommended that a prepositional phrase be used instead:
context-dependent (+) splech ar (an) chomhthacs/ar an gcomhthacs

(-) comhthacs-splach
machine-readable (+) inlite ag meaisn

(-) meaisn-inlite
type-compatible (+) comhoirinach maidir le cinel

(-) cinel-chomhoirinach
input/output-limited (+) teoranta ag ionchur/aschur

(-) ionchur/aschur-theoranta
content-rich software (+) bogearra ar mhrn inneachair

(-) bogearra inneachar-shaibhir
Gender
Instead of using phrases which mention the two genders separately, use a general term that includes both
genders such as daoine or sideoir.
Avoid writing sentences that refer to a single person whose gender is unknown. You can often avoid this situation
by rewriting the sentence to make the subject plural. In cases where a reference to a single person is impossible
31
to avoid, do not use s or s, or , or a (his or hers). The language in Microsoft products should sound
natural, as if part of a spoken conversation. Also, generally avoid the use of slashes to combine both genders
(although sometimes exceptions are made - see table below).
Use the following strategies to avoid the use of overtly gender-based expressions:
Linguistic method Example Context
Use a Neutral noun (+) duine, an t, ceann foirne, Concept descriptions, explanations
saineola, fosta, sideoir
Combine both genders by means (+) s/s Only in exceptional cases such as
of a slash License Terms, sometimes in
tables (headers or column/row
titles, for example)
Use the autonomous form of verbs (+) sidtear, seoltar When referring to actions
designated to neutral subjects
Since Irish distinguishes gender on pronouns, including prepositional pronouns, a US-English source text has to
be paraphrased or restructured to avoid any overt mentioning of gender by the pronoun.
(-) An duine a chruthaigh foclir saincheaptha, n mr d leas a bhaint as.
(+) N mr don duine a chruthaigh foclir saincheaptha leas a bhaint as.
(-) Ms sideoir nua , is g d ainm sideora a chlr.

(+) Is g dsideoir nua ainm sideora a chlr.
(-) Gach duine a sideann an ghn seo, n mr d clr.

(+) N mr do gach duine a sideann an ghn seo clr.
(-) Fi mura staitisteoir an t-sideoir, cuireann Microsoft Excel ar a chumas ...

(+) Fi mura staitisteoir t, cuireann Microsoft Excel ar do chumas ...
(-) Fi mura dtuigeann an t-sideoir mrn faoi staitistic, cuireann Microsoft Excel ar a chumas ...
(+) Fi mura dtuigeann t mrn faoi staitistic, cuireann Microsoft Excel ar do chumas ...
(-) Teastaonn n ngrianghrafadir go mbeidh a chuid grianghraf ar an gcaighden is airde.

(+) Teastaonn n ngrianghrafadir go mbeidh na grianghraif ar an gcaighden is airde.
Genitive
Remember that product names and non-translated feature names will remain unchanged in the genitive.
In the case of acronyms, all borrowed acronyms should be treated as masculine, and the article should be treated
as such. In the case of feminine acronyms in Irish, the masculine form of the article should be used in the genitive
singular.
Product names and non-translated feature names remain unchanged in the genitive
32
(-) Tirg Mhicrosoft
(+) Tirg Microsoft
Masculine form of article with acronyms
(+) an DVD
(+) ainm an DVD
Modifiers
This section does not apply to Irish.
Nouns
General considerations
Due to the possibility of nouns in Irish undergoing eclipsis or lenition, the same noun may differ depending on
grammatical circumstances. This may cause problems where the same string is used repeatedly in different
contexts, but is only translated once. It may be necessary to correct this during the review stage.
Inflection
In the case of numbers, you will generally only see a placeholder where a number in numeric form will at some
point be automatically inserted into the text. As the actual number can vary, it is impossible to judge how to treat
the following noun in advance. As such, it is recommended that all nouns following placeholders for numbers
should be left in the singular and uninflected. This will occur before nouns such as day(s), week(s), month(s),
year(s), and in other contexts referring to the number of files, items, folders etc to be deleted, uploaded,
exported etc.
Watch out for placeholders which may unexpectedly turn out to be numbers:
Are you sure you want to send the <x> items to the (+) An bhfuil fonn ort go cinnte an <x> mr seo a
Recycle Bin? sheoladh chuig an mbosca athchrsla?
Use of eclipsis or lenition after singular preposition and article

Both practices are standard but it is important to be consistent within the same product. Please choose one and
adhere to it throughout.
Plural Formation
Note the plural of suomh > suomhanna (rather than sumh)
In the case of acronyms, add the suffix anna. For example DVD > DVDanna
33
Personification
Do not use the first person in reference to actions performed by the software product (except for characters such
as the Office Assistant). If possible, use a verbal noun phrase:
Unable to save the file (+) N fidir an comhad a shbhil.
Deleting file (+) Ag scrios an chomhaid
If the agent is mentioned in the US text, use it in the translation as well.
Word is deleting file (+) T an comhad scrios ag Word.
While the operating system, Windows, is personalized and referred to actively in the English version, it is
recommended that the passive form be used in Irish where possible:
Windows is shutting down (+) T Windows mhchadh.
In general, avoid the impersonal as much as possible except where you want to avoid instances of gender bias.
In cases where the passive is used intentionally in English, i.e. the agent is not known or is not relevant, the
phrase or string should be translated in the autonomous form in Irish:
The message has been sent (+) T an teachtaireacht seolta.
Prepositions
Pay attention to the correct use of the preposition in translations. Influenced by the English language, many
translators omit them or change the word order.
Pay attention to the correct use of prepositions in Irish, although no preposition may appear in the English text:
Ignore (+) Dan neamhaird de
Add (+) Cuir le/leis
Exit (+) Scoir de
Click the Refresh button (+) Cliceil ar an gcnaipe Athnuaigh.
Prepositions are also necessary between some pairs of nouns in Irish:
data model (+) samhail de shonra/ na sonra
34
requirements analysis (+) anails ar (na) riachtanais
object request (+) iarratas ar oibiacht
In translating phrases such as on disk, pay attention to the difference in meaning between on (an individual)
disk and the state of (data) being stored on disk. The former meaning is indicated in Irish by lenition (where
possible) and the latter by non-lenition:
on [a] disk (+) ar dhiosca
[state of being] on disk (+) ar diosca
on [a] tape (+) ar thip
[state of being] on tape (+) ar tip
Use of eclipsis or lenition after singular preposition and article. Both practices are standard but it is important to be
consistent within the same product. Please choose one and adhere to it throughout:
Click on the button (+) Cliceil ar an chnaipe.

(+) Cliceil ar an gcnaipe.
context-dependent (+) splech ar an chomhthacs

(+) splech ar an gcomhthacs
The preposition for in product names should be translated:
Word for Windows (+) Word le haghaidh Windows
Use the 2nd person singular of pronouns and prepositional pronouns to address the user.
Type your name (+) Clscrobh dainm.
Are you sure you want to exit this program? (+) An bhfuil t cinnte go bhfuil fonn ort scor den chlr
seo?
Prepositional phrases in English need to be translated according to their context; anglicisms should be avoided.
The table below contains frequently used verbs and the prepositions that follow them. Please use this table as a
reference.
Prepositional usage does not translate exactly from one language to another. Thus while some verbs in English
require prepositions, their Irish equivalents may not. More commonly, however, the reverse is the case so that
English verbs not requiring a preposition are often rendered in Irish by a verb with a preposition. In some cases,
Irish verbs require different prepositions depending on the context. Furthermore, an English preposition may need
35
to be rendered in Irish by different prepositions depending on the context. Sometimes a preposition is implied but
not written in English and this needs to be taken into account in the translation.
US-English expression Irish expression Comment
migrate to (+) ascain go /go dt With verbs of movement go dt is often

more appropriate than go
Migrate from (+) ascain
import to (+) iomprtil go /go dt With verbs of movement go dt is often

import from (+) iomprtil
export to (+) easprtil go /go dt With verbs of movement go dt is often

export from (+) easprtil
update to (+) nuashonraigh go
upgrade to (+) uasghrdaigh go
change to (+) athraigh go
click on (+) cliceil ar
connect to (+) ceangail le /nasc le While both verbs are correct, ceangail
is probably more familiar and nasc
slightly more technical but useful to
avoid ambiguity.
welcome to ... (+) filte go ...
send to ... (+) seol chuig ... /cuir chuig ... Note that go would not be appropriate
here.
write to ... (+) scrobh chuig ... Note that go would not be appropriate
here
add (+) cuir le/cuir leis Follow normal Irish usage if the target
to which something is being added is
known; when it is not known use cuir
leis.
analyse (+) dan anails ar Although the transitive verb anailsigh

exists, it does not enjoy popular usage.
extract (+) asbhain /bain as Although asbhain exists, it will often

be more natural to write bain as.
protect (+) cosain, cosain ar, cosain Since cosain can be transitive or
36
intransitive, you need to check the
context to see if a preposition is
required and which one is appropriate.
copy protection (+) cosaint ar chipeil The English term does not include the
information that the process in question
is protection from copying
The examples below contain frequently occurring noun phrases that are preceded by a preposition. Please use
this table as a reference.
in the toolbar (+) ar an mbarra uirlis sa would not be appropriate here
below/under the toolbar (+) faoin mbarra uirlis
beside the toolbar (+) taobh leis an mbarra uirlis
on the tab (+) ar an tb
on the menu (+) ar an roghchlr
on the net (+) ar an lonra
on the Internet (+) ar an Idirlon
on the Web (+) ar an nGrasn
on a web site (+) ar shuomh Grasin /ar

lithren Grasin
on a web page (+) ar leathanach Grasin
at the top (+) ag an mbarr
to the top (+) go dt an barr
from the top (+) n mbarr
Pronouns
It will be necessary in many cases to paraphrase or restructure source segments to avoid any overt mentioning of
gender by the pronoun.
Example:
(-) Gach duine a sideann an ghn seo, n mr d clr.
(+) N mr do gach duine a sideann an ghn seo clr.
Use the 2nd personal singular form of pronouns and prepositional pronouns to address the user where possible.
37
Are you sure you want to exit Setup? (+) An bhfuil fonn ort go cinnte scor de Cumraigh?
Punctuation
Please follow the following basic rules for the use of punctuation marks in Irish.
When items are complete sentences, each of them should start with a capital letter and end with a full stop in the
Irish translation, even when no punctuation appears in the English version. When items are not complete
sentences, they start with a capital letter and do not end with a full stop.
General punctuation conventions in Irish are identical to those in English, except in the case of series of
adjectives, which are generally punctuated with commas in English but not in Irish. Thus translators should leave
series of adjectives unpunctuated if they arise. Decimal separators and thousand separators are as in English.
Punctuation spacing in Irish is also as in English, i.e. punctuation marks are not preceded by a space but are
always followed by one space.
Use non-breaking spaces (CTRL (+) SHIFT (+) SPACEBAR or ALT (+) 0160) between words which should not be
separated onto different lines. If two words are connected by a non-breaking space, Word will keep them
together, even is subsequent editing causes line breaks to change. On your screen, a non-breaking space looks
like a degree symbol (), but it will print like a space.
Table column and row headings should follow the same language style throughout the software. Column and row
headings should start with capital letters and they usually do not end with any punctuation marks.
When table items are complete sentences, each of them starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
When table items are not complete sentences, they start with a capital letter and do not end with a full stop.
English text Irish translation
Please select a valid device or directory. (+) Roghnaigh glas n comhadlann bhail.
Comma
US English uses a full stop (period) as the decimal separator, while many other languages use a comma. In Irish
a full stop (period) is used. Do not use a space for this purpose as a space separates the numeral from the
abbreviation.
In paper sizes (the last example in the table below) the decimal separator and the abbreviation in for inches are
kept, since the sizes are US norms and should be represented accordingly.
5.25 cm (+) 5.25 cm
5 x 7.2 inches (+) 5 x 7.2 orlach
Letter Landscape 11 x 8.5 in (+) Trdhreach Letter 11 x 8.5 in
38
For thousands, English uses a comma while many other languages use a full stop (period) (at Microsoft we
normally do not use a space for this purpose, but we use a period instead to avoid wrapping problems). In Irish a
comma is used.
1,526 (+) 1,526
$ 1,526.75 (+) 1,526.75
Colon
Use colons to introduce lists or other information
Example: Bh na daoine seo i leanas i lthair ar an oche: Mire N Bhriain, Marcas Mac an R, agus Sle N
Dhshline
Do not use colons to if a conjunction such as ach, n or is ea
Example: C a bh ann ach Mire, Marcas agus Sle!
Dashes and Hyphens

Three different dash characters are used in English:
Hyphen
The functions of the hyphen are summarized in Graimar Gaeilge na mBrithre Crosta pp19-20. In general, try
to avoid hyphenation unless necessary due to space restrictions. Non-breaking hyphens should be used in the
case of t- and n-.
Example: an t-athair, sin-seanathair, an-mhaith, r-g
En Dash
The en dash is used as a minus sign, usually with spaces before and after. It is also used to denote a negative
number (without a space)
Example: 13 5 = 8; 5 10 = 5
The en dash is also used in number ranges, such as those specifying page numbers. No spaces are used around
the en dash in this case.
Example: lgh 1923; le linn na trimhse 19161921
Em Dash
The em dash should only be used to emphasize an isolated element or introduce an element that is not essential
to the meaning conveyed by the sentence. It should be used sparingly.
Ellipses (Suspension Points)

Ellipses are generally used to indicate missing words, sentences or paragraphs from a text or quotation, or to
leave something to the idea of the reader. They may be enclosed between square brackets.
39
Example: N raibh de sholas sa seomra ach a dtinig isteach trd an bhfuinneog [] ach mura raibh fin bh bean
ann.
Period
Full stops are used after abbreviations, but not after contractions
Example: (+) An Dr Sen de Barra
(+) Fach lgh 59-65
(+) An tOll. Mchel de Brn
Please adhere to the following guidelines when determining whether to include a full stop (period) at the end of a
list or table entry:
If bulleted items are complete sentences: each ends with a full stop.
If bulleted items continue an introductory clause: do not use a full stop.
For items in a list (chapters, sections, products, system requirements, etc.) that are neither sentences nor
continuations of sentences, do not use a full stop.
If your translation is longer than the US text, or if you split your translation into several independent
sentences, use common sense and insert a full stop if it improves the Irish style.
Never put a full stop after just one word.
The same convention applies to instruction lists, captions, and callouts.
Quotation Marks
In US source strings, you may find software references surrounded by English quotation marks. Please follow the
following basic rules for the use of quotation marks in Irish.
Use smart single quotes to set a feature name or a button name apart in order to avoid grammatical inflection.
Start Menu (+) Roghchlr Tosaigh
Use the INS key for Paste (+) sid an eochair INS do Greamaigh.
Continue without Undo? (+) Lean ar aghaidh gan Cealaigh?
Are you sure you want to exit Setup? (+) An bhfuil t cinnte go bhfuil fonn ort scor de
Suiteil?
Use smart double quotes to indicate direct speech. Should the direct speech contain a quotation, use single
quotes for the inner quotation.
A user who calls up the helpline and says I need (+) N mr isteacht le hsideoir a ghlaonn ar an lne
help! should be listened to. chabhrach a r T cabhair uaim!
What did you reply when the user said I need help! (+) Cn freagra a thug t nuair a dirt an t-sideoir
T cabhair uaim!
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Parentheses
In Irish, there is no space between the parentheses and the text inside them.
Singular & Plural

Pay attention to nouns and their meaning sometimes what appears to be a plural noun may in fact refer to a
singular meaning. Cases in point are media, software and hardware. Examine the context carefully to decide
which is meant. If in doubt, raise a query.
Insert media (+) Ionsigh an men.

(-) Ionsigh mein, Ionsigh na mein.
Found new hardware (+) Aimsodh crua-earra nua.

(-) Aimsodh crua-earra nua.
Do you want to delete this software? (+) An bhfuil fonn ort an bogearra seo a scrios?
(-) An bhfuil fonn ort na bogearra seo a scrios?
Translation of English phrases which allow both singular and plural forms at the same time should be translated in
the same manner in Irish:
Beginning to delete file(s) (+) Ag tos ar chomha(i)d a scrios.
Use the nominative singular form of the noun without inflection after numerals, unless you can be sure of the
numeral in question and that you are certain this numeral will not vary.
Split Infinitive
Subjunctive
This section does not apply to Irish in this context.
Symbols & Non-Breaking Spaces

In general, symbols used in Irish texts are the same as those used in English texts.
Use non-breaking spaces (CTRL (+) SHIFT (+) SPACEBAR or ALT (+) 0160) between words which should not be
separated onto different lines. If two words are connected by a non-breaking space, Word will keep them
together, even is subsequent editing causes line breaks to change. On your screen, a non-breaking space looks
like a degree symbol (), but it will print like a space.
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Syntax
In procedural text, which tells the user to perform certain actions in a certain number of steps, the order in which
interface terms are to appear in the translation is usually top to bottom (for example, menu, command, dialog
box, dialog box controls). This order reflects the sequence in which the action needs to be performed, and it
should be maintained unless there are technical reasons preventing it.
This convention is less important in normal body text, which is usually written in a more personal tone and less
formal style, thus requiring the translator to be more creative.
On the View menu, click Filter (+) Ar an roghchlr Amharc, cliceil ar Scag.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and click (+) Ar an roghchlr Uirlis, cliceil ar Roghanna
the Security tab Idirln, agus cliceil ar an gclib Slndil.
You may come across procedural instructions of the type To do this and that, click on .... You should rearrange
such sentences to first mention the action the user needs to do and then the purpose. The reason for putting the
action first is that the action usually matters most to the user. However, sometimes it is important to stress the
purpose of an action before describing it. In this case, you can start the sentence with the purpose, followed by
the action.
To open the shortcut menu, click View Source (+) Cliceil ar Amharc foinse chun an roghchlr
aicearra a oscailt.
To insert a table, click on Insert (+) Cliceil ar Ionsigh chun tbla a chur isteach.
To choose a table style, click on Design (+) Cliceil ar Dearadh chun stl tbla a roghn.
To end the install, click Cancel (+) Chun an tsuiteil a chrochn cliceil ar Cealaigh.
Syntax in Irish is discussed comprehensively in Treoracha dAistritheoir Gaeilge (European Commission),

pp16-19, and in In Ord is in Eagar (Antain Mac Lochlainn), Aonad 6.
Measurements and Numerals

Use numerals for all measurements. This is true whether the measurement is spelled out, abbreviated, or
replaced by a symbol. Numerals are also used for coordinates in tables or worksheets and for numbered sections
of documents. Avoid beginning a sentence with a numeral.
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Envelope 110x230 mm. (+) Cldach 110 x 230 mm
5x7 photo paper (+) Pipar grianghraif 5 x 7
Please type a port number between 1 and 65535. (+) Clscrobh uimhir phoirt idir 1 agus 65535.
6 days (+) 6 l
Terminology English Terminology and the Irish Language System

The influx of English into other languages has significantly increased in recent years. Some speaker communities
welcome this trend, while others resist it. Microsoft must guard against taking a stance in this debate and,
therefore, use the terminology that is most widely used in the computer press and among users. This terminology
usage naturally depends on the target market of each product (technical products are bound to contain more
specialized language, which usually means more English terminology).
While it is acceptable to borrow English terms if they are indeed the industry standard in your country or region,
you should also research current industry standards. For example, stylistic anglicisms are still a major translation
mistake (see section on anglicisms below).
If incorporating English loanwords, you must follow the spelling, grammar, and syntax rules of your language.
Sometimes English words get incorporated as a whole into other languages, but most often the English word gets
phonologized and integrated into the target language. If you are sure that there is no Irish-specific equivalent for
an English loanword and decide to incorporate an English word instead, please check with your translation lead
and other team members. In many languages the spelling of incorporated loanwords is not documented and it is
important that English loanwords are spelled consistently in the target language. For guidelines on transliteration
of loanwords into Irish please refer to An Dracht-lmhleabhar faoi fhorbairt agus bhunphrionsabail na
tarmeolaochta sa Ghaeilge available at http://www.irish.ie/Tearmai_&_Aistruchain/Treoirlinte.asp.
The most important guidelines for the use of English terminology in your language system are outlined in the
following sections:
Anglicisms
Nouns
Anglicisms
Anglicisms often sneak into sentence structure and word usage. Please edit your documents with this concern in
mind.
The following examples from German and Italian illustrate direct translations with syntactic and lexical mistakes
that you should try to avoid in your own translations. The text marked in red in the target language highlights the
wrong choice.
English example Anglicism in target language Correct example
For several minutes (-) fr mehrere Minuten (+) mehrere Minuten lang
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English example Anglicism in target language Correct example
Middle East (-) Mittlerer Osten (+) Naher Osten
For more information please (-) Fr weitere Informationen (+) Um weitere Informationen zu
contact ... kontaktieren Sie ... erhalten, wenden Sie sich an ...
assume (-) assumere (+) supporre
fatal error (-) errore fatale (+) errore irreversibile
resolved invalid (-) risolto invalido (+) risolto non valido

This phenomenon is not uncommon in Irish and has long been known as Barlachas. Please be vigilant and aim
to avoid syntax and turns of phrase that are unnatural in Irish.
English example Anglicisms in Irish Correct example
at all times (-) ag gach am (+) i gcna
If you suffer from a heart condition (-) M fhulaingonn t riocht (+) M bhonn galar cro ag cur
... cro ... ort ...
How do I switch off this feature? (-) Conas a chuirim as an ghn (+) Conas ba chir dom an ghn
seo? seo a mhchadh? /Cn chaoi a
gcuirfinn as an ghn seo? /Cn
digh a dtiocfadh liom an ghn seo
a mhchadh?
Its up to you how youd like to (-) T s suas agat fin cn chaoi (+) Ft fin at s cn chaoi ar
ar mhaith leat mhaith leat
Nouns
Many languages differentiate between different noun classes based on features such as animacy, shape, gender,
and so on. English loanwords must be integrated into the noun class system of your language. When faced with
an English loanword not previously used in Microsoft products, consider the following options:
Motivation: Does the English word have any formally motivated features that would allow a
straightforward integration into the noun class system of your language?
Analogy: Is there an equivalent Irish term that could be used to justify the noun class the noun gets
assigned to?
Frequency: Is the term used in other technical documentation? If so, what noun class is it assigned to
most often? The Internet may be a helpful reference here.
If the choice of noun class is left up to you, ensure that you provide consistent translations within the Microsoft
product. Please consult with your translation team lead and team members to decide what noun class to assign.
When English loanwords are introduced they should be spelled and inflected according to the orthogrophy and
grammar of the Irish language. Please refer to An Dracht-lmhleabhar faoi fhorbairt agus bhunphrionsabail na
tarmeolaochta sa Ghaeilge available at http://www.irish.ie/Tearmai_&_Aistruchain/Treoirlinte.asp.
44
Please use the acronym. (+) Bain leas as an acrainm.
Acronyms should be used consistently. (+) N mr a bheith comhsheasmhach maidir le hsid

acrainmneacha.
This acronym is deprecated. (+) T an t-acrainm seo dmholta.
These acronyms are deprecated. (+) T na hacrainmneacha dmholta.

Sometimes an English verb can be used as a loanword in the target language. Such loanwords usually follow the
syntactic and morphological rules of the target language. Here are some examples of verbal loanwords in Irish:
English example Present tense Past tense Verbal noun
boot (+) btlann (+) bhtil (m/s/s) (+) ag btil
copy (+) cipelann (+) chipeil (m/s/s) (+) ag cipeil
print (+) priontlann (+) phriontil (m/s/s) (+) ag priontil
scroll (+) scrollaonn (+) scrollaighl (m/s/s) (+) ag scroll
sort (+) srtlann (+) shrtil (m/s/s) (+) ag srtil
zap (+) zaipelann (+) zaipeil (m/s/s) (+) ag zaipeil
zip (+) zipelann (+) zipeil (m/s/s) (+) ag zipeil
My Terminology
My terminology is frequently used in US-English interfaces and documentation. The guidelines for Irish are as
follows:
1. The localization of my terminology will be decided on a per-product basis. The new trend favors leaving
out the possessive pronoun completely (e.g.: My TV -> TV).
2. Terms that have already been used for one product will remain the same for the next product update, if
the source remains unchanged. Already established terminology such as My Computer in Windows
should be maintained for consistency reasons unless otherwise instructed.
Verbs
The English forms often do not distinguish between various uses of verbs (command, function name, description
of an ongoing process, etc.). Find out what is really meant with the string, and translate accordingly. An apparent
imperative form in American English, often refers to the function of the feature in question and should be
translated by the verbal noun in Irish:
Install Wizard (+) An Draoi Suitela

(-) Suiteil an draoi
45
Export Favorites (+) Ceanin easprtla

(-) Easprtil na Ceanin
For commands, instructions, etc., use the personal imperative form where possible. Use the 2nd person singular
of pronouns and prepositional pronouns to address the user.
Use verbal nouns to refer to system status, ongoing processes, etc.
Opening: (+) Ag oscailt:
Printing (+) Ag priontil
The verb can

Pay attention to the correct translation of can into Irish, and the difference in meaning between fidir (=
possible to do) and fadann/fadfaidh (= may be done).
You can safely remove your hardware. (+) Fadann t do chrua-earra a bhaint go sln.
(-) Is fidir leat do chrua-earra a bhaint go sln.
You can add a printer by clicking on OK. (+) Fadfaidh t printir a chur leis ach cliceil ar OK.
(-) Is fidir leat printir a chur leis ach cliceil ar OK.
Windows cannot perform this operation. (+) N fidir le Windows an oibrocht seo a dhanamh.
Verbs in Error Messages

Be consistent in how you translate verbs in error messages. If it is grammatical to omit the predicate be in your
language, you can omit it in error messages, but you should be consistent in your usage across all error
messages. Be concise without changing the meaning of the source string.
Where the predicate be is omitted in English (as in the example below), it is preferable to include it in Irish for the
sake of clarity unless space constrictions apply.
The document is too large. (+) T an doicimad rmhr. Be consistent in your usage of the
Document too large. verb to be
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Access was denied. (+) Diltaodh rochtain. In complete sentences, use verbs
Access denied. and the same tense as in the
source string.
The file '%s' is an unknown (+) T formid neamhaithnid Rephrase is with have if
graphics format. grafaice ag an gcomhad '%s'. necessary to produce an
appropriate translation.
The application may attempt to (+) Is fidir go ndanfaidh an may (+) Verb can be rephrased as
convert the graphic. feidhmchlr iarracht an ghrafaic a Verb (+) possibly
thiont.
A problem occurred while trying to (+) Thngthas ar fhadhb le linn Shorten and rephrase if necessary
connect to the network share nascadh leis an gcomhacmhainn to A problem occurred while
'%1!s!'. '%1!s!'. connecting to the network share
'%1!s!'
The following error occurred: (+) Earrid: '%1!s!' (earrid Shorten this construction where
'%1!s!' (error #%2!lx!) #%2!lx!) possible, e.g. Error: '%1!s!' (error
#%2!lx!).
An unknown error has occurred./ (+) Earrid neamhaithnid. / (+) Gan Shorten this construction where
No error occurred. earrid ar bith. possible, e.g. Unknown error. / No
error
Word Order
Fluency, readability and intelligibility are essential to the success of any localized product. In practice, this means
that if there is a more idiomatic way of structuring a given sentence, use the Irish word order instead of translating
word by word, as long as the key message is conveyed.
Yes and No
Pay attention to questions having Yes/No answers. As these are properly answered in Irish by repeating the verb
from the question, there are thus multiple ways of conveying Yes/No answers. It will not always be clear,
however, which question a given Yes/No answer applies to as some of these are automatically inserted. For this
reason, it is imperative that all questions are translated so as to give a T/Nl answer.

Do you want to delete this file? Yes/No (+) An bhfuil fonn ort an comhad seo a scrios? T/Nl
Are you sure you want to delete this file? Yes/No (+) An bhfuil fonn ort go cinnte an comhad seo a
scrios? T/Nl
Do you want to save the changes to Document 2? (+) An bhfuil fonn ort na hathruithe ar Dhoicimad 2 a
Yes/No/Cancel shbhil? T/Nl/Cealaigh
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Are you sure you want to send the file <x> to the (+) An bhfuil fonn ort go cinnte an comhad <x> a
Recycle Bin? Yes/No sheoladh go dt an Bosca Athchrsla? T/Nl
Style and Tone Considerations

This section focuses on higher-level considerations for audience, style, tone, and voice.
Audience
Create a balance when assigning roles and functions to men and women (active vs. passive roles, leading vs.
secondary roles, technical vs. non-technical professions, and so on). Scenarios, pictures, metaphors, and
comparisons should be based on areas and attributes common to both genders.
Style
In Microsoft translations, style is usually affected by space restrictions. However, it is recommended that the Irish
translation reflects the natural style and rhythm of the language insofar as possible. This will be easier to achieve
in certain types of translation. For example, help files are more flexible and lend themselves to a more natural
translation, whereas menu bars or radio buttons can restrict the translation.
Consistency and the adaptation of the product to the local language (idiomaticity) play an equally important role
for localization. The language in Microsoft products should have the look and feel of a product originally written in
Irish, using idiomatic syntax and terminology. At the same time, the language must maintain a high level of
terminological consistency, so as to guarantee the maximum user experience and usability for our customers.
Fluency, readability and intelligibility are essential to the success of any localized product. In practice, this means
that if there is a more idiomatic way of structuring a given sentence, use the Irish word order instead of translating
word by word, as long as the key message is conveyed.
Bearing in mind that space is a crucial factor in menus, dialogue boxes etc., translators should always aim to be
as concise as possible while at the same time maintaining clarity. This will undoubtedly present some challenges
as English has become increasingly flexible and vigorous with usage, whereas Irish has not. One of the practices
which has become widespread in technical written English is the omission of the article, a phenomenon which has
not yet established itself in Irish. Thus, if space allows it is better to include the article in Irish although this may
not always be possible, e.g. Document Map should ideally be translated as Mapa an doicimid but if space
precludes this number of characters the article may be omitted.
48
Tone
The tone of the Irish translation should mimic the tone of the source product, but should also be respectful. Any
word forms that are specific to a particular dialect should be avoided.
The text should be translated using a respectful, semi-formal tone although not all conventions in the English text
should be literally adhered to. The informality implicit in an English sentence such as Youve got mail! does not
translate easily into Irish. In the nearest Irish equivalent T r-phost faighte agat., the tone is closer to the more
formal English sentence A new mail message has arrived. Thus, the tenor of the Irish translation is likely to be
naturally semi-formal.
However, the concepts Please, Youre welcome, Congratulations were not traditionally used as abundantly in Irish
as they are in English and, in most cases, are better omitted in translation unless the text seems abrupt without
them.
Voice
As we do not differentiate between formal and informal pronouns in Irish as in some other languages, the
question of voice does not arise. Thus, you should normally be conveyed by the second person, singular, unless
the context clearly implies a plural meaning.
Example:
English Translation
You are now connected to the Internet. (+) T t ceangailte leis an Idirlon anois.
For commands, instructions, etc., use the personal imperative form where possible. Use the 2nd person singular
of pronouns and prepositional pronouns to address the user.
49
Localization Guidelines
This section contains guidelines for localization into Irish.
General Considerations
No two languages function in exactly the same manner. Along with differences in looking at different concepts and
expressing these concepts, the mechanics of language change from one language to another. For example, Irish
has a system of lenition and eclipsis which does not exist in English, and this sometimes causes problems
localizing an English-language product. The relationship between numbers and singular/plural forms of nouns are
is not the same. Word order is different. These need to be taken into account during the localization process, and
need to be treaded consistently in order to avoid confusion.
Context is also very important. It is not always clear from the source string whether an English word is a noun or a
verb (eg View). In the case of any confusion, check the context of the string to make sure the translation is
accurate.
Abbreviations
Common Abbreviations
You might need to abbreviate some words in the UI (mainly buttons or options names) due to lack of space. This
can be done in the following ways:
Menu titles, button or option names should ideally contain only one word. This guideline may present some
challenges in the Irish translation, e.g. Edit should ideally be translated as Dan eagarthireacht ar, since the
verb eagraigh means something else. Thus, the recommended solution is to use the form Cuir in eagar.
If space does not allow for a word or phrase to be spelled in full, words should be abbeviated according to their
natural semantic roots, and multiple consonant groups should be broken accordingly:
Irish example Irish abbreviation
Doicimad nua (+) Doic. Nua

(-) Doici. nua
Fuinneog nua (+) Fuinn. Nua

(-) Fuin. nua
Ceannlitreacha (+) Ceannlit.
Some phrases, although brief in English, entail longer equivalents in Irish. A case in point is Next, which is
conveyed in Irish by An chad x eile. If absolutely necessary for reasons of space, a phrase such as Next
Comment may be translated as follows:
Irish example Irish abbreviation
An chad nta trchta eile (+) 1 nta trchta eile
50
Use the common abbreviations listed in this section, but avoid extensive use of abbreviations. Do not abbreviate
such words as agus, seachtain, seisin, or any other word that may confuse users. If you have any doubt,
spell out the word rather than using an abbreviation.
There are three main types of abbreviations:
general abbreviations consist of a shortened form of a word or words, sometimes only the initial letter,
and are normally followed by a full stop, for example, p. (page), etc. (et cetera), e.g. (exempla gratia);
initialisms are abbreviations created by combining the initial letters of some or all of the elements of the
full form, are not followed by a full stop and are pronounced letter by letter, e.g. PC (personal computer),
CD (compact disc), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language);
acronyms are abbreviations created by combining initial letters or syllables from the full form, are not followed by
a full stop and are pronounced as a word, e.g. ROM (Read-Only Memory), DOS (Disk Operating System).
List of common abbreviations:
The following tables list common English and Latin abbreviations and their equivalent, acceptable abbreviations.
English example Acceptable abbreviation
p. (page) (+) lch.
pp. (pages) (+) lgh.
re (with regard to) (+) m.l.
no./nos. (number/numbers) (+) uimh.
y (year) (+) bl.
Latin abbreviations Irish abbreviation
e.g. (exempla gratia) (+) m.sh. (mar shampla)
etc. (et cetera) (+) etc. (agus ruda eile)
i.e. (id est) (+) i. (is sin)
a.m. (ante meridiem) (+) a.m.
p.m. (post meridiem) (+) p.m.
vs. (versus) (+) vs.
Additional guidelines:
Use a non-breaking space (CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR) in any abbreviation.
If non-breaking spaces cannot be used (in Help files, for example) it is also acceptable to write these
abbreviations without a space to avoid having one letter move to the beginning of the next line.
Measurement Abbreviations
In addition to common measurements such as km, m, cm, mm, and so on, the abbreviations in the following table
are used in the product user interface and in technical documentation.
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Measurement English Irish Comment/Example
abbreviation abbreviation
Gigabyte GB (+) GB In order to eliminate confusion arising

from contradictory usage in English, it
is recommended that the abbreviated
form for byte should be a capital B
and for bit a lower case b.
Gigabit GBit (+) Gb
Kilobyte KB (+) KB
Kilobit KBit (+) Kb
Megabyte MB (+) MB
Megabit MBit (+) Mb
Terabyte TB (+) TB
Terabit TBit (+) Tb
Bits per second Bit/s (+) bps Use same type for similar
measurements, e.g. frames per
second => F/s
Megabits per second MBit/s or Mbps (+) Mbps
Kilobits per second KBit/s or Kbps (+) Kbps
Bytes per second B/s (+) Bps
Megabytes per second MB/s (+) MBps
Kilobytes per second KB/s (+) KBps
Point Pt. No plural form
Inch (+) , or. is acceptable in Packaging and

tables, but not in body text.
Megahertz MHz (+) MHz
Hertz Hz (+) Hz
Accessibility
Microsoft provides people with disabilities (single-handed or with hearing or motion disabilities) with more
accessible products and services. These may not be available in Ireland. Please check with your Microsoft
contact and remove these references from Irish text if necessary.
52
Acronyms
Acronyms are words made up of the initial letters of major parts of a compound term. Some well-known examples
are WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), OLE (Object Linking and Embedding), or RAM (Random
Access Memory). All acronyms designating computing and IT concepts should be left in English.
Caution: Do not include a generic term after an acronym or initialism if one of the letters in the acronym stands
for that term. Even though this might occur in the US-English version, it should be corrected in the localized
version. The following examples show the redundancy in red for English terms and their Irish equivalents.
(-) RPC call
(-) glao RPC
(-) HTML language
(-) teanga HTML
(-) TCP/IP-Protocol
(-) prtacal TCP/IP
(-) PIN Number
(-) uimhir PIN
Localized Acronyms
All computing and IT acronyms and initialisms should be left in English, and the question of localization only
arises in instances of acronyms and initialisms of a general nature such as PIN where there is a choice between
the English acronym and the Irish equivalent, UAP. Since the vast majority of acronyms and initialisms in the
product will be of a purely computing nature and therefore in English, it is recommended that general acronyms
and initialisms should also be left in English in order to avoid confusion for users.
In online help or documentation, spell out the words that comprise an acronym or initialism the first time it is used
in the text. You should include the Irish term, the English term, and the acronym or initialism as in the following
example:
(+) Oibiachta Rochtain Sonra, DAO (Data Access Objects, DAO)
(+) Oibiacht Sonra ActiveX, ADO (ActiveX Data Objects, ADO)
In the user interface, there is usually not enough space for all three terms (English term, Irish term, and the
acronym or initialism); only in wizards can the acronym or initialism be easily spelled out on first mention.
Above all, it is important to be consistent within a product with your use of acronyms and initializations.
Since acronyms and initialisms are standardized and remain untranslated, they are only followed by their full
spelling in English if the acronym or initialism needs to be explained to the speakers of a different language. In
other cases, where the acronym or initialism is rather common, adding the fully spelled-out form will only confuse
users. In these cases, the acronym or initialism can be used on its own.
The following list contains examples of acronyms and initialisms that are considered commonly understood; these
acronyms and initialisms should not be spelled out in full in English:
ISO (International Standards Organization)
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
DOS (Disk Operating System)
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
CD (Compact Disc)
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
53
If you are unsure what an acronym or initialism stands for or refers to, please contact the Moderator responsible
for this Style Guide.
If a plural form of an acronym or initialism is required, add the suffix anna in Irish:
English acronym/initialism Irish equivalent
CDs (compact discs) (+) CDanna (dlthdhiosca)
CD-ROMs (+) CD-ROManna
DVDs (digital versatile disks) (+) DVDanna (diosca digiteacha ilside)
Unlocalized Acronyms
As stated above, all acronyms designating computing and IT concepts should be left in English.
Example: (+) CD-ROM, TCP/IP
Applications, Products, and Features

Application/product names are often trademarked or may be trademarked in the future and are therefore rarely
translated. Occasionally, feature names are trademarked, too (e.g. IntelliSense). Before translating any
application, product, or feature name, please verify that it is in fact translatable and not protected in any way.
Frequent Errors
Many of the more frequent errors relate to nouns after numbers, and to strings within strings .
As numbers are often replaced by placeholders in the text, it is impossible to determine the number which will
appear at a given time. As such, nouns should be left in the singular form and uninflected after numbers.
Example: (+) Gach 3 seachtain; T 9 comhad san fhillten
An example of a string within a string would be: Click Cancel to close the window (Cancel is a string within the
main string.) Strings within strings should be enclosed within single quotation marks, and the first word should be
capitalized. No inflection occurs.
Example: (+) Cliceil ar Cealaigh leis an bhfuinneog a dhnadh.
(+) Lean ar aghaidh gan Cealaigh
Glossaries
A glossary will be provided for the project and this should be adhered to. Should you come across terms that do
not appear in this glossary, you should send your suggested term to the Project Manager and to An Coiste
Tarmaochta for verification. It is important for consistency and continuity that the Moderator be informed of new
terms.
54
Fictitious Information
Fictitious content is legally sensitive material and as such cannot be handled as a pure terminology or localization
issue. Below is some basic information and contact points when dealing with fictitious content:
Vendors and Localizers are not allowed to create their own fictitious names. You must either use the source
names or use the list of legally approved names.
Please contact your product team representative for further information on how to deal with fictitious companies,
names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, etc. in your product. For technical products, you may also
check with the product team representative whether localized fictitious content is required or not (e.g. Visual
Studio).
Recurring Patterns
Standardized Translations
There are a number of standardized translations mentioned in all sections of this Style Guide. In order to find
them more easily, the most relevant topics and sections are compiled here for you reference.
Numbers
Articles
Capitalization
Compounds
Gender
Personification
Prepositions
Verbs
Yes and No
User Interface
Unlocalized Items
Trademarked names and the name Microsoft Corporation shouldnt be localized. A list of Microsoft trademarks is
available for your reference at the following location: http://www.microsoft.com/trademarks/t-mark/names.htm.
Key names should be used as they appear on the keyboard when translating commands, instructions etc.
Word Comment
OK
ALT
ALT GR
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Word Comment
BACKSPACE
BREAK
CAPS LOCK
CLEAR
COMMAND
CTRL
DEL
DELETE
END
ENTER
ESC
F1-F12
HOME
INS
NUMPAD ENTER
NUM LOCK
NUMPAD +
NUMPAD -
NUMPAD *
NUMPAD /
NUMPAD 0-9
OPTION (Macintosh)
PAGE DOWN
PAGE UP
PAUSE
PRINT SCREEN
RETURN (Macintosh)
SCROLL LOCK
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Word Comment
SHIFT
SYS RQ
TAB
Using the Word Microsoft

Microsoft should be left untranslated and written in full whenever it occurs.
Software Considerations
This section refers to all menus, menu items, commands, buttons, check boxes, etc., which should be consistently
translated in the localized product.
Refer to http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/aa511258.aspx for a detailed explanation of the Windows user interface
guidelines (English).
User Interface
Translating UI items can be a challenge at times, in part because you do not always know the context or the exact
function of a particular UI item. This topic is intended to give some general guidelines about UI references.
Always use all available resources to establish the context for UI items. When working with LocStudio EDBs,
these resources are the following columns: Instructions, Resource ID, String ID, and sometimes Previous Source
and Term Note. If you need more context for a string, contact your Engineering Partner.
Keys
Since there is no Irish-language keyboard available, the Irish-speaking public uses the English-language
keyboard. Thus, for the purposes of the Microsoft Community Glossary for Irish it was recommended to adhere to
the English keynames, and these should be used in translating commands, instructions etc.
Press ESC to escape (+) Brigh ESC le hal.
Generally, refer to the key by its name as appears on the keyboard, i.e. CTRL, ALT, PAGE DN, rather than
eochair ALT, eochair CTRL etc. However, when instructing the user to hold down one key and then press
another one, or as context demands, it will be preferable to include the Irish word for key (eochair).
Press CTRL (+) Brigh CTRL.
Hold down the ALT key and press F. (+) Coinnigh sos an eochair ALT agus brigh F.
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It should be pointed out, however, that in discussion about the function of a particular key (other than the name of
the key), the Irish term provided in Foclir Romhaireachta is Teicneolaocht Faisnise should be used.
The function of the Shift key is (+) Is is feidhm don eochair iomlaoide
Main Menus
Main menus are the menus that appear at the top of the user interface. Main menus typically include File, Edit,
View, Insert, Format, Tools, Table, Window, Help.
nd
Typically, main menus should be either a Noun, or a Verb (Imperative, 2 person singular), and should be
translated as clearly and concisely as possible.
View (+) Amharc
Edit (+) Cuir in eagar
Insert (+) Ionsigh
Format (+) Formid
Tools (+) Uirlis

Menu titles should ideally contain only one word. This guideline may present some challenges in the Irish
translation, e.g. Edit should ideally be translated as Dan eagarthireacht ar, since the verb eagraigh means
something else. Thus, the recommended solution is to use the form Cuir in eagar.
Use capitals for the initial word only.
Menu Items and Commands

Typically, commands and menu items should be a Verb (Imperative, 2nd person singular).
Use capitals for the initial word only, and where a command or menu title forms part of a string use single quotes.
Save As (+) Sbhil mar
Print (+) Priontil
Select All (+) Roghnaigh gach rud

Onscreen command buttons should be translated as follows:
Refresh (+) Athnuaigh
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Text Strings With Hot keys
These strings are easily recognizable because they have hot keys. They often show up as names of buttons,
commands, etc. and should be translated according to rules for main GUI components.
Insertions (+) Ionsnna
Deletions (+) Nithe scriosta
Some very common Access Keys are listed in the following table:
English Function Product
Ctrl+A select all Windows

Office
Ctrl+A reset all Windows
Ctrl+B send to back Windows
Ctrl+C reset current Windows
Ctrl+C copy Windows

Office
SQL
Ctrl+D delete Windows

Works
Ctrl+D duplicate Powerpoint

PictureIt
Ctrl+D dial Windows
Ctrl+D select domain Windows
Ctrl+E open image for editing Windows
Ctrl+E attributes Windows
Ctrl+F filter Windows
Ctrl+F forward Outlook
Ctrl+F view bitmap Windows
Ctrl+F file transfer Windows
Ctrl+F find Windows

SQL
Ctrl+F full screen Windows
Ctrl+G go to Windows
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Ctrl+G grid Windows
Ctrl+G paste to page Windows
Ctrl+G date Works
Ctrl+H replace Windows

SQL
Outlook
Ctrl+H space Windows
Ctrl+I invert colors Windows
Ctrl+L rotate left Windows
Ctrl+L color box Windows
Ctrl+L view log Windows
Ctrl+M new slide Powerpoint
Ctrl+N new call Windows
Ctrl+N new message Outlook
Ctrl+N new snapshot Office
Ctrl+N next code Windows
Ctrl+N new Windows

Office
SQL
Ctrl+N new connection Windows
Ctrl+O options Windows
Ctrl+O select code Windows
Ctrl+O open Windows

Office
Works
Visual Studio
Ctrl+P previous Windows

Excel
Ctrl+P print Windows

SQL
Outlook
Visual Studio
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Access
Publisher
Ctrl+R rotate right Windows
Ctrl+R flip/rotate Windows
Ctrl+R reply Outlook
Ctrl+S sharing Windows
Ctrl+S update Windows
Ctrl+S save Windows

Office
Visual Studio
Ctrl+S send Windows
Ctrl+S setup Windows
Ctrl+T toolbox Windows
Ctrl+T transfer Windows
Ctrl+V paste/insert Windows

SQL
Works
Outlook
Ctrl+W stretch/skew Windows
Ctrl+W whiteboard Windows
Ctrl+Y redo Windows

Office
Ctrl+Y repeat Windows

Works
Ctrl+Z undo Windows

Office
SQL
Works
Visual Studio
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The following table lists the hot keys that are permissible in Irish. Please note that only single stroke characters
can be used.
Hot key character Preferred or allowed? Case-sensitive?
a preferred FALSE
b preferred FALSE
c preferred FALSE
d preferred FALSE
e preferred FALSE
f preferred FALSE
G preferred TRUE
h preferred FALSE
i preferred TRUE
J preferred TRUE
l preferred TRUE
m preferred FALSE
n preferred FALSE
o preferred FALSE
P preferred TRUE
r preferred FALSE
s preferred FALSE
t preferred FALSE
u preferred FALSE
v preferred FALSE
z preferred FALSE
allowed FALSE
allowed FALSE
g allowed TRUE
I allowed TRUE
j allowed TRUE
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Hot key character Preferred or allowed? Case-sensitive?
L allowed TRUE
allowed FALSE
allowed FALSE
p allowed TRUE
allowed FALSE
0 numeric
1 numeric
2 numeric
3 numeric
4 numeric
5 numeric
6 numeric
7 numeric
8 numeric
9 numeric
Checkboxes and Radio Buttons

In the texts for checkboxes and radio buttons, it is not typical to address the user directly. Using a personal
pronoun such as you, vous, or Sie, in languages that use this form of address in checkbox or radio button
texts should, therefore, be a relatively rare choice.
Within an interface, a checkbox can be selected or deselected; refer to Figure 1 for a visual example of selected
and deselected checkboxes within an interface.
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Figure 1. Example of selected and deselected checkboxes.
Typically, check boxes should be verbs (imperative, 2nd person, singular).
Enable reminder (+) Cumasaigh meabhrchn.
Don't show me this dialog again. (+) N taispein an dialg seo dom ars.
Always ask me first (+) Cuir ceist orm i dtosach gach uair.
If the original does not mention the check box, and only refers to the item the check box applies to, then use
ticeil (check) and dthiceil (uncheck) in reference to the items themselves:
Check the box below (+) Ticeil sa bhosca thos.
Uncheck the hardware profile for which you want to (+) Dthiceil an phrifl crua-earra ar mian leat an
disable this adapter. cuibheoir seo a dhchumas ina leith.
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Radio Buttons
Typically, buttons should be nouns or verbs.
Add (+) Cuir leis
Cancel (+) Cealaigh
Continue -> (+) Lean de ->
Advanced Options (+) Ardroghanna
In a dialog box, keep the button name intact by using single quotes:

In addition, a radio button can be selected or deselected; within a list, if one radio button is selected, none of the
other radio buttons can be selected. Refer to Figure 2 for a visual example of selected and deselected radio
buttons within an interface.
Figure 2. Example of selected and deselected radio buttons.

Punctuation in the source text often indicates whether a string is to be interpreted as a full sentence, but
unfortunately this is not always the case. As a general rule, text in checkboxes and radio buttons receive no full
stop (period) at the end. If the full stop (period) is there in the source text and if the string is a complete sentence,
the localized string should also end with a full stop (period). A full stop (period) is also advised if the target string
is a complete and complex or long sentence (full sentence with sub-clauses or stretching over several lines).
I accept the license terms. (+) Glacaim le tarma an cheadnais.
I accept this agreement. (+) Glacaim leis an gcomhaont seo.
Confirm file format conversion on open (+) Dearbhaigh tiont na formide comhaid ar oscailt duit.
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Dialog Box Contents and Titles
When translating dialog box contents, you are expected to use consistent terminology and language style in all
dialog boxes and ensure that your translations are consistent with translations in other localized applications.
Also, applications that are not currently localized may be localized in the future, and the same translations will be
used in those applications. Refer to Figure 3 for a visual example of the Insert Picture dialog box and the context
in which the dialog is referenced.
Figure 3. Example of a typical dialog box and the menu context associated with the dialog box.
Dialog box titles should be consistent with the menus items or menu commands that call them. Typically, menus
nd
are verbs; therefore, dialog titles should be verbs (imperative, 2 person, singular), although they may sometimes
be nouns or adjectives. This pattern is usually observed in the source text, and the source text format is decisive
here. If the source text does use a headline format (Doing xyz), the Irish equivalent to this format should be
used.
Print (+) Priontil
Spelling & Grammar (+) Litri & gramadach
General (+) Ginearlta
Insert Table (+) Ionsigh tbla
Find and Replace (+) Aimsigh agus athchuir
Zoom (+) Zmil

Pay attention to the correct plural forms of nouns when they arise. Use the strong plural for suomh
(suomhanna).
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Track Changes (+) Rianaigh athruithe
File Locations (+) Suomhanna comhad
Use parallel language for dialog box elements that are parallel in function, such as the contents of lists and tables.
Ensure that all items are similar in form, and use the same part of speech. For example, translate all items in a list
nd
within a dialog box using the imperative, 2 person, singular form of the verb, or translate them all as noun/verbal
noun. Rely on the rules for Irish to determine how best to translate the contents of dialog box elements such as
lists and tables.
When list box items are complete sentences, each of them should start with a capital letter and end with a full
stop. When items are not complete sentences, they start with a capital letter and do not end with a full stop.
Include and indent orginal message text (+) irigh agus eangaigh tacs na bunteachtaireachta.
Save unsent messages automatically (+) Sbhil teachtaireachta neamhsheolta go

huathoibroch.
When a user is expected to take action on a page or in a section, use the 2nd person, singular, imperative of the
verb.
Change settings for the files Outlook uses to store e- (+) Athraigh na socruithe do na comhaid a sideann
mail messages and documents. Outlook chun romhtheachtaireachta agus doicimid
a stril.
Pay attention to the translation of More use tuilleadh in contexts such as the following:
Tell Me More (+) Inis tuilleadh dom
Menus, Commands, Buttons, and Other Interface Text

nd
When translating menus, commands, and buttons, you should translate a verb as a verb (imperative, 2 person
singular), unless there is a good reason not to do so. Always try to establish whether a word is a noun or a verb,
using all available context and material. Some words can be both nouns and verbs (such as View in English
interfaces), so be sure you know the context in which the word is being used in the interface. If the part of speech
is ambiguous, there are often instructions that clarify whether you are dealing with a noun, verb, or adjective in a
given context.
Archive [noun] (+) Cartlann
Set [verb] Query [noun] (+) Socraigh iarratas
View [verb] (+) Amharc
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Print [verb] Preview [noun] (+) Amharc roimh phriontil
Tool Tips and InfoTips

A tool tip is a short description of the icon or function over which the user hovers with the cursor. Tool tips are
typically shown in a software interface for a short amount of time.
Tool tips should be short and concise, but helpful to the users. In very many cases, they have exactly the same
linguistic form as menus, commands, or buttons, and use an impersonal style without a period. In other cases
they serve as short explanations and address the user directly (see, for example, the extended tool tips in Office
2007). You should translate tool tip text using a consistent and usability-centered approach, and you should
ensure that consistency is maintained; avoid using multiple different translations for the same tool tip.
Insert Microsoft Excel Worksheet (+) Ionsigh bileog oibre Microsoft Excel.
Click here to begin (+) Le tos cliceil anseo.
No feeds detected on this page (Alt+J)\nFeeds (+) Nor aimsodh fotha ar bith ar an leathanach seo.
provide updated website content (Alt+J)\nCuireann fotha inneachar nuashonraithe
suomhanna Grasin ar fil.
Paste the contents of the Clipboard (+) Greamaigh inneachar na gearrthaisce.
InfoTips are similar to tool tips because they appear briefly and explain a specific part of an interface. InfoTips
contain short sentences or sentence fragments that describe what an item does or how it can be used.
For items that describe what the user can do with the item (one that users can manipulate upon opening), use a
nd
verb (imperative, 2 person singular). This is the most common type of InfoTip.
Analyze items with a spreadsheet application (+) Dan anails ar mhreanna le feidhmchlr
scairbhileoige.
Copy formatting from one place and apply it to (+) Cipeil formidi it amhin agus cuir i
another bhfeidhm in it eile.
Make the selected text bold (+) Cuir cl trom ar an tacs roghnaithe.
For items that have an automatic action (one that requires no user manipulation) upon opening, use verbs in the
3rd person, singular, present tense with the pronoun seo.
Opens the calendar (+) Osclaonn seo an filire.

Pay attention to consistency in phrases such as Getting Started and Help and Support.
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Opens the Getting Started instruction so you can (+) Osclaonn seo an treoir Ag tos sa chaoi gur
learn how to use Windows 7. fidir leat foghlaim cn chaoi le Windows 7 a sid i
gceart.
Welcome Screens
There is no guideline for translating Welcome screens within wizards. Complete phrases are just as fine as
Welcome only. However, the names of Welcome screens should be localized according to one consistent
pattern within one product.
Source Target option 1 Target option 2
Welcome to the Connection Wizard (+) Filte chuig an Draoi Nasctha. (+) Seo chugat an Draoi Nasctha.
Messages
Status Messages
What is a Status Bar Message?
A status bar message is an informational message about the active document or a selected command as well as
about any active or selected interface item. Messages are shown in the status bar at the bottom of the window
when the user has chosen a menu, a command or any other item, or has started a function. The status bar
messages refer to actions being performed or already complete (for example in Outlook below).
Irish Style in Status bar Messages

In English, the status bar messages have different forms dependent on the information they must convey. In Irish,
menu and commands status bar messages should follow the format below.
Status Bar Messages Language Style

In English, the status bar messages have different forms dependent on the information they must convey. In Irish,
menu and commands status bar messages should follow the format below.
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English Status Bar Irish Status Bar
Name Irish Name Category
message message
(+) Orduithe
Edit (+) Cuir in eagar menu Contains editing commands eagarthireachta anseo
istigh
(+) Cipelann seo na

Copy to (+) Cipeil go fillten Copies the selected items to
menu mreanna a roghnaodh
Folder... a new location
go suomh nua.
(+) Cruthaonn seo

New (+) Nua command Creates a new document
doicimad nua.
(+) Dan an oibiacht

Make object visible?
infheicthe?
Word is converting the (+) T an doicimad

document. Press Esc to thiont ag Word. Le
stop. stopadh brigh Esc.
(+) Amharc ar an mbileog

Datasheet View
sonra
Done (+) Danta
Messages reporting that a process is executing usually use a verb in the -ing form plus three dots after the text.
In Irish you should choose a verb tense and/or aspect that expresses the ongoing nature of the action.
Difficulties can arise if this convention is not kept in the US text and the status or progress message is not
immediately recognizable as such (although sometimes the Resource ID will tell). The standard syntax should be
applied to status bar messages wherever possible.
Scanning files... (+) Ag scanadh na gcomhad ...
Opening message (+) Ag oscailt na teachtaireachta ...
The importance of standardization

In the US product you can often find messages that are phrased differently even though they have the same
meaning. Try to avoid this in the localized Irish version. Use one standard translation as in the examples below:
English term Correct Irish translation
Press F1 to get Help (+) Brigh F1 le cabhair a fhil.
If you want Help press F1
To get Help press F1
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English term Correct Irish translation
Not enough memory (+) Nl dthain cuimhne ann.
Insufficient memory
There is not enough memory
Save changes to %1? (+) An bhfuil fonn ort na hathruithe a shbhil go %1?
Do you want to save changes to %1?
Error Messages
What Is An Error Message?
Here is an example:
Error messages are messages sent by the system or a program, informing the user that there is an error that
must be corrected in order for the program to keep running. For example, the messages can prompt the user to
take an action or inform the user of an error that requires rebooting the computer.
Irish Style in Error Messages

It is important to use consistent terminology and language style in the localized error messages, and not just
translate as they appear in the US product.
Use the present tense, except when the message refers specifically to an event in the past:
The product has been removed from your computer. (+) T an tirge bainte de do romhaire.
Word was unable to open the file. (+) Theip ar Word an comhad a oscailt.
Standard Phrases in Error Messages

When translating standard phrases, standardize. Note that sometimes the US uses different forms to express the
same thing. As you localize the software into Irish, you should ensure that you use a standard phrase for error
messages that have the same meaning and purpose in the US-English version.
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The following table provides US-English examples of inconsistent error messages and their corresponding,
standardized Irish:
English Translation Example
Cannot (+) N fidir teacht ar an gcomhad File could not be found

Could not File cannot be found
Failed to (+) Theip ar an nasc. Failed to connect

Failure of Failure to connect
Cannot find (+) N fidir teacht ar an Cannot find driver software

mbogearra tiomna. Could not find driver software
Could not find
Unable to find driver software
Unable to find
Unable to locate driver software
Unable to locate
Not enough memory (+) Cuimhne ln

Insufficient memory
available
... is not available (+) Nl fil ar an ord. The command is not available
... is unavailable The command is unavailable
Articles and Possessive Pronouns

Many error messages in English vary with regard to the use of articles, demonstrative and possessive pronouns.
Please be consistent in how you deal with such variation in Irish.
For instance, in English the article may be omitted but is implied, and should be included in the Irish translation.
On the other hand, demonstrative pronouns are unnecessary in some contexts (see examples below) and should
not be included in such contexts in the Irish translation. Possessive pronouns are often superfluous in error
messages and can safely be replaced with the article.
File already exists (+) Is ann don chomhad cheana. In complete sentences, use
The file already exists determiners consistently even if the
US string does not.
This file already exists
Not enough memory to complete (+) Nl dthain cuimhne ann chun No need to use a demonstrative
this operation. an oibrocht a chur i gcrch. construction, unless it is important
in context.
Windows Vista cannot start your (+) N fidir le Windows Vista an Avoid using possessive marker
system. If the problem persists, cras a thos. M leanann an your unless ownership is
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contact your network administrator. fhadhb ar aghaidh, tigh i important in context.
dteagmhil leis an riarthir lonra.
Negation
Many error messages alert the user to the fact that an action could not be completed or that an item could not be
found. Be consistent in how you convey such messages in Irish.
When the negation refers to an action, i.e. a verb (even when the verb is implied rather than stated in English),
use the equivalent negative verbal form in Irish. When the negation is adjectival, i.e. qualifies a noun, use the
negative form of the adjective in Irish.
File not found. (+) N bhfuarthas an comhad. Use one basic syntax for all
File was not found. negative sentences.
The file was not found.
Not enough memory. (+) Nil dthain cuimhne ann. not enough = insufficient
Wrong file type. (+) Comhadchinel mcheart wrong = incorrect
Incorrect MS-DOS version. (+) Leagan MS-DOS mcheart
Invalid file type. (+) Comhadchinel neamhbhail Invalid =illegal
An illegal setting name has been (+) Iontrladh socr neamhbhail

entered.
%1 has a bad format. (+) T formid neamhbhail ag %1. Use invalid instead of bad,
unless the meaning is physically
broken.
Object doesn't support current (+) N thacaonn an oibiacht leis an Use standard word order (i.e., be
locale setting. socr reatha logchaighdein. aware where the negative maker is
placed in sentence)
Error Messages Containing Placeholders

Error messages contain placeholder text that will be filled in by the operating system when the message is shown
to users. The following table provides examples of error messages with placeholder text, and the final error
messages that users will see:
Placeholders in English error messages Final error message text that users will see
%d minute(s) remaining 3 minute(s) remaining
Dialing %s... Dialing business phone
The disk in drive %c: cannot be formatted. The disk in drive C: cannot be formatted.
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When localizing error messages containing placeholders, try to find out what will replace the placeholder. This is
necessary for the sentence to be grammatically correct when the placeholder is replaced with a word or phrase.
Note that the letters used in placeholders convey a specific meaning, see examples below:
%d, %ld, %u, and %lu means <number>
%c means <letter>
%s means <string>
Examples of error messages containing placeholders:

"Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" means "Checking Web <number> of <number>".
"INI file "%1!-.200s!" section" means "INI file "<string>" section".
In the English source string, placeholders are found in the position where they would naturally occur in that
language. Since in English numerals typically precede the noun, the numeral placeholders typically precede the
noun in the source strings. If the numeral follows the noun it modifies in Irish, you have to move the placeholder
after the noun. See the examples from Yoruba below
English examples Yoruba examples
in %d days n wn j %d
%d minutes s j %d
The letters and symbols used in placeholder text convey a specific meaning. Please refer to the following table for
examples of placeholder text and corresponding error message text that users will see.
Placeholder text Error message text that users will see
%d, %ld, %u, and %lu Number (such as 3 or 512)
%c Letter (such as f or s)
%s String (such as Click here to continue.)
Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d! Checking Web <number> of <number>
INI file "%1!-.200s!" section INI file "<string>" section
If your language has agreement between adjectives and nouns, and the noun is a placeholder, it can be important
to know what exact string will be in the placeholder, so that a preceding adjective can be inflected accordingly.
The wording of most source strings has already been adjusted to avoid such localization issues and a syntactic
construction has been chosen in which a placeholder is not modified by an adjective. However, be mindful of such
issues when localizing software. In some languages there is also agreement between a noun subject and the
verb. If your language has syntactic agreement, try to reword the translation to avoid a potentially ungrammatical
sentence.
English example Message User will see Irish example
Replace invalid %s? Replace invalid data? (+) Ionadaigh %s neamhbhail?
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English example Message User will see Irish example
Replace invalid file?
%s already exists File already exists (+) Is ann don %s cheana.

Name already exists
%s is now set as your personal Regina is now set as your (+) T %s socraithe anois mar do
contact. personal contact theagmhla pearsanta.
Mr. Kim is now set as your
personal contact
%s stopped working and was closed The application stopped working (+) Stop an %s ag obair agus
and was closed dnadh .
The program stopped working
and was closed
Syntactic Ordering
In error messages, describe the action the user is supposed to take before the purpose of the action. Phrases like
To skip creating your startup disk, click Cancel should be rephrased as Click Cancel to skip creating your
startup disk. Avoid personified inanimate subjects and try to replace active constructions with passive ones
where possible. However, use of the passive in simple commands sounds very formal in Irish and should be
avoided.
Since personified subjects may be followed by a pronoun which in Irish must be masculine or feminine, it is
preferable to avoid such instances by rephrasing the sentence.
Setup encountered an error while (+) Thngthas ar earrid agus an Avoid personified subjects if the
creating your startup disk. diosca tosaithe chruth ag context allows for omission (e.g.
Setup cannot find the remote Suiteil. Setup encountered/Setup cannot ...
computer. N fidir le Suiteil an in Setup error messages).
cianromhaire a aimsi. Rephrase and change the word
Setup cannot get disk information.
order. In many cases, a passive
N fidir le Suiteil faisnis diosca a
construction may be possible.
fhil.
Remove any existing settings to (+) Bog aon socruithe at ann Generally, describe the action
free space. cheana chun sps a shaoradh. before the purpose instead of the
other way around.
Attempt to remove current (+) Dan iarracht an chomhadlann Only use passive constructions
directory. reatha a bhaint. where deemed necessary, as they
sound excessively formal in Irish.
To skip creating your startup disk, (+) Cliceil ar Cealaigh chun Bring the action required to the
click Cancel. cruth an diosca tosaithe a front of the sentence.
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scipeil.
Verbs
Be consistent in how you translate verbs in error messages. If it is grammatical to omit the predicate be in your
language, you can omit it in error messages, but you should be consistent in your usage across all error
messages. Be concise without changing the meaning of the source string.
Where the predicate be is omitted in English (as in the example below), it is preferable to include it in Irish for the
sake of clarity unless space constrictions apply.
The document is too large. (+) T an doicimad rmhr. Be consistent in your usage of the
Document too large. verb to be
Access was denied. (+) Diltaodh rochtain. In complete sentences, use verbs
Access denied. and the same tense as in the
source string.
The file '%s' is an unknown (+) T formid neamhaithnid Rephrase is with have if
graphics format. grafaice ag an gcomhad '%s'. necessary to produce an
appropriate translation.
The application may attempt to (+) Is fidir go ndanfaidh an may (+) Verb can be rephrased as
convert the graphic. feidhmchlr iarracht an ghrafaic a Verb (+) possibly
thiont.
A problem occurred while trying to (+) Thngthas ar fhadhb le linn Shorten and rephrase if necessary
connect to the network share nascadh leis an gcomhacmhainn to A problem occurred while
'%1!s!'. '%1!s!'. connecting to the network share
'%1!s!'
The following error occurred: (+) Earrid: '%1!s!' (earrid Shorten this construction where
'%1!s!' (error #%2!lx!) #%2!lx!) possible, e.g. Error: '%1!s!' (error
#%2!lx!).
An unknown error has occurred./ (+) Earrid neamhaithnid. / (+) Gan Shorten this construction where
No error occurred. earrid ar bith. possible, e.g. Unknown error. / No
error
Keys
The keyboard is the primary input device used for text input in Microsoft Windows. For accessibility and efficiency,
most actions can be performed using the keyboard as well. While working with Microsoft software, you use keys,
key combinations and key sequences.
76
In English, References to key names, like arrow keys, function keys and numeric keys, appear in normal text (not
in small caps). This formatting should be followed in Irish. Refer to key names as they appear on the keyboard, for
example HOME, INSERT, DELETE. Note the following key names:
DOWN ARROW SAIGHEAD SOS
LEFT ARROW AR CHL
RIGHT ARROW AR DHEIS
SPACEBAR SPSBHARRA
UP ARROW SAIGHEAD SUAS
Access Keys/Hot keys
Sometimes, there are underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands or dialog boxes. These letters
refer to access keys (also known as hot keys) that allow you to run commands, perform tasks, etc. more quickly.
Hot Key Special Options Usage: Is It Allowed? Notes

Slim characters, such as i, l, t, r, f Yes This is the normal practice in Irish.
can be used as hot key
Example: Option
Characters with downstrokes, such Yes Only g, j and p are applicable in
as g, j, y, p and q can be used as Irish and it is better to avoid using
hotkeys them as hotkeys.
Note that it can be difficult to see the

hotkey underline for these characters
77
Hot Key Special Options Usage: Is It Allowed? Notes
Example: Option
Extended characters can be used as No This option cannot be employed in
hotkeys Irish because we use a length
Example: Optin accent (sneadh fada) on vowels.
An additional letter, appearing No This practice is not known in Irish.
(between brackets or not) after item
name, can be used as hotkeys
Example: Option w / Option (w)
A number, appearing (between Yes
brackets or not) after item name, can
be used as hotkey
Example: Option 3 / Option (3)
A punctuation sign, appearing No This practice is not known in Irish.

(between brackets or not) after item
name, can be used as hotkey
Example: Option > / Option (>)
Duplicate hotkeys are allowed when No

no other character is available
No hotkey is assigned when no more No

characters are available (minor
options only)
Additional notes: Generally speaking, any character which does not have a downstroke may be used, as long as
the same letter is not used twice in the same menu. Small letters should be given first preference as capitals will
entail an extra keystroke.
Arrow Keys
The arrow keys move input focus among the controls within a group. Pressing the right arrow key moves input
focus to the next control in tab order, whereas pressing the left arrow moves input focus to the previous control.
Home, End, Up, and Down also have their expected behavior within a group. Users can't navigate out of a control
group using arrow keys.
Numeric Keypad
It is recommended that you avoid distinguishing numeric keypad keys from the other keys, unless it is required by
a given application. In case which keys to be pressed is not obvious, provide necessary explanations.
78
Shortcut Keys
Shortcut keys are keystrokes or combinations of keystrokes used to perform defined functions in a software
application. Shortcut keys replace menu commands and they are sometimes given next to the command they
represent. In opposition to the access keys, which can be used only when available on the screen, shortcut keys
can be used even when they are not accessible on the screen.
Standard Shortcut Keys
US US English Irish Irish

Command Shortcut Key Command Shortcut key
General Windows Shortcut keys
Help window F1 Cabhair F1
Context-sensitive Shift+F1 Cabhair chomhthacs-ogair Shift+F1

Help
Display pop-up menu Shift+F10 Taispein roghchlr anos Shift+F10
Cancel Esc Cealaigh Esc
Activate\Deactivate F10 Gnomhachtaigh/Dghnomhachtaigh F10

menu bar mode md an bharra roghchlir
Switch to the next Alt+Tab Malartaigh chuig an gcad Alt+Tab

primary application fheidhmchlr phromhil eile
Display next window Alt+Esc Taispein an chad fhuinneog eile Alt+Esc
Display pop-up menu Alt+Spacebar Taispein roghchlr anuas don Alt+Spacebar

for the window fhuinneog
Display pop-up menu Alt+- Taispein roghchlr anuas don Alt+-

for the active child mhacfhuinneog ghnomhach
window
Display property sheet Alt+Enter Taispein leathanach aironna don Alt+Enter

for current selection roghn reatha
Close active Alt+F4 Dn fuinneog an fheidhmchlir Alt+F4

application window ghnomhaigh
Switch to next window Alt+F6 Malartaigh chuig an chad Alt+F6

within (modeless- fhuinneog eile laistigh den
compliant) application fheidhmchlr (gan md-oirinach)
Capture active Alt+Prnt Scrn Gabh an fhuinneog ghnomhach Alt+Prnt Scrn

window image to the chuig an nGearrthaisce
Clipboard
79
Capture desktop Prnt Scrn Gabh omh den Deasc chuig an Prnt Scrn
image to the nGearrthaisce
Clipboard
Access Start button in Ctrl+Esc Rochtain ar an gcnaipe Tosaigh sa Ctrl+Esc

taskbar tascbharra
Display next child Ctrl+F6 Taispein an chad macfhuinneog Ctrl+F6

window eile
Display next tabbed Ctrl+Tab Taispein an chad phna tbilte Ctrl+Tab

pane eile
Launch Task Manager Ctrl+Shift+Esc Lainseil an Bainisteoir Tascanna Ctrl+Shift+Esc

and system agus ts an chrais
initialization
File Menu
File New Ctrl+N Comhad Nua Ctrl+N
File Open Ctrl+O Comhad Oscail Ctrl+O
File Close Ctrl+F4 Comhad Dn Ctrl+F4
File Save Ctrl+S Comhad Sbhil Ctrl+S
File Save as F12 Comhad Sbhil mar F12
File Print Preview Ctrl+F2 Comhad Amharc roimh phriontil Ctrl+F2
File Print Ctrl+P Comhad Priontil Ctrl+P
File Exit Alt+F4 Comhad Scoir Alt+F4
Edit Menu
Edit Undo Ctrl+Z Cuir in eagar Cealaigh Ctrl+Z
Edit Repeat Ctrl+Y Cuir in eagar Athdhan Ctrl+Y
Edit Cut Ctrl+X Cuir in eagar Gearr Ctrl+X
Edit Copy Ctrl+C Cuir in eagar Cipeil Ctrl+C
Edit Paste Ctrl+V Cuir in eagar Greamaigh Ctrl+V
Edit Delete Ctrl+Backspace Cuir in eagar Scrios Ctrl+Backspace
Edit Select All Ctrl+A Cuir in eagar Roghnaigh gach Ctrl+A
80
Edit Find Ctrl+F Cuir in eagar Aimsigh Ctrl+F
Edit Replace Ctrl+H Cuir in eagar Athchuir Ctrl+H
Edit Go To Ctrl+B Cuir in eagar Tigh go Ctrl+B
Help Menu
Help F1 Cabhair F1
Font Format
Italic Ctrl+I Cl Iodlach Ctrl+I
Bold Ctrl+G Cl trom Ctrl+G
Underlined\Word Ctrl+U Lne faoi/Lne faoi fhocal Ctrl+U

underline
Large caps Ctrl+Shift+A Ceannlitreacha mra Ctrl+Shift+A
Small caps Ctrl+Shift+K Ceannlitreacha beaga Ctrl+Shift+K
Paragraph Format
Centered Ctrl+E Lraigh Ctrl+E
Left aligned Ctrl+L Ailnigh an tacs ar chl Ctrl+L
Right aligned Ctrl+R Ailnigh an tacs ar dheis Ctrl+R
Justified Ctrl+J Comhfhadaigh Ctrl+J
Document Translation Considerations

Document localization may require some specific considerations that are different from software localization. This
section covers a few of these areas.
Titles
In English the titles for chapters usually begin with "How to " or with phrases such as "Working with " or
"Using ". Titles should convey as much information as possible about the ensuing text to help readers locate
information quickly. If in English the heading begins with a gerund, try to use a nominalized form in Irish.
Sending a file (+) Comhad a sheoladh
81
Using Styles (+) Stleanna a sid
Switching users (+) sideoir a mhalart
Printing documents (+) Doicimid a phrontil
Connecting to the Internet (+) Nascadh leis an Idirlon
Copyright
Copyright protection is granted to any original work of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression from
which it can be perceived, reproduced, or communicated.
The following translations must be used:
English text Irish translation
Copyright (+) Cipcheart
All rights reserved (+) Gach ceart ar cosaint.
Microsoft Corporation (+) Microsoft Corporation
82

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Language Specific Conventions ...................................................................................................... 9

Localization Guidelines .................................................................................................................. 50

http://www.irish.ie/Tearmai_&_Aistruchain/Treoirlinte.asp - An Dracht-lmhleabhar faoi fhorbairt agus

Scope of This Document

Style Guide Conventions

Recommended Reference Material

Extended Latin characters , , , , , , , , ,

Total number of characters 54

First Day of the Week Monday

First Week of the Year Ist January

Default Short Date

Default Long Date Format dd/mm/yyyy

Additional Short Date

Additional Short Date

Additional Long Date

Additional Long Date

Example 17 March, 2011

Leading Zero in Day Field

Leading Zero in Month

No. of digits for year for

Leading Zero in Day Field

Leading Zero in Month

Number of digits for year

Date Format for

Example 17/03/11, 17/03/2011, 17-03-11, 17-03-2011, 17 March, 2011

Format with slashes or Long Date Format 2 is commonly used on official

24 hour format Yes

Standard time format HH:mm:ss

Standard time format

Time separator Colon [:]

Time separator examples 03:24:12

Hours leading zero Yes

Hours leading zero example 03:24:12

String for AM designator n/a

String for PM designator n/a

Use 24-hour format for times, change from AM/PM if necessary to

Day Normal Form Abbreviation

Monday Luan Luan

Tuesday Mirt Mirt

Wednesday Cadaoin Cad.

Thursday Dardaoin Dar.

Friday Aoine Aoine

Saturday Satharn Sath.

Sunday Domhnach Domh.

First Day of Week: Luan

Month Full Form Abbreviated Form Long Date Form

January Eanir Ean. Eanir

February Feabhra Feabh. Feabhra

March Mrta Mr. Mrta

April Aibren Aib. Aibren

May Bealtaine Beal. Bealtaine

June Meitheamh Meith. Meitheamh

July Iil Iil Iil

August Lnasa Ln. Lnasa

September Men Fmhair M.F. Men Fmhair

October Deireadh Fmhair D.F. Deireadh Fmhair

November Samhain Samh. Samhain

December Nollaig Noll. Nollaig

Is first letter capitalized?: Yes

English example Irish equivalent

Ireland +353 Yes 2; 3; 4 Space 8; 9; 10 (##) ### ####;

Country/ Number of Digit Number of Digit Number of Digit

Ireland 6; 7 ### #### 10 (###) ### 10; 11; 12 +353 # ###