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Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

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Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#1
Yesterday I needed to message my CS teacher about an exam question, and discovered that I was unable to formulate my question in Swedish, so I opted to write the whole message in English instead. I don't want to share the message, since it is related to an exam, but it was about Iacono's working set structure.

Have your native languages incorporated CS terms to any usable level, or do you have to switch to English, in part or wholly, when the topic is discussed?

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#3
I guess the main issue is that languages outside of English generally don't have equivalent words for all of CS terms. I always have trouble explaining what I do (software engineering) in French without resorting to using English words, just because most words don't exist in French, or they don't mean exactly what you mean.

This reminds me that I can't stand people coding in languages other than English. Variable names/comments in French? No thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#4
I can recall in 1998 I was studying in Germany, taking a semester break from my CS studies. For the fun of it, I checked out the books being used by the CS program - all the textbooks were in English, and I then learned that in that program, most of the classes themselves were conducted in English as well. I know since then that English has become common in courses in many universities in Germany, but at the time it was just a sign of things to come. As other commenters have expressed - it's a vocabulary problem. If there isn't an accepted translation into another language, than the English term will stand (assuming it is the originating language for the concept).

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#5
post #3

I guess the main issue is that languages outside of English generally don't have equivalent words for all of CS terms. I always have trouble explaining what I do (software engineering) in French without resorting to using English words, just because most words don't exist in French, or they don't mean exactly what you mean. This reminds me that I can't stand people coding in languages other than English. Variable nam…

These would drive you crazy then :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-English-based_programming_...

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#6
There was an idea in the 90s in Poland to have each and every computer/CS term have its native equivalent, but the ones proposed were awkward to say the least.

To give an example: a mouse click was supposed to be called a "mlask", which directly translates to "a smack of the lips".

Needless to say that didn't stick and nowadays only veteran programmers are even aware that such an attempt was made.

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#9
My native language is spanish, and while I obviously have discussions with colleagues in spanish we constantly weave english terms in our talks.

In fact, friends and girlfriends outside the industry have always laughed at the fact that when I talk with coworkers half the words we use are in english.

Why? Well, it's NOT only a vocabulary problem as others have said. Some terms are untranslatable, yes, but also every good documentation or resource you come across will be in english, code itself is in english, and so I spend 90% of my day THINKING in english. We end up using english expressions that have nothing to do with programming during regular conversation.

Re: Ask HN: Can you discuss CS in your native language?

#10
post #3

I guess the main issue is that languages outside of English generally don't have equivalent words for all of CS terms. I always have trouble explaining what I do (software engineering) in French without resorting to using English words, just because most words don't exist in French, or they don't mean exactly what you mean. This reminds me that I can't stand people coding in languages other than English. Variable nam…

It’s also a matter of habit. We are just too used to English words even when French ones exist. Go try and read Principes d’Implantation (sic) de Scheme et Lisp (the original Lisp In Small Pieces): pure unadulterated French and, to me, a constant struggle as I have to translate expressions to English!
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