1. StyleCompany BackgroundWhat product/service is being presented?What target group(s) are we addressing?What is the tone of the text?Where will the text appear?Relevant reference material/web sites for terminologyBrand, product, and feature namesPlaceholders and CodeICU Plural Strings2. ConventionsTimesDatesPhone numbersAddressesURLsCurrenciesPricesNumeralsPunctuation rulesQuotation MarksEn dash (-)Em dash (—)ItalicizationCapitalizationAbbreviationsParenthesisHeadings and TitlesBullet listsLists: sorting orderUnits of measure3. Other instructions
This style guide is intended to give translators as much background information as possible to ensure that they fully understand the message, intent and nuances of the source text.
This style guide is also intended to provide translators with the most important conventions that apply to the project and to their language. Please keep in mind that the objective of a style guide is to minimize mistakes and inconsistencies in formatting, terms and style.
Make the style guide as short or as long as you need to. Feel free to cut items that do not apply to the project or feel free to add more items.
Please add comments with feedback, suggestions.
1. Style
Company Background
Notion Labs Inc is a startup based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 2013. The company mission is “We want to empower everyone to shape the tools that shape their lives.”
What product/service is being presented?
Notion: The all-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases.
Notion is available as a web app, desktop app, and mobile app to help anyone, including companies and employees, as well as students and teachers, organize their work.
The best way to understand Notion is to play with the product: www.notion.so.
Or, read the story behind the product: www.notion.so/about
We've heard Notion described in many ways. It can be as simple as a blank piece of paper, making writing feel light and delightful. It can be as complex as a relational database that stores huge amounts of data. We sometimes compare it to a set of Legos (if Legos were designed by The New York Times). But at its core, Notion is a toolbox of software building blocks that let you manage your life and work however you find most useful.
For product training, see:
What target group(s) are we addressing?
Companies of any size from startups to established large companies as well as educational institutions.
For customer references, see:
What is the tone of the text?
- Warm and friendly - Like how you'd talk to someone you want to befriend. Use the “세요” form instead of “십시오” other than legal documents including “Terms of Use.”
- Helpful - Always looking for the chance to add value.
- Clear - Get info across as simply and quickly as possible.
- Visual - Show the product and how it works at every opportunity.
- Tasteful - Less Reddit, more New Yorker. Minimal. Elegant.
- Quirky - Dashes of wit here and there, not too much. Playful.
- Unstudied - We sound like humans, not like marketing. Our polish comes from precision (no typos) not from cliched or overly-clever turns of phrase.
- Humble - Customer is always right. We're in service to them. Hospitality first.
See the English style guide for more information at: https://www.notion.so/acclaronotion/English-Style-Guide-2f88e60d47c74d208a80d1d479f266d3
Where will the text appear?
In the Notion web, mobile, or desktop app.
Relevant reference material/web sites for terminology
Please indicate what websites or other reference material is to be used and, if relevant, which websites should NOT be used.
See the Help and Support pages for explanation and context of many features:
Brand, product, and feature names
Do not translate brand, product, or certain Notion product-specific feature names.
Examples:
- Brand and product names
- Notion
- Mac
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
- Evernote
- Slack
- Notion product-specific feature names
- Web Clipper
- Quick Find
Placeholders and Code
Do not translate any placeholders or code.
Examples:
- Text in curly brackets (usually displayed in pink or purple in Lokalise)
- {workspace}
- HTML and other tags
Note: You can hover over the tag in order to see what it stands for.
- ICU code. In ICU strings, non-translatable text is marked in pink and purple in Lokalise; text in black needs to be translated.
- {hasExistingUser, select, true {If you didn't try to log in, you can safely ignore this email.} other {If you didn't try to sign up, you can safely ignore this email.}}
For more information on ICU strings, see: https://format-message.github.io/icu-message-format-for-translators/index.html#learn-more
In general, text in black font is translatable in Lokalise.
ICU Plural Strings
In ICU Plural strings, Lokalise will automatically adapt the target string format to the target locale. E.g. if a language such as Japanese or Korean does not use singular and plural, only one translated version of the string is needed:
If a language such as Arabic requires different translations for singular, dual and plural, Lokalise defaults these options for translation.
Also try to avoid inundating the translation with “(와)과”, “(을)를” as it hurts readability.
Use ONLY WHEN THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION. These can be done by adding a noun to the front. For instance, if it is a member, use {0} 님. In most cases, you can find ways to avoid (와)과, be creative.
2. Conventions
Times
Do not use 24 hour system, add 오전, 오후 10시 30분 when it is a part of a sentence. When it is a standalone time format, you can use 오전 12:30 – 오후 2:00.
Dates
Indicate date formats:
Ex:
Date formats are yyyy. mm. dd for stand-alone numbers.
Use 2008년 1월 15일 when dates are used within a full sentence.
Phone numbers
Follow the English format
Addresses
Leave untranslated for informational purposes.
URLs
Follow source.
Currencies
Follow source. No need to put 달러, 불.
$5를, $10입니다
Prices
Please keep prices as is. Do not change the amount or currency.
Example: (If you upgrade your workspace to the Team plan, you will be charged a fee per member ($10 monthly or $96 yearly).
Numerals
- Follow Korean rule for separation of thousands and decimals (add 0 before period, i.e. 0.754)
- Percentages – Use %, not 퍼센트
- Numbers below ten (Do not add 0 to the left or not)
- Rendering of number symbol: #
Punctuation rules
Use comma using Korean standard rule, especially after 하지만, and use comma effectively to help readability.
Quotation Marks
Use “”
En dash (-)
Just use regular hyphen
Em dash (—)
Just use regular hyphen
Italicization
Change to bold unless in English.
Capitalization
Follow source if it is for English. If capitalization is used for emphasis, please change it to boldface in Korean.
Abbreviations
Explain in parenthesis the first time they are used? For the rest, follow source.
Parenthesis
No spacing before the opening parenthesis.
Headings and Titles
Please try to avoid a full sentence and try to be concise and consistent in style.
Bullet lists
Follow source.
Lists: sorting order
Haven’t seen the actual app, will update if required. Use Korean norms on Korean websites
Units of measure
Use metrics, for example km, g, etc. without space. I haven’t used Lokalise for quite some time but I believe they show conversion options in the tool.
3. Other instructions
Use 와 and 과 rather than 및, as it hurts readability. 및 is mostly applicable to legal documents where you need to be extra formal. Use natural language for UI.
Avoid double/triple honorifics.