Latvian Style Guide
Contents
What's New? .................................................................................................................................... 4
New Topics ................................................................................................................................... 4
Updated Topics ............................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 5
About This Style Guide ................................................................................................................ 5
Scope of This Document .............................................................................................................. 5
Style Guide Conventions .............................................................................................................. 5
Sample Text ................................................................................................................................. 6
Recommended Reference Material ............................................................................................. 8
Normative References .............................................................................................................. 8
Informative References ............................................................................................................. 8
Language Specific Conventions ...................................................................................................... 9
Country/Region Standards ........................................................................................................... 9
Characters ................................................................................................................................ 9
Date ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Time ........................................................................................................................................ 11
Numbers ................................................................................................................................. 13
Sorting ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Geopolitical Concerns ................................................................................................................ 20
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions ......................................................................... 21
Adjectives ................................................................................................................................ 21
Articles .................................................................................................................................... 22
Capitalization .......................................................................................................................... 23
Compounds............................................................................................................................. 24
Gender .................................................................................................................................... 24
Genitive ................................................................................................................................... 25
Modifiers ................................................................................................................................. 25
Nouns ...................................................................................................................................... 25
Prepositions ............................................................................................................................ 27
Pronouns ................................................................................................................................. 27
Punctuation ............................................................................................................................. 28
Singular & Plural ..................................................................................................................... 31
Split Infinitive ........................................................................................................................... 31
Subjunctive ............................................................................................................................. 32
Symbols & Non-Breaking Spaces........................................................................................... 32
Syntax ..................................................................................................................................... 32
Verbs ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Grammatical form consistency ............................................................................................... 34
Word Order ............................................................................................................................. 34
Style and Tone Considerations .................................................................................................. 35
Audience ................................................................................................................................. 35
Style ........................................................................................................................................ 35
Tone ........................................................................................................................................ 36
Voice ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Localization Guidelines .................................................................................................................. 37
General Considerations ............................................................................................................. 37
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... 37
Accessibility ............................................................................................................................ 39
Acronyms ................................................................................................................................ 39
Applications, Products, and Features ..................................................................................... 40
Frequent Errors ....................................................................................................................... 40
Glossaries ............................................................................................................................... 41
Recurring Patterns .................................................................................................................. 41
Standardized Translations ...................................................................................................... 42
Unlocalized Items.................................................................................................................... 42
Using the Word Microsoft ....................................................................................................... 43
Software Considerations ............................................................................................................ 44
User Interface ......................................................................................................................... 44
Messages ................................................................................................................................ 45
Dialog Boxes ........................................................................................................................... 50
Keys ........................................................................................................................................ 53
Document Translation Considerations ....................................................................................... 59
Titles ....................................................................................................................................... 59
Copyright ................................................................................................................................. 61
What's New?
Last Updated: February 2011
New Topics
The following topics were added:

Grammatical form consistency
Updated Topics
The overall Style Guide content was fully updated in February 2011 as part of major Style Guide update project
performed for all languages.
4
Introduction
This Style Guide went through major revision in February 2011 in order to remove outdated and unnecessary
content. These topics are considered to be "Core & Common" – pertaining to all Microsoft products and services.
About This Style Guide
The purpose of this Style Guide is to provide everybody involved in the localization of Latvian 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 and grammatical conventions. 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 Latvian 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.
5
Sample Text
Plašākas iesūtnes iespējas programmā Outlook 2007
Lietojiet programmu Outlook, lai ziľojumus pārvērstu vienumos, kurus varat pārvaldīt.
Kad lasāt e-pasta ziľojumu, ar to bieţi ir jāveic noteiktas darbības. Darbības var būt tiešas, piemēram, atbilde uz
ziľojumu, vai netiešas, piemēram, tikšanās ieplānošana.
Lai likvidētu jucekli iesūtnē, lasīšanas laikā domājiet par ziľojuma saturu un apsveriet, vai ar ziľojumu ir jāveic
kādas darbības. Vai ir jāatbild uz ziľojumu tūlīt pat? Vai to varat izdarīt vēlāk? Vai ziľojums ir jāatzīmē ar
karodziľu, lai to varētu izsekot vai izveidot uzdevumu? Lietojiet programmu Outlook, lai veiktu nepieciešamās
darbības īstajā laikā.
Pat tad, ja uz e-pasta ziľojumu nav jāsniedz tūlītēja atbilde, ziľojumā iekļauto informāciju var izmantot šādi:

Saglabāt kontaktpersonu informāciju

Izveidot uzdevumu

Ieplānot tikšanos
Katru darbību varat sākt, vienkārši velkot ziľojumu uz atbilstošo navigācijas rūts pogu. Kaut arī šī funkcija nav
jauna programmā Outlook 2007, tas ir parocīgs veids, kā programmā Outlook pieejamos ziľojumus izmantot
ārpus e-pasta programmas.
Ievērojiet, ka velkot tiek izveidots jauns vienums un ziľojums nepazūd no iesūtnes. Ja ziľojums jums vairs nav
vajadzīgs, varat to izdzēst, ja vēlaties.
Uzdevuma izveide
Daţkārt ziľojumā ir informācija par kādu uzdevumu, kas jums jāveic. Piemēram, šajā attēlā ir redzams, ka Pētera
Priedīša iesūtnē saľemtais Jāľa Bērziľa ziľojums atgādina Pēterim par veicamo reklāmas kampaľa saistībā ar
biroja mēbeļu sēriju, ko viľa uzľēmums nesen ieviesa.
Pēteris var vilkt e-pasta iesūtnē esošo ziľojumu uz navigācijas rūts pogu Uzdevumi, lai ātri izveidotu jaunu
uzdevumu. Viľš var mainīt uzdevuma tēmu pret tādu, kas vairāk atbilst uzdevuma būtībai un pēc tam saglabāt
uzdevumu. Uzdevums tiek pievienots Pētera uzdevumu sarakstam.
Kontaktpersonas izveide
Ja uzskatāt, ka kontaktpersonas ziľojums ir jāuzglabā, lai tās e-pasta adrese būtu viegli pieejama, varam ieteikt
labāku ideju. Kāpēc neizveidot ierakstu mapē Kontaktpersonas?
Kā parādīts iepriekšējā attēlā, ziľojumu var vilkt uz pogu Kontaktpersonas, lai sāktu kontaktpersonas ierakstu.
Kad velkat ziľojumu uz pogu Kontaktpersonas, tiek parādīta jauna kontaktpersonas veidlapa, kur tiek automātiski
pievienota ziľojumā iekļautā e-pasta adrese.
Pēc tam varat pievienot citus datus, piemēram, adresi Akas iela 59, dzīv. 7, Rīga, LV-1011, Latvija, tālruľa
numuru +371 26000000 un citu informāciju. Nākamreiz, kad būs nepieciešama informācija par šo kontaktpersonu,
jūs zināsit, kur to atrast – sadaļā Kontaktpersonas.
6
Ja kontaktpersonas dati tiek uzglabāti mapē Kontaktpersonas, to var viegli atrast, pievienot izplatīšanas
sarakstam vai izmantot pasta sapludināšanai. Lai vienmēr redzētu kontaktpersonas seju un vārdu, varat saglabāt
arī tās attēlu. Programmā Outlook 2007 ir ieviestas arī jaunas elektroniskās vizītkartes, kuras varat lietot, lai ātri
un viegli koplietotu kontaktpersonu informāciju. Lai iegūtu plašāku informāciju, skatiet ātrās uzziľas karti šī kursa
beigās.
Avots: http://office.microsoft.com
Izveidots: 2011. gada 5. februārī
7
Recommended Reference Material
Use the Latvian 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. Angļu-latviešu-krievu informātikas vārdnīca – Rīga: Avots, 2001.
2. Blinkena A. Latviešu interpunkcija – Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2009.
3. Ceplīte B., Ceplītis L. Latviešu valodas praktiskā gramatika – Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1997.
4. Ceplītis L., A. Miķelsone A., Porīte T., S. Raģe S. (ed.) Latviešu valodas pareizrakstības un pareizrunas
vārdnīca – Rīga: Avots, 1995.
5. Guļevska D., Miķelsone A., Porīte T. Pareizrakstības un pareizrunas rokasgrāmata – Rīga: Avots, 2002.
6. Kalniņa Dz. (ed.) Angļu-latviešu, latviešu-angļu vārdnīca – Rīga: Avots, 2003.
7. Latviešu valodas vārdnīca – Rīga: Avots, 1998.
8. Veisbergs A. (ed.) Jaunā latviešu-angļu vārdnīca – Rīga: SIA "EKLV", 2003.
9. AkadTerm, Academic Term Database: http://termini.lza.lv/term.php – terms accepted by the Latvian
Terminology Committee
Informative References
These sources are meant to provide supplementary information, background, comparison, etc.
1. Baldunčiks J. (ed.) Svešvārdu vārdnīca – Rīga; Jumava, 1999.
2. Bankavs A. Saīsinājumu vārdnīca – Rīga: Avots, 2003.
3. Koluža R. Tā vai šitā? Latviešu valodas rokasgrāmata – Lielvārde: Lielvārds, 2003.
4. Liepiņa Ē. Sareţģītākie pieturzīmju lietošanas gadījumi – Lielvārde: Lielvārds, 2003.
5. Microsoft Computer Dictionary – Microsoft Press, 2002.
6. Skujiņa V. Latviešu valoda lietišķajos rakstos – Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1999.
7. http://www.tezaurs.lv/sv/ – Latvian explanatory dictionary
8. http://www.eurotermbank.com/ – multilanguage terminology database EuroTermBank
9. http://termini.letonika.lv – terminology database Letonika
8
Language Specific Conventions
This part of the style guide contains information about standards specific to Latvian.
Country/Region Standards
Characters
Country/region
Latvia
Lower-case characters
a, ā, b, c, č, d, e, ē, f, g, ģ, h, i, ī, j, k, ķ, l, ļ, m, n, ľ, o, p, r, s, š, t, u, ū, v, z, ţ
Upper-case characters
A, Ā, B, C, Č, D, E, Ē, F, G, Ģ, H, I, Ī, J, K, Ķ, L, Ļ, M, N, Ľ, O, P, R, S, Š , T, U,
Ū, V, Z, Ţ
Characters in caseless
scripts
n/a
Extended Latin characters
ā, Ā, č, Č, ē, Ē, ģ, Ģ, ī, Ī, ķ, Ķ, ļ, Ļ, ľ, Ľ, ō, Ō, ŗ, Ŗ, š, Š, ū, Ū, ţ, Ţ
Note on alphabetical order
Alphabetical order is not necessarily indicative of sorting order.
Total number of characters
33
Unicode codes
A=U+0041, a=U+0061, Ā=U+0100, ā=U+0101, B=U+0042, b=U+0062,
C=U+0043, c=U+0063, Č=U+010C, č=U+010D, D=U+0044, d=U+0064,
E=U+0045, e=U+0065, Ē=U+0112, ē=U+0113, F=U+0046, f=U+0066,
G=U+0047, g=U+0067, Ģ=U+0122, ģ=U+0123, H=U+0048, h=U+0068,
I=U+0049, i=U+0069, Ī=U+012A, ī=U+012B, J=U+004A, j=U+006A, K=U+004B,
k=U+006B, Ķ=U+0136, ķ=U+0137, L=U+004C, l=U+006C, Ļ=U+013B,
ļ=U+013C, M=U+004D, m=U+006D, N=U+004E, n=U+006E, Ľ=U+0145,
ľ=U+0146, O=U+004F, o=U+006F, P=U+0050, p=U+0070, R=U+0052,
r=U+0072, S=U+0053, s=U+0073, Š=U+0160, š=U+0161, T=U+0054,
t=U+0074, U=U+0055, u=U+0075, Ū=U+016A, ū=U+016B, V=U+0056,
v=U+0076, Z=U+005A, z=U+007A, Ţ=U+017D, ţ=U+017E
Notes
The official (from year 1946) alphabet contains 33 letters. Use of characters y, ō,
ŗ is very rare and indicates the use of outdated orthography or rendering of a
Latvian dialect.
In Latvian, the extended characters are often used in phonetic spelling of nonLatvian names (geographical, persons' names, etc).
E.g. English: John; Latvian: Dţons
9
Date
Country/region
Latvia
Calendar/Era
Gregorian
First Day of the Week
Monday
First Week of the Year
First week containing at least 4 days is the first week of that year.
Separator
full-stop (.)
Default Short Date
Format
dd.MM.yyyy.
Example
17.03.2011.
Default Long Date Format yyyy. gada d. MMMM
Example
2011. gada 17. marts
Additional Short Date
Format 1
yyyy.MM.dd.
Example
2011.03.17.
Additional Short Date
Format 2
n/a
Example
n/a
Additional Long Date
Format 1
yyyy. gada d. MMMM (in the locative case)
Example
2011. gada 17. martā
Additional Long Date
Format 2
n/a
Example
n/a
Leading Zero in Day Field
for Short Date Format
yes
Leading Zero in Month
Field for Short Date
Format
yes
No. of digits for year for
Short Day Format
4
Leading Zero in Day Field
no
10
Country/region
Latvia
for Long Date Format
Leading Zero in Month
Field for Long Date
Format
n/a, since the name of the month is spelled out
Number of digits for year
for Long Day Format
4
Date Format for
Correspondence
yyyy. gada d. MMMM (in the locative case)
Example
2011. gada 17. martā
Notes

The name of the month is always spelled out in the long date format.

The name of the month in the long date format can be used in the
nominative case, or in the locative case. The latter is the preferred format for
correspondence.
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
Codes
M is for month, number of M's gives number of digits. (M = digits without leading
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
Country/region
Latvia
24 hour format
yes
Standard time format
HH:mm:ss
Standard time format
example
03:24:12
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
11
Country/region
Latvia
String for PM designator
n/a
Notes
Hours leading zero is not used in short formats
Days
Country/region: Latvia
Day
Full name
Short name 1
Short name 2
Monday
pirmdiena
P
Pr
Tuesday
otrdiena
O
Ot
Wednesday
trešdiena
T
Tr
Thursday
ceturtdiena
C
Ce
Friday
piektdiena
Pk
Pk
Saturday
sestdiena
S
Se
Sunday
svētdiena
Sv
Sv
First Day of Week: Monday
Is first letter capitalized?: No
Notes: n/a
Months
Country/region: Latvia
Month
Full Form
Short Form 1
Short Form 2
January
Long Date Form
janvāris
jan
I
janvārī
February
februāris
feb
II
februārī
March
marts
mar
III
martā
April
aprīlis
apr
IV
aprīlī
May
maijs
mai
V
maijā
June
jūnijs
jūn
VI
jūnijā
12
Month
Full Form
Short Form 1
Short Form 2
July
jūlijs
August
Long Date Form
jūl
VII
jūlijā
augusts
aug
VIII
augustā
September
septembris
sep
IX
septembrī
October
oktobris
okt
X
oktobrī
November
novembris
nov
XI
novembrī
December
decembris
dec
XII
decembrī
Is first letter capitalized?: No
Notes:

In the full form, the names of the months are provided in the nominative case. In the long date format,
they are provided in the locative case, which is most often used in correspondence. The words can take
several other case endings in Latvian.

Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII) can also be used as abbreviations of the
months names instead of the ones shown above.
Numbers
In Latvia, Arabic numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are usually used for writing numbers. Sometimes Roman
numerals are used for writing months, text sections and other numbers.
Numbers consisting of many digits are divided into groups containing three digits each, which are separated with
spaces. The spaces between groups might not be larger than the space taken up by a single digit. Longer
numbers are separated neither with periods nor commas. Decimal value is separated from the integer number
with a comma. Fractional parts are not separated by spaces. Four-digit numbers and numbers representing
years, page numbers, etc., are also kept together.
Ordinal numbers are followed by a period. The ordinal number precedes the noun related to it. Example:
1. kategorija
Phone Numbers
Country/
region
International
Dialing
Code
Area
Codes
Used?
Number of
Digits – Area
Codes
Separator
Number of
Digits –
Domestic
Digit
Groupings –
Domestic
Latvia
371
yes
2
none, or
space
7
#######
## #####
13
Country/
region
Number of
Digits –
Local
Digit
Groupings
– Local
Number of
Digits – Mobile
Digit
Groupings –
Mobile
Number of
Digits –
International
Digit
Groupings –
International
Latvia
5 (never
used without
area code)
#####
8
########
13
+371 ## ######
(+ sign is
counted as 2
digits 00)
+371 ########
Notes:

All groupings are optional except the international prefix.

Local number is never used without area code.
Addresses
Country/region: Latvia
Disclaimer: Please note that the information in this entry should under no circumstances be used in examples as
fictitious information.
Address Format:
1. [Title] FirstName LastName [Honorific]
2. [CompanyName]
3. Address1
4. [Address2]
5. City
6. PostalCode
6. [Country]
Example Address::
Jānim Lejiľa kungam
Katlapu ielā 3-2
Jelgava
LV-3001
Latvija
Example guide:
Jānim [=FirstName, in Dative case] Lejiľa [=LastName,
in Genitive case] kungam [=Honorific/Title]
Katlapu ielā 3-2 [=StreetName]
Jelgava [=City]
LV-3001 [=PostalCode]
Latvija [=Country]
Local Postal Code Format: ZZ-xxxx
ZZ is replaced by the state code (ISO short abbreviation) and xxxx represent a four-digit code.
Notes:

Traditionally, first name and last name are written in the dative case, as in the example above.
14

The first name and last name in dative may be preceded by introductory word or phrase which is usually
shortened (e.g., Cienītajam, Cienītajai (Cien.), Ļoti cienītajam, Ļoti cienītajai (Ļ.cien.)). In that case, an
honorific is not used after the name.

It is also possible to write both first name and last name in nominative. In this case, name cannot be
followed by an honorific.

If the name is followed by an honorific, the last name is used in the genitive case.

The first and second lines can appear in reverse order, i.e., company name on the first line and person's
name on the second line.

"State/province" do not exist and are not used in addresses.
Currency
Country/region
Latvia
Currency Name
lats
Currency Symbol
Ls
Currency Symbol Position
There is no specific currency symbol as for dollars ($) and pounds (₤).
The abbreviation Ls comes first, followed by a space and then the
currency amount.
Positive Currency Format
Ls 123,45
Negative Sign Symbol
- (minus sign)
Negative Currency Format
-Ls 123,45
Decimal Symbol
, (comma)
Number of Digits after Decimal
2
Digit Grouping Symbol
space
Number of Digits in Digit
Grouping
3
Positive Currency Example
Ls 234 567 890,00
Negative Currency Example
-Ls 234 567 890,00
ISO Currency Code
LVL
Currency Subunit Name
santīms
Currency Subunit Symbol
n/a, abbreviation ―sant.‖ is used
Currency Subunit Example
n/a
15
Notes:
Note that "lats" is the singular form, e.g., 1 lats. The plural is "lati", e.g., 2 lati.
Note that "santīms" is the singular form, e.g., 1 santīms. The plural is "santīmi", e.g., 2 santīmi.
For negative values, the minus sign is represented by a hyphen and is placed directly in front of the currency
designator (Ls symbol).
Digit Groups
Country/region: Latvia
Decimal Separator: ,
Decimal Separator Description: comma
Decimal Separator Example: Ls 123,45, 1,2 MB, 9,5%
Thousand Separator: space
Thousand Separator Description: non-breaking space
Thousand Separator Example: 126 345,58
Notes:

A non-breaking space should be used between every three digits group plus the symbol.

Four-digit numbers are not grouped, e.g. 1234 (not 1 234). Numbers consisting of five or more digits are
split into groups of three from the right using non-breaking space.

Thousand separator is not used in numbers like postal codes, social security numbers, telephone
numbers etc.
Measurement Units
Metric System Commonly Used?: Yes
Temperature: Celsius
Category
English
Translation
Abbreviation
Linear Measure
Kilometer
kilometrs
km
Meter
metrs
m
Decimeter
decimetrs
dm
Centimeter
centimetrs
cm
Millimeter
milimetrs
mm
Hectoliter
hektolitrs
hl
Liter
litrs
l
Capacity
16
Category
Mass
English Units of
Measurement
English
Translation
Abbreviation
Deciliter
decilitrs
dl
Centiliter
centilitrs
cl
Milliliter
mililitrs
ml
Ton
tonna
t
Kilogram
kilograms
kg
Pound
mārciľa
lb
Gram
grams
g
Decigram
decigrams
dg
Centigram
centigrams
cg
Milligram
miligrams
mg
Inch
colla
n/a
Feet
pēda
n/a
Mile
jūdze
n/a
Gallon
galons
n/a
Notes: SI-system units of measurements are used in Latvian documentation.
Percentages
There is no space between number and the % symbol.
Sorting
Alphabet and sorting rules are defined by the national standard ―Latviešu valoda datoriem (LVS 24-93)‖ (Latvian
language support for computers).
Sorting rules
1. The data containing only letters of the Latvian alphabet are sorted according to the Latvian
alphabet from left to right. All letters have equal diacritical weight but the case is ignored. If two
strings differ only by using a capital and the same small letter is one position, the string with the
capital letter is preferred.
2. When sorting data from a character set containing the Latvian letters as a subset,
international sorting rules are used adapting them to the Latvian needs so that the order of
strings containing only the Latvian letters is preserved. In Latvia, the determining international
17
sorting rule for arbitrary character set is the one described in Nordic and Baltic POSIX Locales
and Character Sets — INSTA/IT document, edited by Keld Simonesen, Danish Standards
Association, 1992-09-06 (English language locale for Denmark).
3. The sorting rules allow respecting the Latvian national specifics which are the following:

Different position of the letter group Yy which corresponds to the Latvian alphabet
(between Ii and Īī).

The Latvian letters with caron, macron or cedilla (A-macron, C-caron, E-macron, Gcedilla, I-macron, K-cedilla, L-cedilla, N-cedilla, O-macron, R-cedilla, S-cedilla, Scaron, U-macron and Z-caron) have the same diacritical weight as those without a
diacritical mark.

The capital letters are considered before small letters if strings differ only by the use of
capital and small letters at the same letter position.
In Latvian, the following order of symbols is used:
1) spacing symbols including dash and slash but excluding possible hyphen (used for
line-wrapping);
2) punctuation marks, special symbols and control characters;
3) digits;
4) letters.
Characters of different alphabet types are sorted according to the order as they are included in
ISO/IEC 10646 standard, i.e. Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, Armenian, Hebrew, Arabian, etc.
Letters
A, a, Ā, ā, B, b, C, c, Č, č, D, d, E, e, Ē, ē, F, f, G, g, Ģ, ģ, H, h, I, i, Ī, ī, J, j, K, k, Ķ, ķ, L, l, Ļ, ļ,
M, m, N, n, Ľ, ľ, O, o, P, p, R, r, S, s, Š, š, T, t, U, u, Ū, ū, V, v, Z, z, Ţ, ţ
Unicode codes
Character
sorting order
A=U+0041, a=U+0061, Ā=U+0100, ā=U+0101, B=U+0042, b=U+0062, C=U+0043, c=U+0063,
Č=U+010C, č=U+010D, D=U+0044, d=U+0064, E=U+0045, e=U+0065, Ē=U+0112,
ē=U+0113, F=U+0046, f=U+0066, G=U+0047, g=U+0067, Ģ=U+0122, ģ=U+0123, H=U+0048,
h=U+0068, I=U+0049, i=U+0069, Ī=U+012A, ī=U+012B, J=U+004A, j=U+006A, K=U+004B,
k=U+006B, Ķ=U+0136, ķ=U+0137, L=U+004C, l=U+006C, Ļ=U+013B, ļ=U+013C, M=U+004D,
m=U+006D, N=U+004E, n=U+006E, Ľ=U+0145, ľ=U+0146, O=U+004F, o=U+006F,
P=U+0050, p=U+0070, R=U+0052, r=U+0072, S=U+0053, s=U+0073, Š=U+0160, š=U+0161,
T=U+0054, t=U+0074, U=U+0055, u=U+0075, Ū=U+016A, ū=U+016B, V=U+0056, v=U+0076,
Z=U+005A, z=U+007A, Ţ=U+017D, ţ=U+017E
Decimal codes
A=A, a=a, Ā=Ā, ā=ā, B=B, b=b, C=C, c=c, Č=Č,
č=č, D=D, d=d, E=E, e=e, Ē=Ē, ē=ē, F=F, f=f,
G=G, g=g, Ģ=Ģ, ģ=ģ, H=H, h=h, I=I, i=i, Ī=Ī,
ī=ī, J=J, j=j, K=K, k=k, Ķ=Ķ, ķ=ķ, L=L, l=l,
Ļ=Ļ, ļ=ļ, M=M, m=m, N=N, n=n, Ľ=Ņ, ľ=ņ,
18
O=O, o=o, P=P, p=p, R=R, r=r, S=S, s=s, Š=Š,
š=š, T=T, t=t, U=U, u=u, Ū=Ū, ū=ū, V=V, v=v,
Z=Z, z=z, Ţ=Ž, ţ=ž
@
1
Aaron
andere
ändere
Chaque
Chemin
Cote
coté
côte
côté
Czech
čučēt
hiša
irdisch
lävi
Examples of
sorted words
lie
lire
llama
lõug
Löwen
lòza
Lübeck
luck
luč
lye
Männer
màšta
mîr
möchten
myndig
piña
pint
19
pylon
sämtlich
savoir
Sietla
ślub
subtle
symbol
šàran
Šerbūra
väga
verkehrt
vox
waffle
wood
yen
yuan
yucca
zoo
Zürich
Zviedrija
zysk
zzlj
zzlz
zznj
zznz
ţal
ţena
Ţenēva
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:
20





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.
Grammar, Syntax & Orthographic Conventions
This section includes information on how to apply the general rules of the Latvian language to Microsoft products
and documentation.
Adjectives
In Latvian, adjectives should be handled in the following manner.
Latvian single adjectives, unlike the English ones, have gender, number, and case, and it is impossible to localize
a single adjective correctly without having a context, or when the context requires the adjective to be in masculine
or feminine, plural or singular, or several case forms at the same time (this often happens in elliptical menus, as
well as concatenated strings). In these cases try to localize the adjective with verb or noun, use masculine
singular, or check with developers if concatenation could be avoided.
Example:
English
Latvian
New
Jauns
Unknown
Nezināms
Note that the names of colors have to be written in feminine, because the word "krāsa" (color) is of feminine
gender.
Possessive adjectives
The frequent use of possessives is a feature of English language. However in Latvian, overusing of possessive
adjectives (also known as possessive determiners which imply the definite article ―the‖, e.g. my, your, her, his) or
21
possessive pronouns ―jūsu‖, ―mūsu‖ should be avoided when rendering the English "your" and "our" in technical
texts and software products. Example:
English
Latvian
+ Noklikšķiniet ar peli.
- Noklikšķiniet ar jūsu peli.
- Noklikšķiniet ar savu peli.
Click your mouse.
Articles
General considerations
There are no articles in Latvian. However, there are certain rules to be followed for conveying the meaning of
definite and indefinite articles used in English. In Latvian translations, definite articles are often reproduced by the
use of the definite ending of the adjective (if the adjective is related to the noun preceded by the article) or by the
use of the demonstrative pronoun. However, the use of pronouns should be avoided in technical texts and
software products. Indefinite articles are usually reproduced by using indefinite endings of adjectives (if the
adjective is related to the noun preceded by the article).
Examples:
English
Latvian
The Taskbar is adjustable and can be "hidden" from
view until you need it to click on an open program tab.
Uzdevumjoslu var pielāgot un paslēpt līdz brīdim, kad
tā būs nepieciešama, lai noklikšķinātu uz atvērtas
programmas cilnes.
You can change the size of the open program tabs so
they don't take up as much space on the Taskbar.
Atvērto programmas ciļľu lielumu varat mainīt, lai
cilnes uzdevumjoslā neaizľemtu tik daudz vietas.
Unlocalized Feature Names
Microsoft product names and non-translated feature names are used without definite or indefinite articles in the
English language. Non-translated product names are preceded by the respective descriptors if the non-translated
product name stands in other grammatical case than the nominative case and possessive case in the sentence. It
is important to follow this rule in running texts for correct understanding of the meaning which depends on the
grammatical case in Latvian.
Example:
English
Download the most trusted free antivirus software for
Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP.
Latvian
Lejupielādējiet uzticamāko bezmaksas pretvīrusu
programmatūru operētājsistēmai Windows 7, Vista un
Windows XP.
22
Localized Feature Names
Regardless of the capitalization used for the original feature name, translated feature names are written with a
small initial letter unless they start with an unlocalized name, acronym or the reference is made for the UI
element.
Example:
English
Latvian
alerts manager
brīdinājumu pārvaldnieks
Aero Shake
Aero satricinājums
Aero Peek
Aero ieskats
advanced search
detalizētā meklēšana
Admin Approval Mode
administratoru apstiprināšanas reţīms
ACE Management View
ACE pārvaldības skats
Accounting Integration
grāmatvedības integrācija
Access Services Administration
Access pakalpojumu administrēšana
Articles for English Borrowed Terms
This section does not apply to Latvian.
Capitalization
In English, it is a general practice to capitalize all first characters of the words in titles, names, etc, and sometimes
middle characters in words too. Bear in mind that this is an error in the Latvian text.
Example:
English
Move Down…
Latvian
+ Pārvietot lejup
- Pārvietot Lejup
+ Automātiskā arhivēšana
AutoArchive
- Automātiskā Arhivēšana
- AutoArhivēšana
If a string appears as a part of another string, capitalization of the first word is sufficient.
English
Click Save As and close the window
Latvian
+ Noklikšķiniet uz Saglabāt kā un aizveriet logu
+ Noklikšķiniet uz "Saglabāt kā" un aizveriet logu
23
In the English texts, additional short explanations in brackets often start with the capital letter. In Latvian, this kind
of text should start with a small letter unless the short text in brackets is not a full sentence.
English
Keep existing driver (Recommended)
Latvian
+ Saglabāt esošo draiveri (ieteicams)
- Saglabāt esošo draiveri (Ieteicams)
The names of days, months, languages, nationalities, also adjectives derived from country names are not
capitalized in Latvian.
Note that personal pronouns jūs, jūsu, jums... and tu, tavs, tev... must be used with initial lowercase letter, except
in correspondence.
Common nouns are never capitalized in Latvian unless they are the first words in a sentence or title.
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.
In Latvian, the meaning of a compound word may be different from the meaning of a phrase consisting of the
same components. Take that difference into account and use the correct form.
Example:
English
Latvian
+ Lietotājvārds
User name
- Lietotāja vārds
Gender
Note that all nouns and pronouns in Latvian are either in masculine or feminine gender. Several verb forms (e.g.,
perfect tenses) also imply the gender; adjectives and numerals are always coordinated with the noun.
The current approach is to use masculine singular in the cases when the gender or number of users is unknown.
Example:
English
You have entered a wrong number.
Latvian
Jūs esat ievadījis nepareizu skaitli.
24
Genitive
Convention 1. Attaching a genitive or any other case ending to (trademarked) non-translated product names is not
feasible, as it could be interpreted as a modification of such names.
Example:
English
Latvian
How to enable or disable Windows Vista Features
+ Kā iespējot un atspējot Windows Vista līdzekļus
- Kā iespējot un atspējot Windows Vistas līdzekļus
Modifiers
In Latvian localized text, you often need to add modifiers (descriptions of the object the name refers to) before
names of objects, menus, commands, dialog box elements, icons, and other elements. In general, English text
doesn't have these modifiers.
Modifiers are especially necessary when the whole phrase needs to be declined — then decline only the modifier
and leave the name in the form that is used in the user interface.
Example:
English
Click Save
Select Save from the File menu
Latvian
+ Noklikšķiniet uz Saglabāt
+ Izvēlnē Fails izvēlieties komandu Saglabāt
+ Izvēlnē Fails izvēlieties Saglabāt
Pay particular attention to strings with placeholders, where the placeholder is replaced by a variable which may
not be provided in the appropriate case form. It is recommended to add a modifier and/or separate the
placeholder from the rest of the text by quotation marks or a colon.
Nouns
General considerations
Traditional grammars offer the definition that nouns are independent words which are the ―name of something‖,
i.e., they name or identify the real phenomena: persons and things.
In Latvian, nouns have 2 genders — feminine and masculine.
Nouns have 2 grammatical numbers — singular and plural.
The functions of the noun in the sentence are: subject, attribute, predicate (together with a link verb), adjunct,
supplement, and object.
All the nouns are dived into:
Common noun: A noun referring to anything or anybody as an example of what a word in question denotes. It
may refer to the whole class of subjects.
25
Proper noun: A noun distinguished from the common noun on grammatical and semantic grounds and written
with an initial capital letter.
In localized software, use deverbal nouns with the -šana suffix to refer to system status, ongoing processes, etc.
Example:
English
Saving the file
Latvian
Faila saglabāšana
Inflection
The Latvian language is highly inflected: nouns have 6 declinations with 7 grammatical cases in any declination:
nominative, genitive (or possessive), dative, accusative, locative, instrumental and vocative. There are special
rules for transformations of letters in these forms.
In Latvian, noun inflections depend on the noun function and syntactical relationships in the sentence as well as
grammatical number.
Plural Formation
Noun plurals in Latvian are formed by adding the respective plural ending. There are nouns used either in singular
or in plural.
Example:
English
Latvian singular
Latvian plural
file
fails
faili
menu
izvēlne
izvēlnes
program
programma
programmas
Nouns usually used only in singular are called singularia tantum.
Example:
English
Latvian
video
video
radio
radio
audio
audio
management
pārvaldība
software
programmatūra
hardware
aparatūra
26
Nouns usually used only in plural are called pluralia tantum.
Example: beiges, principal form of ―tikšanās‖; durvis
Prepositions
Pay attention to the correct use of the preposition in Latvian translations. Influenced by the English language,
many translators omit them or change the word order.
The preposition "uz" should be used when clicking a button, icon, tab, menu or menu item. No preposition should
be used when clicking a field and desktop. In these cases, accusative may be used.
Example:
US Expression
Latvian Expression
click the button
+ noklikšķiniet uz pogas
Do you want it to be placed on the
desktop?
Comment
- noklikšķiniet pogu
Inappropriate use of accusative.
- noklikšķiniet ar pogu
Incorrect use of the preposition ―ar‖.
+ Vai vēlaties, lai mape tiktu
novietota darbvirsmā?
- Vai vēlaties, lai mape tiktu
novietota uz darbvirsmas?
Inappropriate use of the preposition
―uz‖.
Pronouns
Users of software products are people of different ages and social background. To address this audience, the
translated software and documentation should use the polite form of ―you‖ (jūs). Do not capitalize it, unless used
in a letter.
Avoid overusing the personal pronoun "jūs" as well as possessive pronouns when rendering the English "you" and
"your".
If necessary for correct understanding of the intended meaning, the doer may be implied by the respective verb
ending instead of using a personal pronoun.
Example:
English
You can open the file by double-clicking...
Latvian
Failu varat atvērt, veicot dubultklikšķi...
27
Punctuation
Quotation marks are generally not used to identify software items in text.
No punctuation marks are needed at the end of menu titles or command names. However, if the command leads
to a corresponding dialog box, use ellipsis (x… ).
Messages in dialog boxes and error messages should always end with a full stop or another punctuation mark
even though this rule is not observed in English.
Punctuation marks (quotation marks, colons and semicolons, exclamation and question marks) are not preceded
by a space in Latvian.
Comma
Commas should always be used according to the Latvian grammar rules.
Colon
Use colons after the generalizing words before the numbered and bulleted lists or equal parts of a sentence.
The text after the colon should be written with the lower-case letter. Exceptions are accepted only when the text
following the colon is placed in the next paragraph. In some cases, it is recommended to use a construct
consisting of one word followed by the full stop, and the next part of the sentence starting with the upper-case
letter.
Example:
English
Latvian
Padoms. Rīkojieties šādi.
Tip: Do the following.
Or
Padoms: rīkojieties šādi.
If this phrase reoccurs in the text, the selected construct should be used consistently throughout the text.
The colon may also be used to separate concatenated variables from the rest of the text.
Example:
English
To debug a [document], proceed as follows.
Latvian
Veiciet tālāk minētās darbības, lai atkļūdotu šo elementu:
dokuments.
Do not use colons and periods after column headings.
28
Dashes and Hyphens
Three different dash characters are used in English:
Hyphen
The hyphen is used to divide words between syllables, to link parts of a compound word, and to connect the parts
of an inverted or imperative verb form. In Latvian, the hyphen is used to divide words between syllables, in the
Latvian postal codes and in some other cases.
Examples:
English
Comments
e-pasts
The hyphen links parts of a compound word (e-mail).
Jānis Bērziľš-Krūmiľš
The hyphen separates a person’s surname consisting of two equal parts.
LV-1011
The hyphen is used in Latvian postal codes.
En Dash
The en-dash is used as a minus sign, usually with spaces before and after. In Latvian, the short hyphen (-) is
used instead, with no spaces before and after the mathematical sign.
Example: 500-200=300
The exception is the mixed use of numbers and letters in a mathematical expression. In these cases, spaces are
used around the mathematical signs:
Example: 90 cm x 120 cm
In Latvian, the punctuation rules do not make difference between em-dash (U+2014)(ALT+150) and en-dash
(U+2013)(ALT+151). If there is a need of a dash, use the en-dash (for consistency) but do not confuse it with the
hyphen (U+002D). A dash is longer and has a space before and after it. Using dash instead of hyphen and viceversa is an error.
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. In Latvian, the en-dash (–) is always used in number ranges without spaces around the
en-dash.
Example: 30–50 cm
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. In Latvian, the dash is used to structure the sentence, to indicate a
clause which sums up the previous clauses, and to divide it in a more clear way. For UI content, the en-dash (–)
should be used when possible. The em-dash (—) takes up more UI space and may cause formatting issues.
29
Ellipses (Suspension Points)
According to general Latvian grammar rules, ellipsis is used mainly to express emotional attitude or experience,
or to indicate pauses in pronunciation of the sentence, to show that unexpected event follows.
Keep in mind the following when using ellipses/suspension points in localized software texts:
No punctuation marks are needed at the end of menu titles or command names. However, if the command leads
to a corresponding dialog box, use ellipsis (x… ).
When translating menu items, keep ellipsis where it is used in English.
Example:
English
Save as…
Latvian
Saglabāt kā…
Ellipsis is often used to reflect ongoing process in software texts.
Example:
English
Latvian
Notiek failu dublēšana...
Backup Files...
Period
Periods are used in all cases described by the Latvian grammar rules.
Example:
English
Formatēšana => Format.
Comment
Shortening with a period.
skatīt => sk.
If a sentence ends with an abbreviation, ensure that another final period is not added to the abbreviation's period.
Example:
English
For further information about XXX, see page 50.
Latvian
+ Plašāku informāciju par XXX skatiet 50. lpp.
- Plašāku informāciju par XXX skatiet 50. lpp.
Periods are always used after the ordinal numbers.
When translating check box names, regardless of how they end in English — with or without a period — the
Latvian translations never end with a period unless they are complete sentences.
30
Quotation Marks
Quotation marks are used when referring to appendix, chapter, and section names in cross references.
In US source strings, you may find software references surrounded by English quotation marks. In Latvian, do not
use double quotes or any special punctuation when referring to a software item within text unless it merges with
the surrounding text and comprehension of the sentence structure is significantly marred. Use of double quotes is
also permitted in concatenated strings, when a variable in a wrong case form is inserted in a message during
runtime.
Example:
English
Latvian
To debug a [document], proceed as follows.
Lai atkļūdotu elementu ″dokuments″, veiciet šādas darbības.
When quotation marks are necessary, please use double upper curly quotation marks (―xxx‖) for software texts
and double upper straight quotation marks (″xx″) for online content. Pay attention that curly quotation marks differ
between opening quotation marks and closing quotation marks.
Parentheses
In English, there is no space between the parentheses and the text inside them. The same rule applies to Latvian.
In the English texts, additional short explanations in parentheses often start with the capital letter. In Latvian, this
kind of text is integrated in the sentence structure — it starts with a small letter and the full stop is placed after the
closing parenthesis unless the short text in parentheses is not a full sentence.
Example:
English
Sentence to be explained. (Explanation.)
Latvian
Paskaidrojamais teikums (paskaidrojošais teksts iekavās).
Singular & Plural
Translation of English phrases which allow both singular and plural forms at the same time should generally be
changed into plural form only in order to avoid confusing noun/verb endings in the statement.
Example:
Fill in the field(s)
- Aizpildiet lauku(s)
+ Aizpildiet laukus
Split Infinitive
This section does not apply to Latvian.
31
Subjunctive
Subjunctive mood should be avoided in localizing GUI.
Example:
English
Number of characters should not exceed:
Latvian
+ Rakstzīmju skaits nedrīkst pārsniegt:
- Rakstzīmju skaitam nevajadzētu pārsniegt:
Symbols & Non-Breaking Spaces
From logograms included in LVS 8-92 standard character set, the following symbols are included in Latvian for
general use: %, +, -, x, =, <, >, º, §, ±
Note that & symbol is not used in Latvian. It should be interpreted as conjunction "un" (and).
Use non-breaking spaces (CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR or Alt+0160) between words that should not separate onto
different lines. If two words are connected by a non-breaking space, Word will keep them together, even if
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.
Typical situations where non-breaking spaces are used:

Long date format: 2011. gada 17. februāris

Between the shortening of the first name and the family name: J. Bērziľš

In temperature designations between the number and degree symbol: 37 ˚C

In measurement designations between the number and the measurement abbreviation: 5 cm

In numbers consisting of many digits — non-breaking space is used to group digits by 3 (except four-digit
numbers): 24 888 459
Syntax
Syntax and register differ between Latvian and English in the following ways:
1. Sequence of tenses. In English, a future form or conditional tense is not used in a time clause and
conditional clause (if-clause). Future forms become a present tense when they are put in a time clause
and conditional clause (if-clause). In Latvian, the tense form of the verb in a time clause and if-clause
should always be coordinated with the tense form of the verb in the principal clause — when the main
verb of a sentence is in a past tense, verbs in subordinate clauses are in a past tense, too.
32
Example:
English
Latvian
As soon as I have finished I will give you a
call.
Tiklīdz es būšu pabeidzis, es jums piezvanīšu.
The program will open if you click the icon on
your desktop.
Ja noklikšķināsit uz darbvismā redzamās ikonas,
programma tiks atvērta.
2. Word order, placement of adverbs of place and time in a sentence.
Example: please see ―Word Order‖ section of this document.
3. In English, ―when‖ is often used instead of ―if‖ (zero conditional) when the result of the condition is always
true. In Latvian, these sentences should be translated by using conditional conjunction ―ja‖ (if) instead of
―kad‖ (when).
Verbs
In Latvian, verbs have 3 conjugations.
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. For details on
translating specific dialog box elements, see the corresponding paragraph.
Continuous operations (e.g. when referring to system status, ongoing processes) are usually expressed in English
with a gerund which should be translated into Latvian either by deverbative noun with the -šana suffix or by
imperfect verb.
Example:
English
Latvian
+ Notiek dokumenta drukāšana
Printing document
+ Dokuments tiek drukāts
+ Notiek lapas lejupielāde
Downloading page
Reflexive verbs should be avoided when possible, especially if the verb refers to inanimate object. To avoid
reflexive verbs, please use either a passive voice or use another grammatical form.
Example:
English
For example, you can use a Chart Web Part to see
sales amounts across different teams or
geographical regions in a retail organization.
Latvian
- Piemēram, diagrammas tīmekļa daļu var izmantot, lai
mazumtirdzniecības uzľēmumā skatītos daţādu grupu
vai ģeogrāfisko reģionu pārdošanas apjomus.
+ Piemēram, diagrammu tīmekļa daļu var izmantot, lai
33
English
Latvian
mazumtirdzniecības uzľēmumā apskatītu daţādu grupu
vai ģeogrāfisko reģionu pārdošanas apjomus.
Internet Explorer opens as a small window
- Internet Explorer atveras kā mazs logs
+ Programma Internet Explorer tiek atvērta kā neliels logs
Grammatical form consistency
Observe the rules of using Latvian verb tenses and use verb forms in a coordinated manner, for example, use the
same tense form for options listed under a single group title.
In Latvian, there are two grammatical forms of verbs used with indicative mood, active voice, 2nd person plural,
simple future, e.g. verb conjugation endings -āsiet/-āsit, -īsiet/-īsit, -ēsiet/-ēsit, -osiet/-osit and -ūsiet/-ūsit as in the
following verbs: "saglabāsiet/saglabāsit", "rediģēsiet/rediģēsit", "rakstīsiet/rakstīsit" and "ievietosiet/ievietosit".
Grammatically, both forms are correct but only one grammatical form should be consistently used in the whole
localized product. According to the previous practice, only the shortest form (-āsit, -ēsit, -īsit, -osit, -ūsit) should be
used in Microsoft texts.
Grammatical form consistency should also be maintained in list/menu items, in terms of verb tenses, grammatical
case of nouns, grammatical voice and other grammatical forms, especially if the items belong to the same
list/menu. The same rule applies to tab names of the same dialog.
Example:
English
Inconsistent grammatical form
Consistent translation
In this article:
Šajā rakstā:
Šajā rakstā:
- Overview
- Pārskats
- Pārskats
- Create an alert for a list or library
- Kā izveidot brīdinājumu par
sarakstu vai bibliotēku
- Saraksta vai bibliotēkas
brīdinājuma izveidošana
- Brīdinājuma izveide par mapi, failu
vai saraksta vienumu
- Mapes, faila vai saraksta vienuma
brīdinājuma izveidošana
- Saraksta vai bibliotēkas RSS
plūsmas abonēšana
- Saraksta vai bibliotēkas RSS
plūsmas abonēšana
- Abonējiet skata RSS plūsmu
- Skata RSS plūsmas abonēšana
- Create an alert for a folder, file, or
list item
- Subscribe to an RSS Feed for a
list or library
- Subscribe to an RSS Feed for a
view
Word Order
Basic word order in Latvian is Subject, Verb, Object. Although there is assumption that the Latvian word order is
relatively free, word order is important not only for fluent expression of the idea but also for correct understanding
of the meaning especially in complex and compound-complex sentences. The Latvian word order significantly
differs from the English word order. In English, adverbials of time and place are usually placed at the end of the
34
sentence. In Latvian, they are generally placed either at the beginning of the sentence or before the predicate.
Therefore, using English word order in Latvian translations makes the sentence unnatural and clumsy.
Example:
English
You can change your profile settings at any time if you
don't want search engines to index your profile.
Latvian
- Varat mainīt sava profila iestatījumus jebkurā laikā, ja
nevēlaties, lai meklētājprogrammas indeksētu jūsu
profilu.
+ Ja nevēlaties, lai meklētājprogrammas indeksētu jūsu
profilu, jebkurā laikā varat mainīt sava profila
iestatījumus.
Style and Tone Considerations
This section focuses on higher-level considerations for audience, style, tone, and voice.
Audience
Users of software products are people of different ages and social background. To address this audience, the
translated software and documentation should use the polite form of "you" (―jūs‖).
The general requirement of all software localization is user-friendliness. Besides consistency, it can be achieved
by observing the functional equivalence and authenticity principles.
Translation should always strive towards functional equivalence, that is, the target text should function for the
target audience in the same way the source text functions for the original audience. Since the consistency
principle puts certain limits to translator's freedom, it is tempting to use the approach of literal or word-for-word
translation, retaining the forms of the original, even if they are not the most natural in the target language. It is,
however, the translator's duty to transform such formal equivalence to functional equivalence.
Furthermore, the translation should sound natural in the target language, as if it was written in this language. To
achieve such authenticity, review the rhythm, phrasing, and style of the translated text carefully, and change word
order, switch to other parts of speech, etc, as appropriate.
Style
The language used for translating computer software must be strictly formal, i.e., it must comply with grammar
rules, contain approved terminology and should be void of computer slang, colloquial expressions and jargon,
which are widely used in everyday speech. Redundancy should be avoided.
The translated content should not contain multiple writing styles. To maintain stylistic consistency, one verbal form
is used throughout the text to give instructions to the user, e.g. Imperative.
35
Tone
Use a tone matching the target audience, e.g. formal, informative, and factual for most Microsoft products; a more
informal, playful and inspiring tone may be used for games and MSN products.
Voice
Voice refers to how writers speak to their audience. Users of software products are people of different ages and
nd
social background. To address this audience, the translated software and documentation should use the polite 2
person of "you" (jūs). However, remember that singular ending should be used with the verbs and other
grammatically related words since the software and help texts address only one user at time. Avoid overusing the
personal pronoun "jūs" as well as possessive pronouns when rendering the English "you" and "your", for example,
in instructions. Normally, the pronoun itself will not be needed, but if it is used, write it with a lowercase letter.
Example:
English
Translation
You are now connected to the Internet.
Jūsu datorā tagad ir izveidots savienojums ar internetu.
After restarting your computer, a dialog box is
displayed.
- Kad esat restartējuši datoru, parādās dialoglodziľš.
+ Kad esat restartējis datoru, tiek parādīts dialoglodziľš.
36
Localization Guidelines
This section contains guidelines for localization into Latvian.
General Considerations
This section describes general localization guidelines for Latvian.
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:
Method
Truncation with a period
Initial capitals
Examples
Formatēšana => Format.
skatīt => sk.
Personālais dators => PC
Abbreviations usually end with a consonant.
Extended characters are preserved in the abbreviated form of a word.
If a sentence ends with an abbreviation, do not add another final period to the abbreviation's period.
Avoid using abbreviations when translating software or documentation, unless they are conventional
abbreviations normally used in Latvian. The use of non-conventional abbreviations should be restricted to the
cases where there is no space available in the software string for the spelled-out form of a term. If the use of a
non-conventional abbreviation is unavoidable, make sure it conforms to the Latvian language standards.
If the abbreviation is clear to the user and appears often in the system, avoid creating new abbreviations even
when space is available for extra characters. For example, "dok." is a common abbreviation for "dokuments" and
should not be changed to "doku.," "dokum.," "dkmt." or "dmt." simply because there is space for a few extra
characters.
37
List of common abbreviations:
Expression
Acceptable Abbreviation
attēls
att.
dokuments
dok.
eksemplārs
eks.
ieskaitot
iesk.
lappuse
lpp.
miljons
milj.
nodaļa
nod.
pielikums
piel.
piemēram
piem.
pulksten
plkst.
skatiet
sk.
šā gada
š.g.
tas ir
t.i.
valoda
val.
vienskaitlis
vsk.
Don’t abbreviate words with the length of one syllable.
Avoid acronyms and abbreviations (except if the meaning is obvious, as in St. Petersburg), or use them sparingly
and define them in context. For example, the Latvian acronym "EK‖ is both used for European Community
(Eiropas Kopiena) and European Commission (Eiropas Komisija).
The Latvian abbreviations "utt.", "u.t.j.p.", "u.c." should be avoided. It is recommended to be more specific instead.
English
Services in charge of raw materials such as ink,
paper, etc.
Translation
Dienesti, kas nodrošina izejmateriālus, piemēram, tinti,
papīru un citus materiālus.
If the abbreviation "utt." is situated at the end of example, it may be deleted at all, since the example means that
the listing is incomplete. In these cases, the abbreviation "utt." is regarded redundancy. However, if those
abbreviations are used, they should not be preceded by a comma.
38
Accessibility
This topic does not apply to Latvian.
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). In Latvian, acronyms are always written with all capital letters.
Localized Acronyms
The English acronyms used in IT industry are not localized by using a respective Latvian acronym, the acronyms
stay in English.
Example:
DDC/CI (Display Data Channel Command Interface) protocol — protokols DDC/CI
However, acronyms may be translated by using a full form when an approved Latvian translation exists.
Example:
LCD — šķidro kristālu displejs
CD — kompaktdisks or CD
LAN — lokālais tīkls or LAN
URL — vienotais resursu vietrādis or vietrādis URL
Unlocalized Acronyms
The English acronyms should not be translated (e.g., DDC/CI (Display Data Channel Command Interface)
protocol — protokols DDC/CI), except those with approved Latvian translations (e.g., LCD — šķidro kristālu
displejs).
Example: HTML, SQL, URL, XML, ICMP, POP, WAP
Note: Unlocalized acronyms may obstruct the reader from correct perception of the text since they do not show
their syntactical relationships and the role in the sentence especially if used in locative or dative. In these cases,
another sentence construction should be used to avoid misunderstanding on the meaning. Possible solutions
include putting the acronym in the nominative or possessive case. Alternatively, the unlocalized acronym may be
preceded by an appropriate modifier in the necessary grammatical case.
39
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.
For translations of the product names, editions or parts of product names please refer to the approved Microsoft
terminology databases and glossaries.
Frequent Errors
Examples:
English
Latvian
Error description
And this is where you go to turn off
or lock your computer.
- Un šeit datoru var izslēgt vai slēgt.
In Latvian, it is not recommended to
start the sentence with the
conjunction "un".
Windows Sidebar is a place that
holds small programs called
gadgets, which put information and
tools at your fingertips.
- Windows sānjosla ir vieta, kurā
atrodas mazas programmas, kuras
sauc par sīkrīkiem. Tie informāciju
un rīkus padara viegli pieejamus.
+ Šeit datoru var izslēgt vai aizslēgt.
+ Windows sānjoslā atrodas nelielas
programmas, kuras sauc par
sīkrīkiem. Tās ļauj viegli piekļūt
informācijai un rīkiem.
Then double-click the gadget you
want to add … like this.
- Tad veiciet dubultklikšķi uz sīkrīka,
kuru vēlaties pievienot ... šādi.
+ Pēc tam veiciet dubultklikšķi uz
sīkrīka, kuru vēlaties pievienot ...
šādi.
Change how you work with your
contacts.
- Mainīt veidu, kā darboties ar
kontaktpersonām.
+ Mainiet paľēmienus darbam ar
kontaktpersonām.
Printers are devices that print text
and graphics from your computer
onto paper.
- Printeri ir ierīces, kas uz papīra
izdrukā tekstu un attēlus no datora.
When you open a dialog resource
- Kad atverat dialoga resursu, kas
+ Printeri ir ierīces, kas uz papīra
izdrukā datorā redzamo tekstu un
attēlus.
Direct translation makes the
sentence unnatural and clumsy. Two
successive subordinate clauses
which start with similar subordinating
conjunctions ("kurā", "kuras").
The adverb ―tad‖ has many
meanings in Latvian therefore the
English word "then" should be
translated as "pēc tam" in similar
contexts to avoid ambiguousness.
In instructions, imperative should be
used when the sentence ends with
the full stop (full sentence).
Direct translation and English word
order leads to misinterpreted
meaning (in the current example,
text and graphics are not printed
from the computer but from the
printer).
Using ―kad‖ instead of ―ja‖.
40
English
Latvian
Error description
that contains ActiveX control(s),
you’ll get the following message box
before the dialog resource is opened
in Dialog Editor:
satur ActiveX vadīklas, tiks parādīts
šāds ziľojuma lodziľš, pirms dialoga
resurss tiek atvērts rīkā Dialogu
redaktors.
Alternativelly, participial clause may
be used instead of the conditional
clause. For more information, please
see ―Syntax‖ section of this
document.
+ Atverot dialoga resursu, kurā ir
ActiveX vadīklas, pirms dialoga
resursa atvēršanas rīkā Dialogu
redaktors tiek parādīts šāds
ziľojuma lodziľš.
+ Ja atverat dialoga resursu, kurā ir
ActiveX vadīklas, pirms dialoga
resursa atvēršanas rīkā Dialogu
redaktors tiek parādīts šāds
ziľojuma lodziľš.
Glossaries
In order to ensure that you are using current terminology and phrases, please always look for the translations in
the most recent version of the Microsoft terminology databases and other approved glossaries. Consistent use of
Microsoft approved terminology in all localized documentation is one of the major factors in achieving required
quality of the localized products and documentation. Language Portal (http://www.microsoft.com/Language/enUS/Default.aspx) is a useful resource of MS terminology.
For information about Latvian currently available glossaries and the main Microsoft terminology database, please
contact your Microsoft Project Manager.
Recurring Patterns
When translating titles there are certain recurrent patterns that you should pay attention to, as indicated below.
Example:
English
Translation
What's New in Windows 7
Kas jauns operētājsistēmā Windows 7
Getting Started with Windows Live
Darba sākšana ar Windows Live
Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 instalēšana un konfigurēšana
41
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.
Country/Region Standards
The importance of standardization
Standard Phrases in Error Messages
Standard Shortcut Keys
Unlocalized Items
Trademarked names and the name Microsoft Corporation shouldn’t 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.
The items that should remain unlocalized for Latvian include trademarked names, font names and product names.
Besides, there are few words in Latvian which are spelled in similar way as the respective English words.
Example:
Word
Comment
preferences
The Latvian spelling of this word is similar to the English
word if used in the nominative case of singular and plural.
In other grammatical cases, the ending is different.
radio
Spelling of this word in Latvian corresponds to that of the
English word in all grammatical cases and both
grammatical numbers. ―Radio‖ is a noun used only in
singular (singularia tantum).
video
Spelling of this word in Latvian corresponds to that of the
English word in all grammatical cases except plural. In
English, this word has also a plural ending (videos). In
Latvian, ―video‖ is a noun used only in singular (singularia
tantum). Besides, it is differently translated in Latvian
depending on the context: when video technology is
meant, translation is similar to the source. When video clip
is meant, the noun "video" should be translated as
"videoklips".
audio
Spelling of this word in Latvian corresponds to that of the
English word in all grammatical cases and both
grammatical numbers. ―Audio‖ is a noun used only in
singular (singularia tantum).
42
Using the Word Microsoft
In English, it is prohibited to use MS as an abbreviation for Microsoft.
The word Microsoft is never localized or inflected in Latvian. No quotation marks are put around this word in UI
and other texts. When Microsoft is used in other grammatical case than the nominative and possessive case in
running texts, this word is handled in the same way as any other unlocalized proper noun — it is preceded by the
respective modifier (korporācija) in the appropriate grammatical case to maintain syntactical relationships in the
sentence and ensure comprehensibility.
The unlocalized word Microsoft is always treated as feminine gender to be coordinated with the word
―korporācija‖.
Examples:
Veiksmes stāsti jums noderēs, ja vēlaties uzzināt vairāk par Microsoft tehnoloģiju ieviešanas pieredzi tieši
Latvijas tirgū.
Jebkura informācija, kas tiek nosūtīta korporācijai Microsoft, ir anonīma.
Ja sistēma Windows konstatē, ka datora aparatūra ir būtiski mainīta un, izpildot iepriekšējās metodes, problēma
netiek novērsta, lai saľemtu palīdzību, jums, iespējams, ir jāsazinās ar korporāciju Microsoft.
43
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
In text localized into Latvian you often need to add modifiers (descriptions of the object the name refers to) before
names of objects, menus, commands, dialog box elements, icons, and other elements. In general, English text
doesn't have these modifiers.
Pay particular attention to strings with placeholders, where the placeholder is replaced by a variable which may
not be provided in the appropriate case form. It is recommended to add a modifier and/or separate the
placeholder from the rest of the text by quotation marks or a colon.
Menu titles and menu items should be consistently translated in all localized products. The same US menus
should have identical translation in all localized products mirroring the same level of consistency as compared
with the US products.
When possible, try to use the following combinations of word classes in menus:
Menu title
verb
noun
Menu items
Example
A noun or noun phrase
On the Insert menu: Text, Table,
Picture
A verb or verb phrase
On the Table menu: Insert Table,
Select Row, Insert Column
The word classes of the US term and the localized term do not have to coincide, i.e. please do consider the
possibility of translating a verb as a noun or vice versa, if that improves the result. Adjectives and adverbs are
used relatively rarely.
Example:
General => Vispārīgi
Automatic => Automātiski
Verbs in menu titles should be in infinitive (e.g., Edit => Rediģēt), nouns — in the nominative case (e.g., Tools =>
Rīki). In menu items, if possible, use the accusative case in nouns that form a phrase with the menu title (e.g.,
Format .. Style => Formatēt .. Stilu). Keep all menu translations as concise as possible.
Menu titles should always contain only one word, since a two-word menu title would be undistinguishable from
two single-word ones. In menu items, use initial capital only with the first word (e.g., Draw Table => Zīmēt tabulu).
Do not use punctuation after menu titles. Keep ellipsis where it is used in English.
44
Verbs should normally be in informal 2nd person imperative mood, nouns in singular or plural nominative.
Example: the View menu of Windows Explorer, Windows XP
Messages
When translating messages, the following instructructions should be observed.
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).
45
Latvian Style in Status bar Messages
In English, the status bar messages have different forms dependent on the information they must convey. In
Latvian, menu and commands status bar messages should follow the format below. Menu status bar messages
and commands status bar messages localized into Latvian do not differ as shown in the tables. Periods are used
at the end of sentences in status bar messages, if they are full sentences.
Name
Edit
Latvian Name
Rediģēt
Copy to
Folder...
Kopēt mapē...
New
Jauns
Category
English Status Bar
message
Latvian Status Bar
message
menu
Contains editing commands
Ietver rediģēšanas
komandas
menu
Copies the selected items to
a new location
Kopē atlasītos vienumus
jaunā atrašanās vietā
command
Creates a new document
Izveido jaunu dokumentu
Make object visible?
Vai padarīt objektu
redzamu?
Word is converting the
document. Press Esc to
stop.
Programma Word
konvertē dokumentu. Lai
apturētu, nospiediet Esc.
Datasheet View
Datu lapas skats
Done
Gatavs
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 Latvian version. Use one standard translation as in the examples
below:
English term
Correct Latvian translation
Press F1 to get Help
Lai saľemtu palīdzību, nospiediet F1.
If you want Help press F1
46
To get Help press F1
Nepietiek atmiľas
Not enough memory
Insufficient memory
There is not enough memory
Vai saglabāt izmaiľas %1?
Save changes to %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.
Latvian 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.
Latvian error messages (except questions) always end with a punctuation mark, which is usually the period, even
if the English message does not end with a punctuation mark. Exclamation marks are not used. Question marks
are used for questions.
Do not use the first person (except for creatures like the Office Assistant). If possible, use the generic third person
(especially in negative expressions). In the rare cases where this is not possible, rephrase using nominalizations,
etc.
Example:
English
Latvian
Unable to save the file
Nevar saglabāt failu.
Deleting file [2]
Notiek faila [2] dzēšana.
47
If the agent is mentioned in US text, use it in the translation as well.
English
Latvian
Word is deleting file [2]
Programma Word dzēš failu [2].
Deleting file [2]
Notiek faila [2] dzēšana.
Avoid over-using personal pronouns in error messages.
English
Latvian
- Vai jūs vēlaties ..
Do you want to ..
+ Vai vēlaties ..
Use of Tenses in Error Messages
Use the present tense, except when the message refers specifically to an event in the past. Do not use perfect
tense in passive voice.
Example:
English
Latvian
The product has been removed from your computer.
- Produkts ir ticis noľemts no datora.
+ Produkts ir noľemts no datora.
Word was unable to open the file.
+ Programma Word nevarēja atvērt failu.
Standard Phrases in Error Messages
When translating standard phrases, standardize. Note that sometimes the US uses different forms to express the
same thing.
Examples:
English
Cannot …
Could not …
Failed to …
Failure of …
Cannot find …
Could not find …
Translation
Nevar…
Neizdevās…
Nevar atrast…
Example
Cannot read the item.
Comment
Nevar nolasīt vienumu.
Failed to send a message.
Neizdevās nosūtīt
ziľojumu.
Could not find field.
Nevar atrast lauku.
Unable to find the file
Nevar atrast failu
48
English
Translation
Example
Comment
Unable to locate …
Unable to locate reply
template
Nevar atrast atbildes
veidni
Not enough memory
Not enough memory for
Log File
Ţurnāla failam nepietiek
atmiľas
There is not enough
memory to publish
Nepietiek atmiľas, lai
publicētu
Not enough memory
available to complete this
command.
Šīs komandas
pabeigšanai nepietiek
atmiľas.
The linked file is not
available.
Saistītais fails nav
pieejams.
The XML source file is
unavailable for viewing.
XML avota fails
skatīšanai nav pieejams.
Unable to find …
Insufficient memory
There is not enough memory
Nepietiek atmiľas
There is not enough memory
available
... is not available
… nav pieejams
... is unavailable
Error Messages Containing Placeholders
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".
Pay particular attention to strings with placeholders, where the placeholder is replaced by a variable which may
not be provided in the appropriate case form. It is recommended to add a modifier and/or separate the
placeholder from the rest of the text by quotation marks or a colon.
The example below uses the error message Cannot find %s, where the placeholder %s is replaced with 1) a file
name (standard.doc), 2) an item name (document). Try to find a workaround if it is not possible to coordinate case
forms.
Example:
English
Cannot open standard.doc
Latvian
+ Nevar atvērt standard.doc.
49
English
Cannot open document
Latvian
+ Nevar atvērt šādu vienumu: dokuments.
- Nevar atvērt dokuments
Abbreviated Sentences
The US messages sometimes contain abbreviated sentences using an imperative verb. Translate to a question
starting with interrogative particle ―Vai …‖. Omission of the interrogative particle in Latvian is counted as a
grammar error.
Example:
English
Continue without Undo?
Latvian
- Turpināt bez atsaukšanas?
+ Vai turpināt bez iespējas atsaukt?
Dialog Boxes
When translating dialog box interface you should remember that you are expected to use consistent terminology
and language style in all dialog boxes, not only within currently localized application. You also need to ensure that
your translations are consistent with translations in other localized applications. Take also into account that
currently not localized applications may be localized in the future and solutions adopted now must be usable there
as well. This is particularly important when localizing common (identical) dialog boxes found in several
applications. An example of a common dialog box containing the same terminology is the Options dialog box.
Dialog Box Titles
In English, dialog box titles are usually identical with the command that opened the dialog box. In Latvian, they
should normally be nouns, derived from the command verbs into deverbal nouns with the -šana suffix, except for
adjectives and questions that are translated as adjectives and questions.
Example:
English
Save
Latvian
+ Saglabāt (as command)
+ Saglabāšana (as dialog box title)
New
+ Jauns
Include in index?
+ Vai iekļaut indeksā?
50
If for some reason the command name in the US software is not the same as the dialog title, stay close to original
with the translation.
Example:
English
Latvian
Command: Information
Informācija
Dialog title: Information window
Informācijas logs
Note! Always look for approved current translation of the required term in the Microsoft terminology databases.
Group Box Titles
Group titles are usually not grammatically connected to the options that follow. This means that the options are
capitalised as usual and their language form does not depend on the form of the group title. In cases when group
box title and the following options form as if a sentence in English, either the title should be rephrased to make the
options grammatically independent, or case forms should be carefully coordinated.
Example:
English
Latvian
Include with document (group title)
+ Iekļaut dokumentā
Document properties (an option)
+ Dokumenta rekvizītus
Field codes (an option)
+ Lauku kodus
Comments (an option)
+ Komentārus
Note! Always look for approved current translation of the required term in the Microsoft terminology databases.
Dialog Box Tabs
Dialog box tabs should be treated similarly to dialog box titles (see above), taking into account the obvious length
constraints.
Also pay attention to consistency with other tabs of the same dialog and with similar dialogs elsewhere. An
example of a common dialog box containing the same terminology is the Options dialog box from the Tools menu.
The preferred action to be performed with dialog box tabs is atlasīt (select/click), even if the original ignores a
similar recommendation given for English.
Example:
English
Latvian
Click the Edit tab
Noklikšķiniet uz cilnes Rediģēšana
Select the Edit tab
Atlasiet cilni Rediģēšana
51
Note! Always look for approved current translation of the required term in the Microsoft terminology databases.
Checkboxes and Radio Buttons
Check boxes that can be treated as commands to the system are translated as verb infinitives, and those that
correspond to nominative titles are translated as nouns in the nominative case.
Example:
English
Latvian
Hidden text
+ Slēptais teksts
Update links
+ Atjaunināt saites
Do not try to make full sentences out of groups of checkboxes. Checkboxes are usually not grammatically
connected to preceding group titles. This means that check boxes are capitalised as usual and their form does not
depend on the form of the group title. In the rare cases when they form a sentence with the group title, case forms
should be carefully coordinated.
Regardless of how US check boxes end — with or without a period — the Latvian translations never end with a
period unless they are complete sentences.
The preferred actions to be performed with check boxes are atzīmēt (check) and noľemt atzīmi (clear, uncheck),
regardless of whether the text mentions the checkbox or only refers to the item the checkbox applies to.
Example:
English
Latvian
To add a component, select its check box. To remove
the component, clear the check box.
Lai pievienotu komponentu, atzīmējiet tā izvēles rūtiľu.
Lai noľemtu komponentu, noľemiet izvēles rūtiľas
atzīmi.
Check all subfolders
Atzīmēt visas apakšmapes
Uncheck all subfolders
Noľemt atzīmi no visām apakšmapēm
Dropdown Lists/Tables
Items in a list box or table are not grammatically connected to list box titles or table headings. This means that the
items are capitalised as usual and their form does not depend on the form of the title or heading.
Regardless of how US list items or table items end - with or without a period - the translations into Latvian never
end with a period unless they are complete sentences.
Table column and row headings should take 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.
52
When table items are complete sentences, each of them starts with a capital letter and ends with a period. When
table items are not complete sentences, they may start with a small or capital letter and do not end with a period.
However, the whole column must be consistent, i.e. start with either small or capital letter.
Example:
English
Select your location from the Country list box.
Latvian
Sarakstlodziľā Valsts atlasiet savu atrašanās vietu.
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.
In English, References to key names, like arrow keys, function keys and numeric keys, appear in normal text (not
in small caps).
Key names should be translated in accordance with the Microsoft Glossaries. Currently, keyboards are not
localized in Latvian, therefore assume usage of the English keyboard, e.g., "Delete key" should be translated as
"taustiľš Delete". Key names that do not appear on the physical keyboard should be translated, e.g. atstarpes
taustiľš, augšupvērstā bultiľa, tabulēšanas taustiľš, atpakaļatkāpes taustiľš. Please note that translated key
names should not be capitalized.
While working with Microsoft software, you use keys, key combinations and key sequences.
1. Key combination KEY1+KEY2
This term is used to underline, that the user is supposed to press the first key, hold it and press the second key.
Key names are combined with ―+‖ character. For example the command
Nospiediet taustiľu kombināciju ALT+ESC
means, that the user should press ALT, hold it, press simultaneously ESC and then release both buttons.
2. Key sequence KEY1, KEY2
This term is used to underline, that the user is supposed to press and release the given keys one after the other.
Key names are separated with a comma (,) and a hard space. For example the command
Nospiediet taustiľus ALT, F
means, that the user is supposed to press ALT first, release it, then press and release the F key.
53
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
can be used as hot key
yes
Only when no other characters are
available. "Slim" characters should
be used as the first choice among
those listed in the Hot key special
options column.
yes
Only when no other characters are
available. "Downstroke" characters
should be used as the second
choice among those listed in the Hot
key special options column.
Extended characters can be used as
hotkeys
no
n/a
An additional letter, appearing
between brackets after item name,
can be used as hotkeys
no
n/a
no
n/a
Example: Option
Characters with downstrokes, such
as g, j, y, p and q can be used as
hotkeys
Example: Option
Example: Option (w)
A number, appearing between
brackets after item name, can be
used as hotkey
54
Hot Key Special Options
Usage: Is It Allowed?
Notes
no
n/a
yes
Only when no other characters are
available. Duplicate hotkeys should
be used as the last choice among
those listed in the Hot key special
options column.
Example: Option (3)
A punctuation sign, appearing
between brackets after item name,
can be used as hotkey
Example: Option (>)
Duplicate hotkeys are allowed when
no other character is available
No hotkey is assigned when no
no
more characters are available (minor
options only)
n/a
Additional notes: n/a
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.
Arrow keys belong to the key names which appear on the physical keyboard only as graphical symbols therefore
they should be translated.
Example:
English
Latvian
Up arrow
augšupvērstā bultiľa
Down arrow
lejupvērstā bultiľa
Right arrow key
labais bulttaustiľš
Right arrow
labā bultiľa
Left arrow key
kreisais bulttaustiľš
Left arrow
kreisā bultiľa
55
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.
Example:
Nospiediet cipartastatūras taustiľu.
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
Command
US English
Shortcut Key
Latvian
Command
Latvian
Shortcut key
General Windows Shortcut keys
Help window
F1
Palīdzības logs
F1
Context-sensitive Help
Shift+F1
Kontekstjutīgā palīdzība
Shift+F1
Display pop-up menu
Shift+F10
Parādīt uznirstošo izvēlni
Shift+F10
Cancel
Esc
Atcelt
Esc
Activate\Deactivate
menu bar mode
F10
Aktivizēt\deaktivizēt izvēļľu joslas F10
reţīmu
Switch to the next
primary application
Alt+Tab
Pārslēgties uz nākamo primāro
lietojumprogrammu
Alt+Tab
Display next window
Alt+Esc
Parādīt nākamo logu
Alt+Esc
Display pop-up menu
for the window
Alt+Spacebar
Parādīt loga uznirstošo izvēlni
Alt+atstarpes taustiľš
Display pop-up menu
for the active child
window
Alt+-
Parādīt aktīvā atvasinātā loga
uznirstošo izvēlni
Alt+-
Display property sheet
for current selection
Alt+Enter
Parādīt pašreizējās atlases
rekvizītu lapu
Alt+Enter
Close active
application window
Alt+F4
Aizvērt aktīvās
lietojumprogrammas logu
Alt+F4
56
US
Command
US English
Shortcut Key
Latvian
Command
Latvian
Shortcut key
Switch to next window
within (modelesscompliant) application
Alt+F6
Pārslēgties uz nākamo
lietojumprogrammas logu (bez
reţīma)
Alt+F6
Capture active window
image to the Clipboard
Alt+Prnt Scrn
Tvert aktīvā loga attēlu, ievietojot
to starpliktuvē
Alt+Prnt Scrn
Capture desktop
image to the Clipboard
Prnt Scrn
Tvert darbvirsmas attēlu,
ievietojot to starpliktuvē
Prnt Scrn
Access Start button in
taskbar
Ctrl+Esc
Piekļūt uzdevumjoslas pogai Sākt Ctrl+Esc
Display next child
window
Ctrl+F6
Parādīt nākamo atvasināto logu
Ctrl+F6
Display next tabbed
pane
Ctrl+Tab
Parādīt nākamo rūti ar cilnēm
Ctrl+Tab
Launch Task Manager
and system
initialization
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
Palaist uzdevumu pārvaldnieku
un sistēmas inicializāciju
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
File Menu
File New
Ctrl+N
Fails, Jauns
Ctrl+N
File Open
Ctrl+O
Fails, Atvērt
Ctrl+O
File Close
Ctrl+F4
Fails, Aizvērt
Ctrl+F4
File Save
Ctrl+S
Fails, Saglabāt
Ctrl+S
File Save as
F12
Fails, Saglabāt kā
F12
File Print Preview
Ctrl+F2
Fails, Drukas priekšskatījums
Ctrl+F2
File Print
Ctrl+P
Fails, Drukāt
Ctrl+P
File Exit
Alt+F4
Fails, Iziet
Alt+F4
Edit Menu
Edit Undo
Ctrl+Z
Rediģēt, Atsaukt
Ctrl+Z
Edit Repeat
Ctrl+Y
Rediģēt, Atkārtot
Ctrl+Y
Edit Cut
Ctrl+X
Rediģēt, Izgriezt
Ctrl+X
Edit Copy
Ctrl+C
Rediģēt, Kopēt
Ctrl+C
57
US
Command
US English
Shortcut Key
Latvian
Command
Latvian
Shortcut key
Edit Paste
Ctrl+V
Rediģēt, Ielīmēt
Ctrl+V
Edit Delete
Ctrl+Backspace
Rediģēt, Dzēst
Ctrl+atpakaļatkāpes taustiľš
Edit Select All
Ctrl+A
Rediģēt, Atlasīt visu
Ctrl+A
Edit Find
Ctrl+F
Rediģēt, Atrast
Ctrl+F
Edit Replace
Ctrl+H
Rediģēt, Aizstāt
Ctrl+H
Edit Go To
Ctrl+B
Rediģēt, Pāriet uz
Ctrl+B
Help Menu
Help
F1
Palīdzība
F1
Font Format
Italic
Ctrl+I
Slīpraksts
Ctrl+I
Bold
Ctrl+G
Treknraksts
Ctrl+G
Underlined\Word
underline
Ctrl+U
Pasvītrots\
Vārda pasvītrojums
Ctrl+U
Large caps
Ctrl+Shift+A
Lielie burti
Ctrl+Shift+A
Small caps
Ctrl+Shift+K
Kapiteļi
Ctrl+Shift+K
Paragraph Format
Centered
Ctrl+E
Centrēts
Ctrl+E
Left aligned
Ctrl+L
Līdzināts pa kreisi
Ctrl+L
Right aligned
Ctrl+R
Līdzināts pa labi
Ctrl+R
Justified
Ctrl+J
Taisnots
Ctrl+J
58
Document Translation Considerations
Document localization may require some specific considerations that are different from software localization. This
section covers a few of these areas.
Terminology used in the documentation must be translated consistently. It is not allowed to relieve the monotony
of the text by using incorrect or colloquial synonyms.
In order to ensure that you are using current terminology and phrases, please always look for the translations in
the most recent version of the Microsoft terminology databases and other approved glossaries. Consistent use of
Microsoft approved terminology in all localized documentation is one of the major factors in achieving required
quality of the localized documentation.
Titles
Only the first letter of a heading is capitalized, unless the heading also contains a word or words that would
normally be written with an initial capital or with all capitals (e.g. name of a product or an acronym). In Latvian
headings, the full stop is only used between sentences or phrases. Headings end without punctuation, except if
the question mark (?), exclamation mark (!), or ellipsis (...) is used.
Examples:
English
Latvian
Online Meeting Options
Tiešsaistes sanāksmes opcijas
Other Settings
Citi iestatījumi
Help for Lotus 1-2-3 Users
Palīdzība Lotus 1-2-3 lietotājiem
Discover Microsoft Office!
Iepazīstiet Microsoft Office!
Deverbals with the ending ―-šana‖ or a noun phrase should be used when translating headings/topic titles.
Examples:
English
Latvian
Monitoring File Transfers
Failu pārsūtīšanas pārraudzība
Managing hardware and software
Aparatūras un programmatūras pārvaldība
Align text
Teksta līdzināšana
Change paragraph direction
Rindkopas virziena maiľa
59
In English, the titles for chapters usually begin with "How to …" or with phrases such as "Working with …" or
"Using …". In the Latvian version of Microsoft documentation, topic headings ―How to + infinitive‖ should be
translated as ―Kā + infinitive‖. If, however, the English help system is not consistent in using either active headings
or How to headings only, make sure the Latvian headings have a consistent format.
The titles for chapters beginning with "Working with …" are usually translated as ―Darbs ar…‖, and titles beginning
with "Using …" are translated as ―… lietošana‖ by using deverbal noun ending with "-šana", which is placed at the
end of the title phrase.
Some useful translations of manual titles:
English
Latvian
Building Applications
Lietojumprogrammu izveide
Getting Started with (product name)
Darba sākšana ar (product name)
Functions Reference
Funkciju uzziľas rokasgrāmata
Installation Guide
Instalācijas rokasgrāmata
Introducing (product name)
Ievads (product name)
Learning Guide
Mācību rokasgrāmata
Network Administrator's Guide
Tīkla administratora rokasgrāmata
Pocket Guide
Kabatas rokasgrāmata
Quick Reference Card
Ātrās uzziľas karte
Quick Reference Guide
Ātrās uzziľas rokasgrāmata
Roadmap to (product name)
Iepazīšanās ar (product name)
Short User Guide
Īsā lietotāja rokasgrāmata
Start Here Windows NT
Windows NT pamati
Tools Quick Reference
Rīku ātrās uzziľas rokasgrāmata
User's Guide
Lietotāja rokasgrāmata
User's Reference Guide
Lietotāja uzziľas rokasgrāmata
Worksheet Functions Reference
Darblapas funkciju uzziľas rokasgrāmata
Product Names in Titles
All help systems have a US name in the form "Microsoft XXX Help". Localise this in the following way: "Microsoft
XXX palīdzība". Note that "palīdzība" is not capitalized, unless the reference is made for the UI element.
Examples:
English
.. Help topics ..
Latvian
.. palīdzības tēmas ..
60
Column Headings
Column headings should not be followed by a colon or a period. Every line can start with an initial capital or a
lowercase letter.
Example:
Parametrs
Rezultāts
platums
Maina attēla platumu
augstums
Maina attēla augstumu
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.
According to the Copyright Law of the Republic of Latvia, ―Copyright shall apply to works of literature, science, art
and other works … also unfinished works, regardless of the purpose of the work and the value, form or type of
expression. Proof of copyright ownership shall not require registration, special documentation for the work or
observance of any other formalities.‖
61