From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>
To: Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com>
cc: David Rowley <dgrowleyml@gmail.com>,
        PostgreSQL Developers <pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org>,
        Amit Kapila <amit.kapila16@gmail.com>,
        Peter Eisentraut <peter@eisentraut.org>
Subject: Re: Get rid of translation strings that only contain punctuation
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Comments: In-reply-to Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com>
	message dated "Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:17:31 +1000"
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Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:31:14 -0400
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Peter Smith <smithpb2250@gmail.com> writes:
> On Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 10:30=E2=80=AFAM David Rowley <dgrowleyml@gmail.=
com> wrote:
>> Should we get rid of these?

> This question overlaps with another thread of mine [1].
> There, I was told that a punctuation double-quote (")  *should* be trans=
lated.

It should be, but it *has to be translated as part of a coherent
message*.  As the examples in [1] show, several languages translate
opening and closing double-quotes differently.  So if you write _("\"")
there is zero hope of that being usefully translatable.

This all goes back to the translatability guideline about not
constructing messages out of parts [2].  If you've got a single
punctuation mark as a separate string, you are violating both the
letter and the spirit of that guideline, and that has consequences
for translatability.

			regards, tom lane

[1] https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/CAHut%2BPui7RaQ8OfJEVn2ry-ykjnGc=
%2B3ujsFmcHDFw9FsXw_tRw%40mail.gmail.com
[2] https://www.postgresql.org/docs/devel/nls-programmer.html#NLS-GUIDELIN=
ES