Question about Foreign Languages and Programming Lanuages

L337Llama

Senior member
Mar 30, 2003
358
0
0
I'm slightly curious about how programming works in non-English speaking countries. Java, C++, Python, etc all have syntax in English. I am wondering if there are foreign language versions for those languages, like where all the syntax is translated into Chinese, etc, or if it still in English.

Just something I've been wondering... Thank you.
 

drebo

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2006
7,034
1
81
I'm sure there are localized versions of compilers in just about every language. There are probably localized versions of common libraries available as well in just about every language.
 

presidentender

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2008
1,166
0
76
When I first started to learn to program, the first Pascal compiler I got had a Portuguese compiler as well as an English one.
 

xtknight

Elite Member
Oct 15, 2004
12,974
0
71
Originally posted by: drebo
I'm sure there are localized versions of compilers in just about every language. There are probably localized versions of common libraries available as well in just about every language.

Well I've never seen a g++ Chinese version. Have you? I'm really curious about this.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
Moderator
Sep 16, 2005
15,682
14
81
www.markbetz.net
Localization in the .NET world usually applies to resources. I've never heard of localized syntax, but then I haven't really looked.
 

L337Llama

Senior member
Mar 30, 2003
358
0
0
I assumed IDE's, documentation, and programs that go into helping write programs and stuff like that would be localized. I wonder if it would be problematic to basically have the syntax localized and everything be a 1:1 translation, and when the source files are being compiled, the compiler could look at it, and translate back to English, and then compile normally.

If it was done, then it adds a lot to keep up to date for whoever determines versions of languages.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
Moderator
Sep 16, 2005
15,682
14
81
www.markbetz.net
They probably never felt it was worth the trouble to put a whole framework into place for translating 'if' and 'for' etc., into other languages.
 

recoil80

Member
Jan 16, 2009
178
0
0
I'm italian and I've never seen an italian programming language. The only translation I noticed is in Excel, i.e. the "IF" sentence is translated and something else as well.
I don't want C, Java and the other languages translated, it would look weird.
The only problem I notice is about keyboard layout. For example the {} brackets, ~ we don't have it in our keyboards. We have to type ALT + 126 or ALTgr+SHIFT+ [ and so on... I always code with the english layout, it's too unconfortable to use the italian one.
Actually I always use english language for operating systems and applications. Sometimes the translation is not so good, even for technical documentation.
 

otherwise

Member
Nov 20, 2005
52
0
0
Originally posted by: L337Llama
I wonder if it would be problematic to basically have the syntax localized and everything be a 1:1 translation, and when the source files are being compiled, the compiler could look at it, and translate back to English, and then compile normally.

It's really a lot of work for not much return. Really it's best just to think of keywords like "if" the same way as keywords like "{", it just happens that they have extra meaning if you know english.

You also go into issues like "if" "then" "else" don't necessary translate well across language families in a way that corresponds to how they're used programatically.