Universal Translation Guidance

This section contains translation guidance that applies across all languages. Review these resources before starting any translation work, as they establish standards for handling common challenges.

Why Universal Resources

Translating Onetime Secret involves consistent challenges across languages:

• How to translate “secret” without personal/emotional connotations
• Maintaining the password vs. passphrase distinction
• Preserving brand voice while adapting to cultural norms
• Ensuring consistent quality across all translations

These universal resources document proven approaches from multiple language teams.

Resources

Core Concepts

• Translating “Secret” - How to handle the word “secret” in different language contexts, with examples from Danish, Italian, Chinese, and more

• Password vs. Passphrase - Maintaining the critical distinction between account credentials and secret protection

Style and Quality

• Voice and Tone - Patterns for active vs. passive voice, formality levels, and cultural adaptations

• Brand Terms - Terms that should not be translated and guidance on brand name usage

• Quality Checklist - Comprehensive checklist for pre-submission review

Usage Pattern

1. Before translating: Read all universal resources
2. During translation: Reference these resources for consistent decisions
3. Before submitting: Use the quality checklist to verify your work
4. When stuck: Check if another language solved a similar problem

Language-Specific Resources

After reviewing universal guidance, consult the locale-specific resources:

• Glossary - Standardized term translations per language
• Language Notes - Language-specific rules and exceptions, kept in the repository at src/content/docs/{locale}/translations/_language-notes.md for locales that have them

These combine with universal guidance in each locale’s export guide.