See this topic for any illustrating screenshots: http://ufoai.org/forum/index.php/topic,8944.msg64417.html#msg64417

Below are suggestions about easing the work for the translators. Obviously, I experience things from my language point of view, but my small knowledge in some other languages make me think that a few MSGID more would really help everybody, and contribute for this game not to go for the easy way of gaming jargon.

==== 1/ Health & State: ====

The same '''MSGID #1356 "Health:"''' seems to be used both for animated actors (soldiers in the base UI), and for non animated aircrafts (UFOs?, UGVs?). The cousin MSGID #2465 "Health:\t%3.0f%%\n" might share the same concern, I don't know.
On the other hand, we have MSGID #1359 "Health", perhaps used on the Battlescape?

'''Concern:'''
This can't be so in some languages, presumably, where the concept is different between a living being's welfare and an item's operational integrity/capability.
Granted, a robotic unit may be described the same as a living being, hence health/welfare being used for it as well.
Even a UGV, to have an even battlescape UI. Remember however that ufoai.po is already segregating between the two categories of battlescape actors, because "bleeding" was adapted to "deterioration" in prevision for UGVs, I figure (MSGID #2230).
But an aircraft, an UFO? integrity state or status (MSGID #2464 is already "Status:...": at base, pursuing an UFO, etc.).

'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #1356 "Health" for any battlescape units (or better, for living battlescape units only).
* Create a new MSGID "Health" to be use in place of #1356 for UFOs and aircraft (base UI and Geoscape) (and better, for robotic battlescape units too).
* Check MSGID #2465 and #1359 for consistency sake.
* Let the translators handle the two MSGIDs differently, and possibly leave a comment in the ufoai.po master to their attention.


==== 2/ Body Armour & Aircraft Armour: ====

In English, the same word is used to name body armours and aircraft/other vehicles armours: "armour".
So, we have:
MSGID #97 - #99: aircraft armours
MSGID #116 - #120: body armours
'''MSGID #1349 "Armor"''' : armour items category both in Equip Aircraft, Buy/Sell, and Equip Soldiers screens.
MSGID #2316: armour line in the aircraft stats: "Armour:\t%i of 1\n"

'''Concern:'''
"Armor" won't apply to both categories in some other languages, even considering gaming jargon.
For instance, in French, we have "armure" for the man/horse body armour, and "blindage"(= shielding, armour-plating) for the house/vehicle external shell, passive protections.
The same distinction should occur in German "Rüstung" vs. "Panzerung", and in Spanish "armadura" vs. "blindaje" as far as I know.

'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #97 - #99, #116 - #120, and #2316 as they are and let the translators handle them.
* Create a new MSGID "Armor" based on #2316, but without the formatting characters. This new text would be used in place of #1349 in the Equip Aircraft screen. This new MSGID should be used for any UGV as well; remember: plating's not body armor!

==== 3/ Items, Equipment & Electronics: ====

The name "Item(s)" is used for everything as is expected for such a general meaning noun.
Thus, '''MSGID #1350 "Items"''' is used both for the electronics items category in the Equip Aircraft screen, for the general items cargo category (as opposed to employees, aliens, ...) in the List Transfert window, and under the Prerequisites in the Production screen.
However, in the aircarft stats, #2317 "Electronics:\t%i of %i" is used.
Moreover, MSGID #1077 "Equipment" is used as a column header in the data sheet (Buy/Sell/Transfer) for the same items that are listed under #1350 "Items" in the List Transfers windows.
Could "Equipment" fit as a Prerequisite in the Production window? Currently, prerequisites are Alien Materials, and UFO equipments such as Alien Propulsion, etc. Does it fit with Alien Materials?

'''Concern:'''
It's quite the same concern as with 2/ Armour, only it's less acute (in French).
The choice of "Electronics" would fit much more to this equipment category

'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #1350 for any other uses but...
* Create a new MSGID "Electronics" based on #2317 but without the formatting characters. This new reference would be used in place of #1350 in the Equip Aircraft screen.

OR, addressing the Equipment/Items discrepancy as well (take car:
* Change MSGID #1350 to "Electronics" (and keep it used when relevant, in the Aircraft Equip screen)
* Hunt down any other #1350 use (likely, List Transfer window, and Production material requirement), and change this reference to MSGID #1077 "Equipment" (just check if all those items can be considered as "Equipment").

==== 4/ Idle & Waiting: ====

The same '''MSGID #1985 "Idle"''' is used for iddle scientists, not assigned to a task and not doing anything, and iddle crafts that were stopped on the geoscape, thus being in stationnary flight, and waiting for further orders or whatever circumstances to arise (sunrise, rendezvous, UFO flying away or landing, etc.)

'''Concern:'''
The same word can hardly apply for animate and inanimate objects in some languages.
Furthermore, it's not true that a transport circling around a crashed UFO, waiting for the sun to rise, is deemed iddle as in "free to be used elsewhere".

'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #1985 "Idle" as in "idle_employees" for scientists
* Create a new MSGID "Idle" as in "idle_craft" for aircraft (or else "Waiting", "Patrolling", "Hovering", etc.)
* Let the translators handle the two MSGIDs differently, and possibly leave a comment in the ufoai.po master to their attention.

==== 5/ Transfer & Transfers: ====

The same '''MSGID #1410 "Transfer"''' is used as a "Go to screen" button (a noun, apparently) on the main base layout screen, and in an action button (a verb) on the Transfer screen.
In the former case, it could even be "Transfers" in English, because you can manage several transfer orders from within this screen.
(tooltip is: Transfer equipment, aircraft, UGV, aliens and employees to other bases.)
In the later case, it's an immediate action, and "Transfers" wouldn't fit in English while "Transfer Cargo" would fit very well. This button is akin to other transfer actions like e.g. MSGID #1962 "Transfer UFO".
(tooltip is: Start the transfer.)

'''Concern:'''
In many languages verbs and nouns don't spell the same.
Granted, we could have the same verb in all occurrences. But then, cosmetically wise, we would have the main screen buttons split between nouns (Hospital, Production, ...) and verbs, though none of them, besides the general view, are actual actions.


'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #1410 "Transfer" for the "Go to transfer screen" on the Base Layout screen (because all the other such buttons are in the #1400s).
* Create a new MSGID "Transfer" and used it in place of #1410 for the actual transfer button (when cargo is send) on the Transfer screen.
* Let the translators handle the two MSGIDs differently, and possibly leave a comment in the ufoai.po master to their attention.

(Now, I read that the transfers would be managed differently in v2.6?)

==== 6/ Aircraft & Aircrafts: ====

'''MSGID #1073 "Aircraft"''' is used for nearly all the occurrences of the word!

'''Concern:'''
"Aircraft" may be a collective noun in English, and not in some other languages.
As a consequence, you find "Aircraft" not only in headers, tabs, buttons, etc, but also on the Geoscape, as window titles, and before each and every craft appearing in an Anti-UFO defence or Select item window!
Obviously, in the later contexts, "Aircraft" means rather "this single aircraft" than "all the aircrafts at base" or "on the geoscape".

Example: upon selecting one aircraft, you get to select an action for this craft: MSGID #1073 is used (and potentially plural).


'''Suggestion:'''
* Keep MSGID #1073 "Aircraft" as in "craft_collective" for nearly all the current uses.
* Create a new MSGID "Aircraft" as in "craft_single" i.e. one craft only is considered at at time, and used it in place of #1073 in the following windows opened on the Geoscape: Anti-UFO defence, Select item, and Aircraft (this aircraft's actions).
* Let the translators handle the two MSGIDs differently, and possibly leave a comment in the ufoai.po master to their attention.

==== 7/ Employee and Employees: ====

This NOT a localization friendly request, but rather a bug in the ufoai.po master.
While MSGID #1414 "Employees" is used everywhere (header and tab in the Transfer screen, for instance), '''MSGID #2705 "Employee"''' is used as a transfer category (alongside to Items, Aliens, ...) in the List transfer window (see screenshot). It should be a plural too, because you may transfer more than one employee in the same cargo.

'''Suggestion:'''
* Check if MSGID #2705 is used elsewhere, and see if "Employee" is ever correct in any case
* Change MSGID #2705 to "Employees", or use MSGID #1414 instead in the Transfer List window.