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# Translating Equations

These are not equations in the mathematical sense but here we refer to items in the translation that have an equals sign.

English | Form contains enctype=%S, but does not contain method=post. Submitting normally with method=GET and no enctype instead.
Afrikaans | Vorm bevat enctype=%S, maar bevat nie method=post nie. Dien soos gewoonlik in met method=GET en sonder enctype in plaas daarvan.

Usually these equations refer to real values that appear in a programs configuration file or they refer to items that would appear in the header of some protocol or email message. Therefor in the example above neither method=, enctype=. POST nor GET would be translated.

Lets say that again. The computer will understand method=POST but will know nothing about your translation “metode=POS”. Also a user trying to get to the bottom of an email problem or to find a value in a configuration file will find method=POST they will not find “metode=POS”.

However, it may be acceptable to offer a translation of the values to a user in brackets if you believe this will add clarity.

## When should I translate the right hand side of an equation?

This will be on a case by case basis. In the example above you would not translate the right hand side (RHS) as it is a variable value. However if the following was presented.

    Description=A program for highlighting widgets

then you would translate the RHS as is is clearly language specific text. You would not translate the LHS no matter how tempting.

## KDE .desktop files

Another special case of translating the RHS are the translation of KDE .desktop files. These contain only equation like entries. They all start with “Word=” where word is usually one of “Name, Description,Keyword, etc”. As above do not translate the LHS but do translate the RHS.