FINAL STYLEGUIDE FOR MICROSOFT LOCALISATION PROJECT FOR
KINYARWANDA
This Style Guide was prepared to enhance the consistency and clarity of our translations
as well as providing some understanding as to the style and word choice of the
Kinyarwanda translations.
The Style Guide is built on three main sections, especially Recommended Reference
Material, General Language Guidelines and Main GUI Components.
I. Reference Materials
1.2. Normative references
So as to safeguard translation consistency, the following normative sources will be used:
1. BIZIMANA et al: Imiterere y‘ikinyarwanda, Butare, URST, 1998
2. MINEPRISEC: Urutonde rw’amuga, Ikinyarwanda-Igifaransa, Kigali, Imprisco, 1983
3. Pierre SCHUMACHER : Dictionnaire Français Runyarwanda, Runyarwanda-Français,
Kabgayi, Impremerie Palotti Presse, 1954
4. URST: Inkoranya y’ikinyarwanda, Butare, URST, 2005
1.3. Informative references
The following sources will be used:
1. Collins COBUILD English Dictionary for Advanced Learners on CD-ROM
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2. Online references, including http://www.answers.com ,
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon.htm
II. General Language Guidelines
2.1. General Guiding principles:
1.
Do not use a heavy, staid, or arrogant tone; translations should be upbeat and
friendly.
2.
Avoid awkward or unprofessional wording.
3.
Try to capture the essence of the message. Don't translate literally or word-for-
word.
4.
Be consistent because consistent terminology facilitates a better understanding
of technical concepts. Inconsistency forces users to figure out whether different words
and actions mean the same thing.
e.g. Gutangiza, gukurura, gupakurura for download?
5.
Be precise for instance by choosing words with a clear meaning, choosing short
words over long or compound words.
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6.
Use real world language, i.e. use everyday, short and plain words as much as
possible and make sure that that users are more familiar with a word’s established
meaning than with a special meaning given it by the tech industry or coined by you.
7.
Use the second person in singular to tell the user what to do because it creates a
more familiar and personal tone.
2.2. Target Register
2.2.1. Genre
Instructional neuter genre will be preferred. For instance titles, labels, menu items and
buttons will be preferably translated by an infinitive form, except where the title, label or
item is the name.
e.g. Start: Gutangira; Search: Gushaka
but Tools: Ibikoresho; Window: Idirishya
As regards a title case, this may be difficult to determine as the source text does not
specify where lower or upper case should be used. In any case, if the source is all lower
case or has a term that is all caps, translators should follow the source text closely,
unless there is a source error.
2.2.2. Formality
The neutral form should be used, unless the situation shows clearly that the formal form
is required. Therefore, translations should be semi-formal with emphasis on clarity.
e.g. Welcome to our website: Ikaze ku rubuga rwacu. NOT Murakaza neza ku rubuga
rwacu
Ushobora, hari ikibazo …., Kinyarwanda equivalents for equivalents for politeness
indicators such as ‘Please’ etc. do not need to be included, although it is not incorrect to
use them to represent ‘please’.
Acceptable:
Please close: Ushobora gufunga?
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Better:
Please close: Funga
2.2.3. Style
Sentences should be short, simple, and as clear as possible. Whenever possible, the
preference should be to try to address the user in singular form.
e.g. Click here to begin: Kanda hano kugira ngo utangire. NOT Mukande hano kugira
ngo mutangire.
Attempts should also be made to use a full grammatical sentence, if space allows it, as
opposed to an abbreviated or truncated one.
e.g. Delete or save? Gusiba cyangwa kubika? NOT Gusiba cg kubika?
2.3. Tone
It is very important to us that Users feel reassured that the information is technically
accurate. For instance, if the information related to a task is not accurate, the user’s
experience with that specific task is spoiled, and he loses faith in any other assistance
he reads from that source. In addition, users should believe that the developer, and by
extension the application, knows when a certain task is complicated and that you will
guide them through it. At the same time, it is needed to treat users as intelligent people
who happen to need help with a particular problem.
Sometimes, users also want a richer explanation, and often they want to know just what
they need to move on. This requires objectivity to distinguish between the user’s goal
and the translator’s. It is also needed to translate from the user’s perspective and
preferably from the perspective of what can be done for the user. Users should feel that
they will find information that is relevant and accessible to them.
From the foregoing observations, attempts should be made to use an accurate,
encouraging, insightful, objective and user-focused tone. To this end, the tone should be
respectful and semi-formal using real world-language.
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However given the Project target users, efforts should also be made to use some
colloquial and natural target language (TL) terms to help the users feel more at home in
this setting.
e.g. Translate: Gusemura. NOT Kuvunura
2.4. Voice
The active voice, which emphasizes the person or thing doing the action, should be
preferably used because it is usually used in Kinyarwanda, but also it is more direct and
personal than the passive voice, which can be confusing or sound formal.
Acceptable:
Ububiko bwawe bushobora kwinjirwamo ukanda hano: Your folder can be accessed by
clicking here.
Better:
Ushobora kwinjira mu bubiko bwawe ukanda hano: You can access your folder by
clicking here.
However, the passive voice should only be used to avoid a wordy or awkward
construction, especially when the action rather than the doer is the focus of the
sentence; when the subject is unknown; or in error messages, when the user is the
subject and might feel blamed for the error if the active voice were used.
Acceptable:
Wateye ikosa: You have generated an error
Better:
Habaye ikosa: an error has been generated
Specifically, ‘You’ will be translated in Kinyarwanda depending on its occurrence. But in
most cases the singular form should be preferred to make the translations more user-
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friendly. As regards gender (feminine, masculine or neuter), there is no specific linguistic
aspect to refer to gender in Kinyarwanda.
See 2.2.1 to how gender should be
addressed.
e.g. You are now connected to the Internet: ubu uri kuri Interineti
2.5. Spelling Variations
The translations will follow general spelling rules applied in Kinyarwanda. In case several
options are available; the more standard option will be used.
E.g.: City: Umugi, umujyi (more standard)
2.6. Prepositions
While translating prepositions, translators should pay enough attention to Kinyarwanda
specific structure in compliance with its word order.
E.g.: Before continuing….: Mbere gukomeza (word-for-word order): but Mbere yo
gukomeza (standard Kinyarwanda word order).
2.7.Capitalization
Here, the translations should follow general capitalization rules applied in Kinyarwanda.
For instance, while days are capitalized in English, in Kinyarwanda they are not.
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2.8. Punctuation
The translations should follow general punctuation rules applied in Kinyarwanda.
Neologisms
The main criterion for creating new words should be the function of the object within its
contexts and/or the contribution of the word to its literary context.
e.g. Help: Ifashayobora (literally guiding help)
Loanwords
Loanwords shall be used when (a) the preferred target term has already been used for
another source term, (b) a neologism might be confusing, and (c) a loanword is the most
popular and acceptable term.
e.g. Disk, e-mail are translated as disiki, imeyili
Macro is translated as makoro
Note also that most international place names (e.g. Asia: Aziya), language names (e.g.
French: Igifaransa), people names (e.g. American: Umunyamerika), etc. are also
loanwords.
Words should be preferably borrowed from French because the target users are likely
more familiar with it than with English.
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Abbreviations
English abbreviations such as day and month abbreviations should be translated by full
words in Kinyarwanda:
Days of the month
Months of the year
English
Kinyarwanda
English
Kinyarwanda
Mon
Ku wa mbere
Jan
Mutarama
Tues
Ku wa kabiri
Feb
Gashyantare
Wed
Ku wa gatatu
Mar
Werurwe
Thur
Ku wa kane
Apr
Mata
Fri
Ku wa gatanu
May
Gicurasi
Sat
Ku wa gatandatu
Jun
Kamena
Sun
Ku cyumweru
Jul
Nyakanga
Aug
Kanama
Sept
Nzeli
Oct
Ukwakira
Nov
Ugushyingo
Dec
ukuboza
Acronyms
Apart from some more common and easily understood acronyms like CD and SMS, etc.
that can be translated as sede and esemesi, etc.; it is considered prudent to not
translate most acronyms because they may not be understood. Therefore terms like
DNS, RSS, IP, CD-ROM, IBM, etc. should not be translated.
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Trademarks & Product Components Names
Trademarked names and the name Microsoft Corporation shouldn’t be localized. A list of Microsoft
trademarks is available for your reference at the following locations:

http://www.microsoft.com/trademarks/t-mark/names.htm
Copyrights
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.
III. Main GUI Components
These are all menus of the product such as menu items, commands, buttons, check
boxes, etc. They need to be consistently translated so as to enable the user to
understand their function in the localized product.
3.1. Main Menus
These are menus that appear at the top of the user interface. They typically include File,
Edit, View, Insert, Format, Tools, Table, Window, and Help. They will be translated with
relevant parts of speech of Kinyarwanda language. In this specific case, Infinitive will be
used instead of imperative and noun will be used in other cases.
Examples:
English
Translation
View
Kureba (Infinitive)
Edit
Guhindura (infinitive)
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Insert
Kongeramo (infinitive)
Format
Imiterere (noun)
Tools
Ibikoresho (noun)
Table
Imbonerahamwe (noun)
Window
Idirishya (noun)
Help
Ifashayobora (noun)
In Kinyarwanda, infinitive form is marked by the suffixe “ku” .
E.g: kureba: view. However “ku” becomes “gu” when the following syllable consists of a
voiceless consonant. E.g: guhanga: design. The general rule is Ku+voiced consonant
and gu+voiceless consonant
3.2. Menu Items and Commands
Commands and menu items will also be translated by relevant Kinyarwanda parts of
speech such as Noun, Infinitive, adjective, etc. Specifically; infinitive (which is more
neutral) will be used instead of imperative, to make the interface more user-friendly.
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Examples:
English
Translation
Save As…
Kubika muri
Print…
Gucapa
Select All
Guhitamo byose
Cut
Gukata
Copy
Gukoporora
Paste
Komeka
3.3 Static text
Static text will be faithfully translated, and in accordance with Kinyarwanda sentence
order to ensure it renders the meaning and enable the user to perform the task it is
meant to.
Example: Print more than one copy: Gucapa kopi zirenze imwe
3.4 Dialog Boxes
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When translating dialog boxes, Kinyarwanda consistent terms will be used to have the
same style in all dialog boxes thereby ensuring consistency with translations in other
localized applications. This is useful given that some applications, currently not localized,
may be localized in the future and the same solutions adopted now will be re-used later,
and it is particularly important when localizing identical dialog boxes found in several
applications.
3.5 Dialog Box Titles
In Kinyarwanda, Dialog titles will be consistent with the menus items or menu commands
that call them. Typically, menus are noun or infinitive verb; therefore dialog titles should
be noun or infinitive verb. For example, if menu items are infinitives, dialog titles will be
translated by infinitive.
Examples:
UI Category
English
Translation
Menu Item
Split cells
Gutandukanya utuzu
Dialog Title
Split cells
Gutandukanya utuzu
Menu Item
Insert table
Kongeramo imbonerahamwe
Dialog title
Insert table
Kongeramo imbonerahamwe
As you can see, the translation is the same for both menu items and dialog titles in order
to not confuse the product user.
3.6 Group Box Titles
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Like the above, group box titles will be translated by relevant part of speech for
Kinyarwanda such as Noun, Infinitive (which is more preferable to imperative) etc.
Examples:
English
Translation
Printing Options
Amahitamo y’icapa
Show
Kwerekana
Spelling
Imyandikire
3.7 Check boxes
Check boxes will be translated by relevant Kinyarwanda parts of speech such as Noun,
Infinitive (which is more preferable to imperative) etc.
Examples:
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English
Translation
Enable reminder
Gufungura mwibutsa
Don't show me this dialog again.
Kutongera kunyereka iki kiganiro
Always ask me first
Kubanza kumbaza buri gihe
As you can see, check boxes carry useful information to the user. Therefore, while
localizing them in Kinyarwanda, they will be translated in a user-friendly style and
following Kinyarwanda linguistic rules to be easily understood by the product user.
3.8 Buttons
Like other product menus, in Kinyarwanda, buttons will be translated by relevant part of
speech such as Noun, Infinitive (preferable to imperative), etc. Therefore, for user
Interface translation should match with the command length to save of the screen
Examples:
English
Translation
Add
Kongeraho
Cancel
Kureka
Continue ->
Gukomeza
3.9 Dialog Box Tabs
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Dialog box tabs are translated in Kinyarwanda with standard term a user can easily
understand. This translation should also mind respecting the word length to conform to
dialogue space.
Examples:
English
Translation
Print
Gucapa
Changes
Ibyahinduwe
Format
Imiterere
3.10 Lists Boxes/Tables
Kinyarwanda style will be parallel for UI elements that are parallel in function, such as
lists and tables. All items will be similar in form and a same part of speech will be used.
For example: Preferably all of them shall begin with an imperative.
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Example:
Do not include original message
Ntushyiremo ubutumwa nkomoko
Attach original message
Ugerekeho ubutumwa nkomoko
3.11 Instruction Text In Dialog Boxes
When a user is expected to take action on a page or in a section, use imperative form
instead of infinitive, and translate the message faithfully in accordance with Kinyarwanda
syntax in order to enable the user performs the action in a required way.
Examples:
English
Translation
Change settings for the files Outlook uses
to store e-mail messages and documents.
3.12 ToolTips
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Hindura (imperative) imiterere ya dosiye
Outlook ikoresha mu kubika ubutumwa
n’inyandiko
ToolTips have names that are identical to the commands or buttons they represent. In
Kinyarwanda, these ToolTips will be translated in such a way to ensure that this
consistency is maintained.
E.g.: Size: Ingano (same as for the command it represents)
Bold: Biberamye (same as for the command it represents)
3.13 InfoTips
These are short sentences or sentence fragments that describe what an item does or
how it can be used. They shall be localized in a style that is clear and which easily
understood by the user. For items that describe what the user can do with an item (one
that users can manipulate upon opening), use a faithful translation of the sentence as a
whole and try to be consistent in meaning.
For this specific point, a third person singular is used.
Examples:
English
Translation
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Opens the calendar.
Shows
the
disk
Ifungura karindari
drives
and
hardware Yerekana
connected to this computer
disiki
n’ibikoresho
bicometse kuri iyi mudasobwa
3.14 Status Bar Messages Language Style
In English, the status bar messages have different forms dependent on the information
they must convey. In Kinyarwanda, menu and commands status bar messages will bear
a standard style and will be translated as full sentences while keeping consistency and
faithful meaning of the whole sentence.
Examples:
Name
Edit
Copy
Category
Gugindura
to Gukoporora
Folder...
muri
New
Gishya
menu
English
Status
Bar Kinyarwanda Status Bar
message
message
Contains
editing
commands
Copies the selected
menu
items
to
a
new
location
command
Creates
a
new
document
Make object visible?
Harimo ibwiriza rihindura
Ikoporora ibyo wahisemo
mu bundi bubiko
Irema inyandiko nshya
Urifuza
ko
kigaragara?
Word is converting Word
iri
the document. Press inyandiko.
Esc to stop.
Datasheet View
Done
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ikintu
guhindura
Kanda
ubihagarike
Igaragaza
ry’urupapurotuzu
Byarangiye
Esc
3.15 Standardize
In the US product you can often find messages that are phrased differently even though
they have the same meaning.
Press F1 to get Help.
If you want Help press F1.
To get Help press F1.
To avoid this in the localized Kinyarwanda version. Use one below standard translation
for all the sentences above.
Kanda F1 ubone ifashayobora
3.16 Error Messages
They will be translated as full sentences bearing in the general guiding principles stated
above. However, placeholders in the original message should appear in the translation
and be spelled and capitalized exactly as they appear in the original.
In cases where the US uses different forms to express the same thing, Kinyarwanda will
use only one single form for them.
Examples
.. is not available/.. is unavailable: ..ntayiriho
Cannot find../Could not find ../Could not find ../Unable to find ../Unable to locate:
…ntibonetse
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3.17 Access Keys (also called Hot Keys)
Access keys or hot keys are a combination of keys such as ALT+F, Ctrl+S, that
move the focus to a menu, command, or control, without using the mouse. As far as
Kinyarwanda is concerned, the following shall be applied:
Usage: is it
allowed?
Hot key special options
"Slim characters", such as i, l, t, r, f can be used as hot
key
Yes
Example: Option
Characters with downstrokes, such as g, j, y, p and q can
be used as hotkeys
Note that it can be difficult to see the hotkey underline for Yes
these characters
Example: Option
Extended characters can be used as hotkeys
Example: Optión
No
An additional letter, appearing (between brackets or not)
after item name, can be used as hotkeys
No
Example: Option w / Option (w)
A number, appearing (between brackets or not) after item
name, can be used as hotkey
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No
Example: Option 3 / Option (3)
A punctuation sign, appearing (between brackets or not)
after item name, can be used as hotkey
No
Example: Option > / Option (>)
List of characters suitable as hotkeys
Preferred characters to be used as Hotkeys
Character
Case Sensitive
A
False
B
False
C
False
D
False
E
False
F
False
G
False
H
False
I
False
J
False
K
False
L
False
M
False
N
False
O
False
P
False
R
False
S
False
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T
False
U
False
V
False
W
False
Y
False
Z
False
Allowed characters to be used as Hotkeys
Character
Case Sensitive
1
N/A
2
N/A
3
N/A
4
N/A
5
N/A
6
N/A
7
N/A
8
N/A
9
N/A
0
N/A
-
N/A
=
N/A
`
N/A
\
N/A
[
N/A
]
N/A
;
N/A
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'
N/A
#
N/A
,
N/A
.
N/A
/
N/A
¬
N/A
!
N/A
"
N/A
£
N/A
$
N/A
%
N/A
^
N/A
&
N/A
*
N/A
(
N/A
)
N/A
_
N/A
+
N/A
|
N/A
{
N/A
}
N/A
:
N/A
@
N/A
~
N/A
<
N/A
>
N/A
?
N/A
Q
False
X
False
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