Re: [Tails-project] #8948: Reconsider the terminology around…

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Author: flapflap
Date:  
To: Public mailing list about the Tails project, sajolida, Curtis Baltimore
Subject: Re: [Tails-project] #8948: Reconsider the terminology around "persistence"
¡Hola!

sajolida:
> Curtis Baltimore via Tails-project:>> The german translation team never
> found a satisfactory translation for
>>> "Persistence/persistent storage/volume". We used 'verschlüsselter
>>> beständiger Speicherbereich' (for 'encrypted persistent storage') which
>>> is a mouthful. I'm not sure if we can simply use the german noun
>>> Persistenz- I have never seen it being used, but apparently it exists
>>> (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persistenz_(Informatik) though, if I read
>>> that correctly, its more used for the ability to store something
>>> persistent and not for the storage volume/medium). 'Persistenzspeicher'
>>> would be another possibility, which would probably be a bit more
>>> understandable. I think using the english noun 'Persistence' in the
>>> german translation would lead to a bumpy reading experience and I also
>>> think users wouln't understand what it means.
>>
>> I would not recommend to use the german word "Persistenz". Even if it would be basically correct, it's too sophisticated for daily use. The best idea I got was something like "(verschlüsselter) Dauerspeicher". Not 100% appropriate but close enough. And quite easy to use.
>
> I don't know German so I'll stick to what you and wordreference.com
> tells me. Being close to the English word can also be useful.
> For example in case people with poor English have to read non-translated
> strings sometimes, it would make it easier for them to go from
> "Persistenzspeicher" to "Persistence", while still being clearer than
> "Persistenz" only as Curtis is pointing out.
>


I second Muri's comment. 'Verschlüsselter beständiger Speicherbereich'
is kind of the best what I have heard so far. Yes, it is very long, but
it carries the explanation/meaning. I would not use 'Persistenz'. As a
single word (without more explanation, context) it sounds quite abstract
and academic, unusual in daily life.

Back in the days when I did Tails translations, it often helped me to
discover inaccuracies and possible confusion by translating en->de and
then back.
'Dauerspeicher' could be translated as 'permanent storage', yet
persistence != permanence; hence I do not really like it. Permanence is
indefinite (time) and inflexible/unchanged ("permanent marker",
"permanent lack of time", "permanent pain in the knee"), while I'd
associate persistence with an enduring/lasting but changeable state
("persistence of pesticides in soil and groundwater" [0], "persistence
of Hans-Christian Ströbele (retired politician, lawyer) to investigate
wrongdoings of the intelligence agencies and to defend and advocate for
basic civil rights").

For these latter uses, 'beständig/Beständigkeit' is IMHO the proper and
accurate term/translation.

I think -- many years ago -- we also discussed 'nichtflüchtig'
(non-volatile) but deemed it as too technical. With the spread of SSDs
the term may be more common now, but still very technical.


Cheers,
~flapflap


[0] https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Persistenz