[Resolved] Translating WooCommerce Mixed Language Product Descriptions
This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.
Problem: The client needed to translate product descriptions from Greek to Bulgarian while keeping English words unchanged. They also inquired about the behavior of the translation memory when deleting and retranslating products. Solution: We explained that when the client translates descriptions for products using automatic translation, these translations are saved into the translation memory. If the client edits and corrects a translation for a product, this updated translation is stored in the translation memory. For any new product created with the same description, it will automatically use the newly edited translation. However, for existing products, the client will need to manually update the description to apply the changes from the edited translation. Regarding the deletion and retranslation of products, the client can delete their translated products and retranslate them without using any credits, provided they do not delete the "primary" language of a product. We advised the client to perform a backup before proceeding.
If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems outdated, we recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If the problem persists, please open a new support ticket.
This is the technical support forum for WPML - the multilingual WordPress plugin.
Everyone can read, but only WPML clients can post here. WPML team is replying on the forum 6 days per week, 22 hours per day.
Background of the issue:
I am trying to translate a product description on my site hidden link that contains Greek and English words. I want to translate only the Greek words to Bulgarian and leave the English words untouched. The English words are always under quotation marks, e.g.: “No design works unless it embodies ideas that are held common by the people for whom the object is intended”.
Symptoms:
No specific issue or error message mentioned.
Questions:
What is the best way to translate only the Greek words to Bulgarian while leaving the English words untouched?
Here is the ticket. I will need to closely examine your website. Therefore, I will require temporary access (WP-Admin and FTP) to a test site where the problem has been replicated, if possible. This will enable me to provide better assistance and determine if any configurations need to be modified.
Please note that it is important to have a backup for security purposes and to prevent any potential data loss. You can use the UpdraftPlus plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/) to fulfill your backup requirements.
Your upcoming reply will be treated with confidentiality and will only be visible to you and me.
✙ To resolve the issue, I may need your consent to deactivate and reactivate plugins and the theme, as well as make configuration changes on the site if necessary. This emphasizes the significance of having a backup.
Hi,
Please feel free to check the description of the product hidden link and the relevant translation. It is a clear example of the problem that I am facing.
For any further information I am at your disposal.
Hi,
I have checked your suggestion and it seems that in small product descriptions is working great!
However, I am also facing an issue in some large descriptions that include HTML formatting with [strong],[ul] and [li] tags. Please take a look at the product hidden link and the relevant screenshots.
I have tried using Advanced Translation Editor to fix the description but I am not able to copy the <wpml_linebreak> tag and in some cases the Advanced Translation Editor is freezing!
What is the best approach for this scenario?
Do I need different settings on the Advanced Translation Editor?
If I correct the translation the first time and save it in the translation memory, will future product translations follow this guidelines?
For any further information I am at your disposal.
Thank you in advance!
Hi,
I figured out how to edit the translations, but I don't know how I can insert a formatting tag in case it is missing!
To make it more clear, when I try to translate the same product on the Live site I am not getting the same translation formatting tags from the exactly same source!
How is this possible? Am I missing a configuration? Can I add a formatting tag on the translation by myself or are they only added automatically?
Furthermore, the translation memory doesn't seem to be working as expected! To make this also clear please let me explain:
1. The same product description exists in several other products that have already being translated but the translated product description is "broken".
2. I am correcting the translation on one specific product and I am also storing the corrected translation manually into translation memory.
3. When I proceed to edit the translation of another product with the same "broken" description, the automatic translation does not work according to my previous corrections.
Am I missing something here? In order to work do I need to completely delete the translated product and fully translate it again?
1. but I don't know how I can insert a formatting tag in case it is missing!
To make it more clear, when I try to translate the same product on the Live site I am not getting the same translation formatting tags from the exactly same source!
How is this possible? Am I missing a configuration? Can I add a formatting tag on the translation by myself or are they only added automatically? Formatting tags can only be applied to the primary language and then, it will appear on your translated contents automatically.
2. The same product description exists in several other products that have already being translated but the translated product description is "broken". Could you share two products that are using the same description? Once you translated the description on Product A, the same translation will appear in Product B if the product description is same.
3. I am correcting the translation on one specific product and I am also storing the corrected translation manually into translation memory. Yes.
4. When I proceed to edit the translation of another product with the same "broken" description, the automatic translation does not work according to my previous corrections. I think this is the same question with #2
1. You may see on the attached screenshots that the same product description is treated different between the two sites, production (madi.com) and sandbox (gounaras.info).
You may notice that on the production site I have a wpml_linebreak tag but on the sandbox site I am getting a lb tag!
On the gounaras.info the lb tag is also present in the translated text, but on the madi.com the wpml_linebreak it is not present in the translated text!
All of the product data and product description are the same between the two sites. The only thing that changes is the settings of the WordPress theme. Is there a possibility that the translation mechanism is being affected by the theme settings or it is only translates the given text in any given instance?
2,3 & 4. The products of the same collection have the same product description. So, below you may find some products that share the same description hidden link .
To represent the problem I have proceeded with translating the first product hidden link , saving the translation, and then proceeding with the next product hidden link
Please feel free to check the relevant screenshots. You will see that the change that I have made on the first product translation (English segment not to be translated) it is not being applied to the translation of the second product!
Do I need to follow another approach in order to dictate to the translation mechanism not to translate the English segment?
For any further information I am at your disposal.
Thank you in advance!
I've checked and it looked fine as shown in this screen recording. Could you create another test product and show me a screen recording of how to replicate the issue?
You may find another test product if you search with the term "REED WHITE". For your convenience please take a look at the products below:
- hidden link
- hidden link
- hidden link
Please notice at the recording located here hidden link that the correct translated product description contains a phrase in English located in a different paragraph, whereas the "faulty" translation does not separate the Bulgarian translation from the English phrase.
If you require any further information I am at your disposal.
Thank you in advance!
P.S.: Kindly reminder regarding my first issue about formatting tags...
Your screen recording shows that the automatic translation is working correctly. I understand that you would like the English sentence to appear on the Bulgarian page without being translated. Unfortunately, the automatic translation tool cannot accommodate this request, so it will translate the English sentence instead of copying it. Consequently, you'll need to make manual corrections as shown in your recording.
Additionally, we had previously configured the "I prefer bigger segments" option. By disabling this feature, you'll need to retranslate the content to ensure the segments are separated appropriately.
Regarding the formatting tags issue, could you please provide more details or perhaps another example? This will allow me to create a separate ticket to address the issue and ensure we can follow up effectively.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I understand what you are saying and how the automatic translation mechanism is working.
My question is, when I am correcting a translated phrase (e.g. the English sentence) isn't my correction being saved and used for future translations?
In other words, if I save a translation into the translation memory, doesn't it mean that this saved translation will be used in the future instead of automatic translation?
For example, if automatic translation mechanism translated A to B, but I make a correction and manually translate A to C, which translation result will the automatic translation mechanism use in a future translation, B or C?
Is there a way that I can set the translation mechanism to use C, other than inserting this translation (A to C) into the glossary?
Thank you again for your time!
Initially, the automatic translation feature translates the "English sentence" into "Bulgarian." This process consumes credits and saves the translation in the translation memory.
Afterward, if you manually edit the translated "English sentence" or use the copy mode for corrections, these changes are saved in your database but not in the translation memory.
Consequently, when the same "English sentence" appears again, the automatic translation will provide the saved Bulgarian translation without using additional credits, as it’s already stored in the translation memory.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I understand what you are saying and how the automatic translation mechanism is working.
My question is, when I am correcting a translated phrase (e.g. the English sentence) isn't my correction being saved and used for future translations?
In other words, if I save a translation into the translation memory, doesn't it mean that this saved translation will be used in the future instead of automatic translation?
For example, if automatic translation mechanism translated A to B, but I make a correction and manually translate A to C, which translation result will the automatic translation mechanism use in a future translation, B or C?
Is there a way that I can set the translation mechanism to use C, other than inserting this translation (A to C) into the glossary?
Thank you again for your time!
