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loc: update Arabic translations and refine audio terminology - #67

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yousefmrashad:arabic-enhancements
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loc: update Arabic translations and refine audio terminology#67
yousefmrashad wants to merge 1 commit into
Pittvandewitt:masterfrom
yousefmrashad:arabic-enhancements

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@yousefmrashad

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PR Description:

Overview

This PR updates and refines the Arabic localization (values-ar/strings.xml) to improve translation accuracy and polish technical audio terminology.

Key Changes

  1. Audio & DSP Terminology: Standardized key frequency and signal processing terms using natural Arabic (e.g., الجهير for Bass, الحدّة for Treble, الصوت البشري for Vocal boost, and الكسب النهائي for Post-gain).
  2. Contextual English Parentheses: Added parenthetical English labels to specialized DSP feature titles and parameters (e.g., Attenuator, Limiter, Transient, Sustain, Equalization, Bass booster, Bass tuner) to bridge technical audio concepts for users accustomed to standard DAW/DSP software.
  3. UI Polish: Refined dialog actions for clarity (e.g., replacing literal translations like الكتابة فوق with استبدال for overwrite dialogs, and tightening string phrasing).

Note for Maintainer:
For technical DSP and audio feature titles (such as Equalization, Attenuator, Bass tuner, Limiter, and compressor types), I’ve included parenthetical English terms alongside the Arabic translations. Because technical Arabic audio terms aren't universally recognized by all casual users, these parenthetical clarifications help ensure maximum usability while maintaining native language quality. Please let me know if you think this approach works well or if you have any feedback on the UI layout!


@Pittvandewitt

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I appreciate the gesture, but I am not going to allow AI translations. There is too many issues with it of which I highlighted a few. All the translations with added parentheses are a bad idea too. There is not enough horizontal space on mobile device to accomodate for it. Furthermore it seems to 'improve' on some translations by guessing the context using the string name and then actually making it worse.
You can maybe use AI to find better translations, but each line must be reviewed manually while keeping in mind where the translation appears in the app. Translating can be difficult, especially when dealing with slang.

@yousefmrashad

yousefmrashad commented Aug 18, 2026

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Hi, @Pittvandewitt! Thank you for the feedback, and I completely understand your skepticism with so many automated AI contributions floating around GitHub nowadays.

I want to apologize if adding parentheses made it look like I didn't care about UI/UX. This is my first time contributing localization, and in my enthusiasm to ensure technical clarity for audio terms, the horizontal screen constraints on mobile completely slipped my mind. To be fully transparent, I only used an LLM as an editor tool to assist with XML formatting and drafting the PR description (which may have given off a robotic impression), but every single translation term was manually selected, researched, and verified by me against the app.

As a native Arabic speaker, audio enthusiast, and daily user who purchased the app, I put genuine care and research into reviewing these strings against the live app:

  • In-app UI alignment: In the old Arabic file, some strings were translated by guessing from the XML key names rather than looking at the actual screen layout. For instance, auto_eq_strength was translated as "قوة معادل الصوت" [power of the equalizer], even though in the English file and in the live UI it is simply "Strength", sitting next to the slider. I standardized it to "القوّة" to match the English string and prevent UI clutter.
  • Grammar & syntax (Nahw) fixes: I corrected grammatical errors like the construct state (Idafa), such as fixing "طراز السماعة الرأس" to the grammatically correct "طراز سماعة الرأس".
  • Fixing literal inaccuracies: I corrected several misleading and awkward translations from the legacy file (for example, Plate Reverb was previously translated as "الطبق" [eating dish/plate], Treble as "الصوت الثلاثي" [triple sound], and Vocal Boost as "زيادة الملفوظ" [increasing the uttered word], which I corrected to "صدى صفيحي", "تعزيز الحدّة", and "تعزيز الصوت البشري" respectively).
  • Proper names: Kept proper names like AutoEq in their original English form rather than attempting literal translations (it was previously translated as "المعادل التلقائي"), since AutoEq is a widely recognized open-source project name.
  • Unit symbols (ms, dB, Hz): Kept standard unit symbols because numbers are read Left-to-Right, and since the app displays values without a space before the unit (e.g. 100ms, -6.0dB), using full Arabic words makes the numbers look awkward and cluttered.
  • Regarding slang (e.g. "keep your audio rocking"): I actually considered a casual phrasing for this, but Arabic dialects vary vastly by country and region, and colloquial slang is considered unpolished in app localization. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA / الفصحى) is universally used across the entire Arab world to ensure it feels natural to all users.

Regarding the parenthetical English terms: in Arabic-speaking regions, audio and DSP terminology (Gain, Limiter, Attenuator, Transient, Equalizer) is almost universally referenced in English by audio enthusiasts. However, your point about screen space on mobile is 100% valid, so I have pushed an update that completely removes all parentheses and keeps every line concise and clean.

This contribution came purely from love for the app as a user who wants Arabic-speaking users to have a polished experience. That said, I completely understand and respect your decision either way if you still prefer not to merge these changes.

Thank you again for your time and for building such a great app!

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2 participants