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Bangla (Bangladesh) style guide

  • Normative: Mohammad Shahidullah – Bangla Bhashar Itibritto, Suniti Kumar Chatterjee – The Origin and Development of the Bengali Language, Sumukumar Sen – Bhassar Ittibritto, Haricharan Bandopadhyaya - Bongiya Shobdo Kosh.
  • When more than one solution is possible, follow this guide.

Voice and register

  • Write short, easy-to-read sentences. Use active voice.
  • Be pleasant. Make explanations individualized.
  • Avoid slang. Be careful with colloquialisms. Stay professional.
  • Keep style clear, friendly, concise. Use everyday conversational language, not formal technical language.
  • Choose non-standard translations when they keep the intent of the source. Do not translate literally.
  • Use technical terms for technical audiences, common words for consumers.

Word choice

  • en-US app, not application or program.
  • en-US pick in fun or lightweight situations (pick a color, not choose a color); choose for formal situations; no select unless the UI requires it.
  • en-US drive for any drive type; name the specific type if needed.
  • en-US get for "obtain" only.
  • en-US info; information only when it fits better. info when pointing elsewhere (for more info, see <link>).
  • en-US PC for personal computing devices, computer for PCs and Macs. Do not switch between them.
  • en-US: address the user as you. No third-person references such as user.
  • Keep approved terminology. Do not use different target terms for established approved terms.
  • Use English loan words when they prevail over local equivalents and are understandable to users of all ages. They must follow Bengali grammar and syntax rules.
  • Do not decline English loan words and product names with Bengali grammatical endings. Bangla articles are not used with them.
  • SecurID: [sı'kjuər aı di:], িসিকউরআইিড
  • .NET: [dot net], ডটেনট
  • Short forms: BC -> িƢপু (for িƢɳপূবর্াɆ); AD -> িƢ (for িƢɳাɆ); KM -> িকিম (for িকেলািমটার); M -> িম (for িমটার); G -> ƣা (for ƣাম); KG -> েকিজ (for িকেলাƣাম); NB -> Ʋ or িব Ʋ (for Ʋɳবয্ or িবেশষ Ʋɳবয্)

Words and phrases to avoid

  • Achieve -> Do
  • As well as -> Also, too
  • Attempt -> Try
  • Configure -> Set up
  • Encounter -> Meet
  • Execute -> Run
  • Halt -> Stop
  • Have an opportunity -> Can
  • However -> But
  • Give/provide guidance, give/provide information -> Help
  • In addition -> Also
  • In conjunction with -> With
  • Locate -> Find
  • Make a recommendation -> Recommend
  • Modify -> Change
  • Navigate -> Go
  • Obtain -> Get
  • Perform -> Do
  • Purchase -> Buy
  • Refer to -> See
  • Resolve -> Fix
  • Subsequent -> Next
  • Suitable -> Works well
  • Terminate -> End
  • Toggle -> Switch
  • Utilize -> Use
  • Do not use sadhubhasha (classical Bengali). Use cholitbhasha (modern Bengali, manyacholitbangla as recommended by the Bangla Academy) in all forms.
  • With it: তাহার সেন -> তার সেǩ
  • To go with: সেন যাইেবন -> তা হেল...
  • This: ইহা -> এিট, এইিট
  • Should: উিচত -> উিচত
  • Find: সȴান -> খুঁজুন

Transliteration

  • Use terms people use in daily life, even in transliterated form.
  • Transliterate technical words when the regional language has no correct word. Keep plain English to a minimum; prefer transliteration. Prepare and discuss a list.
  • Only transliterate terms the target users use in daily life.
  • wallet: translation মািনবয্াগ, transliteration ওয়ােলট
  • cloud: translation েমঘ, transliteration Ǔাউড
  • device: translation যȫ, transliteration িডভাইস
  • prepaid gift card: translation পূবর্Ƶদানকরাউপহারকাডর্, transliteration িƵেপডিগɂকাডর্
  • client: translation ƣাহক, transliteration Ǔােয়ȥ
  • share: translation অংশীদািরকর‍ন, transliteration েশয়ারকর‍ন

Sample voice text

  • Address the user to take action: The password isn't correct, so please try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. -> পাসওয়াডর্িটিঠকনয়, তাইআবারেচɳাকর‍ন।পাসওয়াডর্গ‍িলেকস-সংেবদনশীল
  • This product key didn't work. Please check it and try again. -> এইেƵাডাNj-কীিটকাজকেরিন।ওটােকপরীǘাকেরআবারেচɳাকর‍ন।
  • All ready to go -> আরɕ করেত ৈতির
  • Would you like to continue? -> আপিন িক চািলেয় েযেতচান?
  • Give your PC a name—any name you want. If you want to change the background color, turn high contrast off in PC settings. -> আপনারPC-িটরএকিটনামিদন-আপনারপছেȱরেযেকােনানাম। আপিনযিদপɩাদপেটররঙপিরবতর্নকরেতচানতেব, PCেসিটং-এিগেয়হাইকȤাʁঅফকেরিদন।
  • Promote a feature: Picture password is a new way to help you protect your touchscreen PC. You choose the picture—and the gestures you use with it—to create a password that's uniquely yours. -> িপকচার পাসওয়াডর্ হল আপনার টাচিɼন PC-েক সুরিǘত রাখার একিট নতুন উপায়। আপিন একিট ছিব—এবং তার সােথ একিট ইিǩত বাছেবন—এমন একিট পাসওয়াডর্ ৈতির করেত েযটা এেকবাের আপনার িনজ˰
  • Let apps give you personalized content based on your PC's location, name, account picture, and other domain info. -> আপনার PC-এর অবʆান, নাম, অয্াকাউেȥর ছিব,এবং অনয্ানয্ েডােমেনর তেথয্র উপর িভিত্ত কের অয্াপেদর আপনােক Ƶাসিǩক িবষয়ব˥ িদেত িদন।
  • Provide how-to guidelines: To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. -> িপছেন িগেয় আপনার কাজিটেক সংরǘণ করেত, বািতল-এ িǓক কর‍ন ও আপিন যা েশষ করেত চান তা েশষ কের িনন।
  • To confirm your current picture password, just watch the replay and trace the example gestures shown on your picture. -> আপনার বতর্মােনর িচƯ পাসওয়াডর্ িনিɩত করেত, িরেɀ েদখুন এবং েƪস কর‍ন উদাহরণ ইিǩত, যা আপনার িচেƯ েদখােনা হেয়েছ।
  • Explanatory text and providing support: The updates are installed, but Windows 10 Setup needs to restart for them to work. After it restarts, we'll keep going from where we left off. -> আপেডটগ‍েলা ইনʁল করা হেয়েছ, িকˍ েসগ‍েলা কাজ করেতপারার আেগ Windows 10 েসটআপেক আবার চালু করার দরকার। িরʁাটর্ করার পেরআমরা আবাের েযখােন েশষ কেরিছলাম েসখান েথেক শ‍র‍ করব।
  • If you restart now, you and any other people using this PC could lose unsaved work. -> যিদ এখন আবার চালু কেরন তেব, আপিন এবং আর যাঁরা এইPC বয্বহার করেছন, সব অসিǹত েডটা হািরেয় েফলেবন।
  • This document will be automatically moved to the right library and folder after you correct invalid or missing properties. -> এই নিথিট ˰য়ংিƠয়ভােব ডানিদেকর সংরǘণাগাের ও েফাɟাের সরােনা হেব, যখন আপিন অৈবধ ও েনই এমন ৈবিশɳয্গ‍িলেক িঠক করেবন। or আপনার ʸারা অৈবধ বা অনুপিʆত ৈবিশɳয্সমূহ সংেশাধন করা হেয় েগেল এই নিথিট ˰য়ংিƠয়ভােব সিঠক লাইেƷির ও েফাɟাের ʆানাȭিরত হেব৷
  • Something bad happened! Unable to locate downloaded files to create your bootable USB flash drive. -> খারপ িকছু ঘেটেছ! ডাউনেলাড করা ফাইলগ‍িল খুঁেজ পাওয়া যােDZ না যার ʸারা বুট করা যায় এমন USB Ƀয্াশ Ƭাইভ ৈতির করা যায়।

Abbreviations

  • Abbreviate in the UI (mainly button and option names) only for lack of space.
  • Form abbreviations by taking the first letter of the word followed by visharga (◌ঃ), the aspirate sound.
  • Or take the first letter or first syllable of the word: বাংলােদশসংবাদসংʆা -> বাসস
  • Dictionary usage: অবয্. অবয্য় "post position"; িব. িবেশষয্ "noun"; িবণ. িবেশষণ "adjective"; িƠ-িবণ. িƠয়া িবেশষণ "adverb"; সবর্. সবর্নাম "pronoun"; পুং. পুংিলǩ "masculine"; ʃী. ʃীিলǩ "feminine"; বাং বাংলা "Bangla"; সং সংɾৃত "Sanskrit"; ইং ইংেরজী "English"
  • Geographical / directional: উঃ উত্তর "north", for example উঃেকািরয়া; দঃ দিǘণ "south", for example দঃেকািরয়া
  • Administrative / commercial: েকাং েকাɑানী "company"; ˰াঃ ˰াǘিরত "signed"; Ƶাঃ িলঃ Ƶাইেভট িলিমেটড "Private Limited"; িসিনঃ িসিনয়র "senior"; পৃঃ পৃɵা "page"; িবঃ Ʋঃ িবেশষ Ʋɳবয্ "nota bene"; উǮঃ উǮতা "height"; উ. মা. উǮ মাধয্িমক "Higher Secondary"; ডাঃ ডাǏার "Doctor"; ইিǻঃ ইিǻিনয়ার "engineer"
  • Measurements: েসঃ েসলিসয়াস "Celsius"; িকিম িকেলািমটার "kilometer"; েসিম েসিȥিমটার "centimeter"; েকিজ িকেলাƣাম "kilogram"; ƣাঃ ƣাম "gram"
  • িকেলাƣাম: েকিজ
  • Do not abbreviate: Pound পাউȨ; Euro ইউেরা; Ruble র‍বল; Dollar ডলার; Yen ইেয়ন; Taka টাকা; Rupee র‍পী; Degree িডƣী
  • Localized acronyms: র◌্যািপড অয্াকশন বয্ােটিলয়ান "RAB"; সাকর্ সাউথ এিশয়ানয়য্ােসািসেয়শন ফর িরিজওনাল েকা-অপােরশান "SAARC"; সাফটা সাউথ এিশয়ান ƶী েƪড এিƣেমȥ "SAFTA"; ইউেনসেকা ইউনাইেটডেনশনস এডুেকশনাল সাইিȥিফক য়য্াȨ কালচারাল অগর্ানাইেজশান "UNESCO"; ইউিনেসফ ইউনাইেটডেনশনস ইȥারনয্াশনাল িচেɞনস এমােজর্িȷফাȨ "UNICEF"; ওয়াɟর্ েহলথ অগর্ানাইেজশান "WHO"

Acronyms

  • Form typical Bangla acronyms by taking the first syllable of each word: লসাগ‍, লিঘɵ সাধারণ গ‍িণতক "LCM"; গসাগ‍, গিরɵ সাধারণ গ‍িণতক "HCF"
  • Do not localize or spell out these commonly understood acronyms: ANSI (American National Standards Institute), ISO (International Standards Organization), ISDN, DOS, DSL, CD, DVD, PDF, IP, GPS.
  • Contact your PM when unsure what an acronym stands for.

Adjectives

  • An adjective qualifies a noun or pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying. It often precedes the noun or pronoun it modifies.
  • Types: proper adjective, beautiful (সুȱর), ugly (কুতিসত); verbal adjective, edited (সɑািদত), drawn (অিǦত); adjective, Very much, too much, too many (অিত, অিধক); adverb, quickly (ʶত).
  • Examples: রাম ভাল েছেল; সুȱর বই; সɑািদত ফাইলটা খুলুন; ফেটািট অিত সুȱর; ʶত Ƶেবশ কর‍ন
  • Handle possessive adjectives as in English: You must provide the name of your Microsoft Exchange server -> আপনােক অবশয্ইআপনার Microsoft Exchange সাভর্ােরর নাম িদেত হেব৷

Articles

  • Bangla uses no articles: an icon -> আইকন; a filename -> ফাইলনাম; The folder -> েফাɟার
  • In complete sentences use determiners consistently even when the UI string does not: File already exists -> ফাইলিট ইিতমেধয্ িবদয্মান৷; The file already exists / This file already exists -> এই ফাইলিট ইিতমেধয্ িবদয্মান৷
  • Do not use a demonstrative construction unless it is important in context: Not enough memory to complete this operation. -> এই কাযর্িট সɑূণর্ করার জনয্ পযর্াȼ ʍৃিত েনই৷
  • Avoid the possessive marker your unless ownership is important in context: Windows 10 cannot start your system. If the problem persists, contact your network administrator. -> Windows 10—আপনার িসেʁমিট আরɕ করেত পাের না৷ আপনার অসুিবধা হেত থাকেল, েনটওয়াকর্ Ƶশাসেকর সােথ েযাগােযাগ কর‍ন৷
  • Use product names and non-translated feature names without articles. Do not attach a genitive s to trademarked product names. Add to a product or component name with a hyphen, or use a periphrastic construction: Microsoft's products -> Microsoft products, Products by Microsoft
  • Treat product names and unlocalized feature names as proper nouns: Windows Mail shares your Internet Connection settings with Internet Explorer -> Windows Mail আপনার ইȥারেনট সংেযােগর িবনয্াসন Internet Explorer এর সােথ অংশীদাির কের
  • Website addresses will be sent to Microsoft -> Microsoft-এ ওেয়বসাইট িঠকানাগ‍েলা েƵিরতহেব
  • Translated feature names take a definite or indefinite article; they are not proper names: Activate a window by hovering over it with the mouse -> মাউসিট উইেȨার উপের ঘুিরেয় েসিটেক সিƠয় কর‍ন
  • Select a location closest to your office. -> আপনার অিফেসর কাছাকািছ একিট অবʆান িনবর্াচন কর‍ন৷
  • For an English loan word, check motivation (formally motivated features that allow integration into the noun class system), analogy (an equivalent Bangla term whose article could be used), and frequency (which article other technical documentation uses most often).
  • Check a new loan word and its article against the terminology portal to avoid inconsistencies.
  • English borrowed terms always take the in English, but Bangla uses no article: The Homepage -> গৃহপৃɵা

Compounds

  • Keep compounds understandable and clear. Avoid overly long or complex compounds; unintuitive compounds are an intelligibility and usability issue.
  • Internet Accounts -> ইȥারেনট অয্াকাউȥসমূহ
  • Logon script processing -> িলিপ ƵিƠয়াকরণ লগঅন কর‍ন
  • Workgroup Administrator -> ওয়াকর্ʡপ Ƶশাসক
  • Internet News Server Name -> ইȥারেনট সংবাদ সাভর্ােররনাম
  • Product names in compounds stay unchanged. Add to a product or component name with a hyphen, or use a periphrastic construction.
  • Windows password -> Windows-এর পাসওয়াডর্
  • Microsoft Word document -> Microsoft Word-এর নিথপƯ
  • Microsoft SQL Server Database -> Microsoft SQL Server-এর ডাটােবস
  • Microsoft BackOffice product family -> Microsoft BackOffice-এর পণয্ পিরবার
  • ActiveX Control -> ActiveX িনয়ȫণ
  • Use portfolio names without a hyphen or article in any language: Microsoft Office System, Microsoft Windows Server System, Windows Mobile.
  • Compounds with acronyms, abbreviations, or numerals: CD-ROM drive -> CD-ROMƬাইভ; 2-D gridlines -> 2-Dিƣডলাইন; 3.5 Floppy -> 3.5 Ƀিপ; 51/4-inch Floppy -> 51/4-ইিǹɃিপ; 35mm slides -> 35িম.িম. ʎাইড

Conjunctions

  • Starting a sentence with a conjunction conveys an informal tone.
  • en-US: As <product> gains features, there is a risk that older content may not display correctly. -> But because of these features older content may not display correctly.
  • The product contains few features, so there is a risk that older content may not be displayed correctly.: পণয্িটেত এমন িকছু ৈবিশɳয্ রেয়েছ যার ফেল পুরেনািবষয়গ‍েলািঠকভােবেদখানাওেযেতপাের। -> পণয্িটর দুএকিট ৈবিশেɳয্র কারেণ পুরেনা িবষয়গ‍েলা িঠকভােব েদখানাও েযেত পাের।
  • The road was damaged yesterday, for this reason due to water-logging the teacher cannot go to the school: জলাবȝতারজনয্ রাʅািট ǘিতƣʆ হওয়ায় গতকাল িশǘক মেহাদয় ɾুেল েযেত পােরনিন। -> জলাবȝতারজনয্ িশǘক মেহাদয় গতকাল ɾুেল েযেত পােরনিন।

Gender

  • Bangla has three genders: masculine, feminine, neuter. েছেল singular masculine; েমেয় singular feminine; বই singular neuter.
  • Pronouns do not change with gender.
  • Gender is not grammatical. Only animate subjects are distinguished by gender, through qualifying terms, different words, or suffixes.
  • Suffixes আ, ঈ, আনী convert masculine to feminine: আযর্→আযর্া, িশষয্→িশষয্া, ছাƯ→ছাƯী, িহম→িহমানী
  • Different feminine words: ˰ামী→ʃী; বর→বধূ; পুর‍ষ→ʃী
  • Use language as neutral as possible. Do not stress gender differences or reinforce stereotypes. Apply the neutral approach to scenarios, comparisons, examples, illustrations, and metaphors.
  • Balance roles and functions assigned to men and women (active vs. passive, leading vs. secondary, technical vs. non-technical). Base scenarios, pictures, metaphors, and comparisons on areas and attributes common to both genders.
  • Use a neutral noun in concept descriptions and explanations: বয্িǏ, েনতা, দলপিত, কমর্চারী, বয্বহারকারী
  • Write gender separately (িতিন, তার) only in exceptional cases such as License Terms, and sometimes in tables (headers, column or row titles).

Genitive

  • Genitive is the noun case indicating possession or origin. Bangla uses র as the genitive case marker.
  • Pronominal: Contact your Exchange administrator -> আপনার Exchange Ƶশাসেকর সেǩ েযাগােযাগ কর‍ন৷; আপনার is the genitive.
  • Nominal: Ram's book -> রােমর বই; রােমর is the genitive.
  • Do not attach a genitive s to trademarked product names: write Microsoft Office Word, not Microsoft Office Word's.

Localizing colloquialism, idioms, and metaphors

  • Do not replace a source colloquialism with a Bangla one unless it is a perfect and natural fit.
  • Translate the intended meaning, not the literal words, and only when the meaning is integral to the text.
  • Omit the colloquialism when it can go without affecting the meaning.

Modifiers

  • A modifier describes or limits a verb, noun, adjective, or adverb. Modifiers of nouns are adjectives; modifiers of verbs, adjectives, or adverbs are adverbs. Removing a modifier does not affect grammaticality.
  • Adjective modifier: The video file selected is either too large or too small -> চয়ন করা িভিডও ফাইলিট হয় অিত বৃহত বা অিত েছাট৷; অিত modifies বৃহত and েছাট.
  • Adverb modifier: This feature automatically saves this message. -> এই ৈবিশɳয্িট ˰য়ংিƠয়ভােব এই বাতর্ািট সংরǘণ কের৷; ˰য়ংিƠয়ভােব is the modifier.
  • Choose and place modifiers carefully for accuracy.

Nouns

  • Integrate English loan words into the noun class system. Keep translations consistent within a product; decide the noun class with the translation team lead and members.
  • Delete it from server. -> Server েথেক মুছুন৷
  • DNS cannot resolve the server IP address -> DNS server IP িঠকানা পুনঃসমাধান করেত পােরনা
  • Enter a password to log into the server -> Server-এ লগইন করেত পাসওয়াডর্ Ƶেবশ করান
  • Verify the name of the server's certificate -> Server-এর শংসাপƯিটর নামিট যাচাই কর‍ন
  • Inflection of English loanwords for number: Clients -> Ǔােয়ȥসমূহ; Websites -> ওেয়বসাইটসমূহ; Downloads -> ডাউনেলাডসমূহ; Proxies -> ƵিǙসমূহ
  • Form the plural from the singular noun by adding a suffix. Because localization language is formal, use only গ‍েলা and সমূহ for inanimate objects and েদর, গণ, রা for animate nouns.
  • File(s): singular ফাইল, plural ফাইলসমূহ/ফাইলগ‍িল
  • User(s): singular বয্বহারকারী, plural বয্বহারকারীেদর/বয্বহারকারীগণ/বয্বহারকারীরা

Prepositions

  • Use prepositions correctly. Do not omit them or change word order under English influence.
  • Starting or ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable.
  • Bangla uses post-positions where English uses prepositions. Post-positions come after the possessive case form of the noun or pronoun: for me -> আমারজনয্ or আমারকারেণ; in the drive -> Ƭাইেভ
  • Common post-positions: সেǩ, সিহত, পɩােত, িপেছ, িপছেন, সɖুেখ, সমুেখ, সামেন, আেগ, িভতর, িভতের, পােশ, নীেচ, উপের, মােঝ, বািহের, বাইের, বােম, দিǘেণ; কতকগ‍েলা, মত, মতন, নয্ায়, সম, পারা, েহন, তুলয্, েযন, Ƶায়; পযর্ȭ, অবিধ, েথেক, ছিড়েয়েপিরেয়৷
  • migrate to -> …েত ʆানাȭরকর‍ন
  • migrate from -> …এর েথেক ʆানাȭরকর‍ন
  • import to -> …এেত আমদািন
  • import from -> …এর েথেক আমদািন
  • export to -> …এেত রȼািন
  • export from -> …এর েথেক রȼািন
  • update to -> …এেত হালনাগাদ
  • upgrade to -> …এেত উǮায়ন
  • change to -> …এেত পিরবতর্ন
  • click on -> …িǓক কর‍ন
  • connect to -> …এেত সংেযাগ কর‍ন
  • welcome to... -> …এেত ˰াগতম
  • in the toolbar -> টুলবােরর েভতর; the post-position comes after the noun.
  • on the tab -> টয্ােবর ওপর
  • on the menu -> েমনুর ওপর
  • on the net -> েনেটর ওপর
  • on the Internet -> ইȥারেনেটর ওপর
  • on the Web -> ওেয়েবর ওপর
  • on a web site -> ওেয়বসাইেটর ওপর
  • on a web page -> ওেয়বপৃɵার ওপর

Pronouns

  • Bangla pronouns are personal, demonstrative, relative, indefinite, interrogative, possessive, and reflexive. The form depends on the function in the sentence.
  • Bangla uses single bases with agglutinative endings: singular 1 আিম; 2 তুিম (familiar), আপিন (polite); 3 েস (familiar), িতিন (polite). Plural: আমরা, েতামরা, আপনারা, তাহারা/তারা. Declined as nouns: আিম, আমার, আমােক.
  • Use only the formal pronoun.
  • If you don't know this information, contact your Exchange administrator -> যিদ আপিন এই তথয্িট না জােনন েসেǘেƯ আপনার Exchange Ƶশাসেকর সেǩ েযাগােযাগ কর‍ন৷

Punctuation

  • Follow the basic rules for punctuation marks in Bangla. Include a space after commas and periods in Latin-based character sets.
  • The bulleted list sign is the same as in English. Keep bulleted elements as written in the English source.
  • Punctuation marks: :, ;, !, ., ,, ?
  • Insert a space before a value and its symbol: 16 MB
  • Leave one single space after a period.
  • Put a space between an email address and a punctuation mark, and between a URL and a punctuation mark.
  • Use a comma as a separator when several names or items are written consecutively, and for short pauses. Omitting the comma is common in contemporary writing; use that open style only when there is little or no risk of misreading.
  • Use commas mostly in adverbial clauses, adjectival clauses, introductory participial phrases, parenthetical elements, interjections, transitional adverbs and similar elements, direct address, display lines, appositives, coordinative adjectives, complementary or antithetical elements, series or lists, That's, Namely and similar expressions, separating identical or similar words, titles, addresses and dates, elliptical constructions, maxims, proverbs and other familiar expressions, and questions.
  • িঠকানাপুিʅকােখালারসময়, Ƶথেমএইিঠকানাতািলকািটেদখান৷
  • মুǏ/বয্ʅসময়, িবষয়, অবʆান
  • A colon states that what follows proves, clarifies, explains, or enumerates elements of what came before. Use it to relate clauses and introduce statements, quotations, or lists.
  • িসরাজ বলেলন: মূখর্ মানুষ পশ‍র েচেয় িনকৃɳ।
  • িতিন বলেলন: আমার বয্ােগ িতন রেঙর কাগজ আেছ।
  • অনুɵান ১০:২০ িমিনেট শ‍র‍ হেব।
  • Do not use colons to create a longer sentence. Two shorter sentences read more easily.
  • Hyphen: divides words between syllables, links parts of a compound word, connects the parts of an inverted or imperative verb form: Drop-down -> Ƭপ-ডাউন; e-mail -> ই-েমল
  • En dash: minus sign, usually with spaces before and after. Often used in place of to: 10–5 p.m.
  • En dash in number ranges: no spaces.
  • Em dash, known in Bangla as "dash": use only to emphasize an isolated element or introduce a non-essential element. Use it to indicate a break in thought or set off an appositive. It can show a date whose time frame has not ended: Robin Cook, 1976—
  • Em dash (—) denotes a pause in thought or a parenthetical statement. Use it sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing it may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses for added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
  • Use the em dash where a full stop is too strong and a comma too weak. A colon is often recommended instead of em dashes in lists or definitions.
  • I need three items at the store—biscuits, butter, and cheese. -> েʁােরআমারিতনিটআইেটমƵেয়াজন- িবɾুট, মাখনওিচজ।
  • We can save this file with different names, like—file1, file2, file3 etc. -> আমরাএইফাইলেক—ফাইল1, ফাইল2, ফাইল3 ইতয্ািদপৃথকনােমসংরǘণকরেতপাির৷
  • Ellipsis (…) marks an omission of words needed to complete the construction or meaning, a pause in speech, an unfinished thought, or a trailing off into silence: জীবননদীরদুিটপাের.... Rarely used in localization.
  • Period (৷) marks a full stop at the end of declarative sentences and other complete statements. No space between the last letter and the period. One space between the period and the first letter of the next sentence: সাভর্াের বাতর্াগ‍িলর একিট অনুিলিপ েরেখ যান৷
  • The period (.) also marks a full stop at the end of complete statements and follows many abbreviations.
  • Use quotation marks when referring to speech or a quotation. US source strings may surround software references with English quotation marks. “” and ‘’ both denote speech or a quotation: আজ“ঈদ”
  • No space between the parentheses and the text inside them: (এই িবকɤ িনবর্াচন কর‍ন যিদ সময় অথবা কােনকশন গিত িবেবচনামূলক হয়)

Sentence fragments

  • Use sentence fragments wherever possible; they are short and to the point. en-US Use the following steps. -> Here's how
  • According to the follwing process: িনেɎাǏ পȝিত অনুসরণ কর‍ন -> এভােবকর‍ন
  • Considering above: উপিরউǏ িবেবচনা সােপেǘ -> এই েǘেƯ
  • Please do this as described: বিণর্ত পȝিত অনুসরণ কর‍ন -> বিণর্ত পȝিত অনুসরণ কর‍ন

Subjunctive

  • The subjunctive expresses doubt, uncertainty, denial, desire or wish, commands, reactions, or a strong emotional attitude.
  • In Bangla the subjunctive is associated with the past tense plus েতন৷: If my father was a teacher he would teach me. -> যিদ আমার বাবা িশǘক হেতন িতিন আমােক পড়ােতন

Symbols and nonbreaking spaces

  • A symbol represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. Traffic signs: থামুন, সামেনɾুল, সাবধান
  • ☺: হািস
  • ☼: সূযর্
  • ♥: েƵম
  • =D>: হাততািল
  • ♀: পুর‍ষ
  • ♫: সǩীত
  • The nonbreaking space is also known as a hard space or fixed space. In HTML create it by replacing the space with &nbsp.

Verbs

  • A verb describes an action or occurrence or indicates a state of being: Confirm new password: -> নতুন পাসওয়াডর্ িনিɩত কর‍ন; Confirm is the verb directed to the user.
  • An English verb can be used as a loan word; loan words follow Bangla syntactic and morphological rules.
  • chat: চয্াটকরেছ, চয্াটকেরিছল, চয্াট করেব
  • crawl: Ơলকরেছ, Ơলকেরিছল, Ơল করেব
  • debug: িডবাগকরেছ, িডবাগকেরিছল, িডবাগ করেব
  • Other loan verbs: drive করেছ, surf করেছ, search করেছ, download করেছ, upload করেছ, install করেছ
  • Use simple tenses. Use simple present by default. Avoid future tense unless something will really happen in the future and simple present does not apply. Use simple past for events that already happened.
  • en-US: After you are finished installing the tool, the icon will appear on your desktop. ("are finished", present perfect) -> After you finish installing the tool, the icon appears on your desktop. ("finish", simple present)
  • Use the normal present and the present perfect tense.
  • If this tool is installed, then an icon would appear in the desktop.: এই েƵাƣাম ইȷটল করার পর্ আপনার েডɾটেপ আইকন েদখা যােব -> এই েƵাƣাম ইȷটল করা হেল, আপনার েডǙটেপ আইকন েদখা যােব।
  • Deleting of this folder may not delete the actual program.: এই েফাɟারিট মুেছ েফলা হেলই েয মূল েƵাƣামিটও মুেছ যােব তা নয় -> এই েফাɟারিট মুেছ েফলা হেলই েয মূল েƵাƣামিটও মুেছ যােব তা নয়

Localization considerations

  • Adapt the translated text to the local language, customs, and standards.
  • Make the text read as if originally written in Bangla: idiomatic syntax and terminology, high terminological consistency.

Accessibility

  • Accessibility options and programs make the computer usable by people with cognitive, hearing, physical, or visual disabilities.
  • Components use a flexible, customizable UI, alternative input and output methods, and greater exposure of screen elements.

Applications, products, and features

  • Verify a product, application, or feature name is translatable and unprotected before translating it. Feature names can be trademarked (IntelliSense™).
  • Transliterate non-trademarked application, software, hardware, and technical terms; translating them into the native language can confuse the user. Transliterate terms widely used in English that users already understand.
  • Database -> েডটােবস
  • Disc drive -> িডɾƬাইভ
  • Interface -> ইȥারেফস
  • Internet -> ইȥারেনট
  • Meta Data -> েমটােডটা
  • Schema -> িɾমা
  • Network -> েনটওয়াকর্
  • Virus -> ভাইরাস
  • Version numbers always contain a period: Version 4.2. WCAG 6.2 -> WCAG 6.2

Geopolitical concerns

  • Check for sensitive or potentially offensive content in maps, flags, country/region, city and language names, art and graphics, and cultural content such as encyclopedia entries and historical or political references.
  • Check maps and other graphical representations of countries/regions for accuracy and political restrictions.
  • Recheck country/region, city, and language names even if previously approved; they change regularly.
  • Check cultural content, clip art, religious symbols, and body and hand gestures against the culture of the target market.

Error messages

  • Error messages state an error that must be corrected for the program to keep running. They can prompt an action or state that the computer must restart.
  • Keep translations natural and empathetic, not robot-like. Use consistent terminology and language style; do not just translate messages as they appear in the source.
  • Bangla has no specific style for error messages. The main principles are clarity, comprehensibility, and consistency.
  • Oops, that can't be blank... -> ওেহা, ওিট ফাঁকা রাখা যােব না...
  • Not enough memory to process this command. -> এই আেদশিট ƵিƠয়ার জনয্ যেথɳ ʍৃিত েনই।
  • Can't rename "Pictures" because a file or folder with that name already exists -> "িচƯগ‍িল"র পুনরায় নামকরণ করেত পাের না কারণ এই নােমর একিট ফাইল বা েফাɟার ইিতমেধয্ রেয়েছ
  • Use a standard phrase for error messages with the same meaning and purpose in the source, which is occasionally inconsistent. Use other wording only when it works better in context.
  • Cannot …, Could not … -> পােরনা...: ফাইলিট সংরǘণ করেত পােরনা
  • Failed to …, Failure of … -> বয্থর্ হেয়িছল...: সȴান করেত বয্থর্ হেয়িছল৷
  • Cannot find …, Could not find …, Unable to find …, Unable to locate … -> সȴান করেত পােরনা...: ফাইলিট সȴান করেত পােরনা
  • Not enough memory, Insufficient memory, There is not enough memory, There is not enough memory available -> পযর্াȼ ʍৃিত েনই: িডেɾ পযর্াȼ ʍৃিত েনই
  • ... is not available, ... is unavailable -> ...উপলভয্ েনই: ফাইলিট উপলভয্ েনই
  • Anticipate what replaces a placeholder so the sentence stays grammatically correct.
  • Placeholder letters carry meaning: %d, %ld, %u, %lu mean <number>; %c means <letter>; %s means <string>.
  • "Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!" means "Checking Web <number> of <number>."; "INI file "%1!-.200s!" section" means "INI file "<string>" section."
  • When a placeholder is a noun and adjectives agree with nouns, know the exact string so a preceding adjective can be inflected. Most source strings already avoid modifying a placeholder with an adjective. Reword the translation to avoid an ungrammatical sentence where the language has subject-verb agreement.
  • Replace invalid %s? (Replace invalid data?, Replace invalid file?) -> অৈবধ %s পুনঃʆাপন করেবন?
  • %s already exists (File already exists, Name already exists) -> %s ইিতমেধয্ িবদয্মান
  • %s is now set as your personal contact. (Regina is now set as your personal contact, Mr. Kim is now set as your personal contact) -> %s এখন আপনার বয্িǏগত পিরিচিত িহসােব েসট আেছ৷
  • %s stopped working and was closed (The application stopped working and was closed, The program stopped working and was closed) -> %s কাজ করা বȴক েরেছ এবং বȴ িছল

Keys

  • References to key names (arrow keys, function keys, numeric keys) appear in normal text, not small caps.
  • Do not translate names of keys that appear on the keyboard.
  • Key names kept as in English: Alt, Backspace, Break, Caps Lock, Delete, End, Enter, Home, Insert, Num Lock, Page Down, Page Up, Pause, Scroll Lock, Shift, Tab, Print Screen.
  • Key names translated: Ctrl -> Control; Esc -> Escape; Down Arrow -> নীেচর তীর; Left Arrow -> বাম তীর; Right Arrow -> ডান তীর; Up Arrow -> উপেরর তীর; Spacebar -> েʊসবার; Windows key -> Windows কী; Menu Key -> েমনু কী

Keyboard shortcuts and access keys

  • Bangla is the national language of Bangladesh and the state language of West Bengal; speakers are also in India, Nepal, and Singapore. The script is the same everywhere and spoken differences are slight.
  • The Bangla keyboard layout has been standardized several times, so no consistent layout is used. Phonetic keyboards are also preferred for general use.
  • Layouts: the national standard Jatiyo, plus InScript, Avro, Bijoy, and phonetic counterparts. Bijoy is a private physical keyboard.
  • Localize keyboard shortcuts. Both physical layouts are almost similar and differ from InScript, used for the soft keyboard. Many people in Bangladesh and West Bengal use Bangla keyboards and stickers and prefer soft and physical versions over transliteration software, which is less useful because of language complexity. Linux platforms already support localization of keyboard shortcuts.
  • Slim characters (I, l, t, r, f) as shortcuts: no. Bangla characters cannot be termed "slim" compared to Roman ones.
  • Characters with down strokes (g, j, y, p, q) as shortcuts: yes. Most Bangla characters are written with a down stroke, for example গ, দ, ন, প, ল, হ, and these are valid shortcut characters.
  • Extended characters as shortcuts: no. Bangla conjuncts, combinations of two consonants, cannot be used.
  • An additional letter in brackets after the item name as a shortcut: no.
  • A number in brackets after the item name as a shortcut: yes.
  • A punctuation sign in brackets after the item name as a shortcut: no.
  • Duplicate shortcuts when no other character is available: yes.
  • No shortcut assigned when no more characters are available (minor options only): no.
  • Use only single stroke characters. Bangla has only 18 single stroke characters, so numbers are also allowed as shortcuts.
  • Preferred shortcut characters, not case-sensitive: ক,গ,চ,জ,ট,ড,ত,দ,ন,প,ব,ম,য,র,ল,,স,হ
  • Allowed shortcut characters, not case-sensitive: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
  • access key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A letter or number the user types to access UI controls with text labels. Assigned to top-level controls. Example: F in Alt+F; in UI localization H&ome. Most access keys use the Alt key.
  • key tip: the letter or number that appears in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization it is the last character after the ` character. Example: HomeH`.
  • shortcut key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A key the user types to perform a common action without going through the UI. Not available for every command. Example: Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Most shortcut keys use the Ctrl key. Ctrl+letter combinations and function keys (F1 through F12) are the best choices.

English pronunciation

  • Pronounce English terms and product names left unlocalized the English way.
  • Use the local pronunciation for a common term with an established Bangla pronunciation (for example server).
  • Adapt pronunciation to the Bangla phonetic system when the original sounds very awkward.
  • SecurID: [sı'kjuər aı di:], িসিকউর আইিড
  • .NET: [dot net], ডট েনট
  • Skype: [skaip]
  • Pronounce acronyms like real words, adapted to local pronunciation: RADIUS: [ˈrādēəs], েরিডয়াস; RAS: [ræs], র◌্যাস; ISA: [ˈisə], ইসা; LAN: [læn], লয্ান; WAN: [wɑn], ওয়ান; WAP: [wɑp], ওয়াপ; MAPI: [ˈmæpi], ময্ািপ; POP: পপ; URL: [ju-ɑr-ɛl], ইউআরএল.
  • Pronounce other abbreviations letter by letter: ICMP: [aɪ-si-ɛm-pi], আইিসএমিপ; IP: [ɪp], আইিপ; TCP/IP: [ti-si-pi/ɪp], িটিসিপ/আইিপ; XML: [ɛks-ɛm-ɛl], এǙএমএল; HTML: [eɪʧ-ti-ɛm-ɛl], এইচিটএমএল; OWA: [oʊ-ˈdʌbəlju-eɪ], ওডাˇএ; SQL: [ɛs-kju-ɛl], এসিকউএল.
  • Omit http:// in URLs. Read the rest entirely.
  • Pronounce www as ˈdʌbəlju ˈdʌbəlju ˈdʌbəlju.
  • Omit the dot, or read it out the English way as dot or [dɑt].
  • http://www.microsoft.com/en-in: [eɪʧ ti ti pi: // ˈdʌbəlju ˈdʌbəlju ˈdʌbəlju.ˈmaɪˌkroʊˈsɔft.kɑm/ɛn ɪn]
  • The sound of voice implies most punctuation marks: ? ! : ; ,
  • Pronounce the en dash (–), used to emphasize an isolated element, as a comma, a short pause.
  • Pronounce special characters (/ \ ˘ < > + -) using the Bangla approved translations.

Local usage

Use contemporary Bangla rather than literary Sadhu Basha. Address the reader respectfully with আপনি; distinguish a message to the reader from a command addressed to the app.