Māori Translation Notes

Māori (mi-NZ) Translation Notes

Key Translation Points

Central Term “Secret”

• Translated to “karere huna” (hidden message) rather than a direct translation of “secret” as “mea huna” (secret thing)
• This captures the concept better in Māori context

Brand Voice in Māori

• Maintains a clear, professional yet approachable tone
• Uses authentic Māori expressions while keeping technical concepts clear
• Prioritizes clarity over literal translations

Key Technical Terms

• passphrase → “kupu karapa” (distinct from password/kupuhipa)
• burn → “whakawareware” (permanently delete before viewing)
• encrypt/encrypted → “whakamuhumuhu/muhumuhu”
• colonel → “kaiwhakahaere” (administrator)

Grammar Structure

• Uses active, imperative voice for buttons and actions
• Uses passive voice for status messages and notifications
• Addresses users in second person (“koe”)
• Maintains consistent punctuation and avoids contractions

Cultural Adaptation

• Incorporates Māori conventions for time, dates, and measurements
• Uses Māori greeting styles and sentence structures where appropriate
• Ensures translations sound natural to Māori speakers

Translation Decisions

1. “Secret” → “Karere Huna” rather than “Mea Huna”

Reasoning:

• Better captures the nature of what’s being shared through the platform (messages, information)
• Avoids connotations of personal secrets/private affairs that “mea huna” might suggest
• Creates consistency with how other platforms translate similar concepts in Māori

Examples:

• “Create a secret” → “Waihanga karere huna” (not “Waihanga mea huna”)
• “Your secret was viewed” → “I tirohia tō karere huna”
• “Secret content” → “Ihirangi karere huna”

2. Verb Forms for UI Elements

Reasoning: Clear distinction between active/imperative voice for actions and passive/declarative voice for status messages

Examples:

• Action button: “Create Secret” → “Waihanga Karere Huna” (imperative)
• Status message: “Secret created” → “Kua hangaia te karere huna” (passive)
• Button: “Copy to clipboard” → “Tārua ki te papatopenga” (imperative)
• Status: “Copied to clipboard” → “Kua tāruatia ki te papatopenga” (passive)

3. Technical Terms

Reasoning: Balance authenticity with accessibility

Examples:

• “encryption/encrypted” → “whakamuhumuhu/muhumuhu” (relates to making something secret/whispered)
• “passphrase” → “kupu karapa” (a phrase that grants access)
• “domain” → “rohe” (territory/region)
• “dashboard” → “papatohu” (guidance board)

4. Cultural Adaptations

Examples:

• “Welcome Back” → “Nau Mai Anō” (traditional Māori welcome expression)
• “You’ve got (secret) mail” → “He īmēra (huna) tāu” (using Māori possession structure)
• Time expressions follow Māori conventions

5. Brand and Product Names

Reasoning: Following the style guide, brand names remain untranslated but descriptions are translated

Examples:

• “Identity Plus” remains “Identity Plus” (untranslated)
• “Onetime Secret” remains “Onetime Secret” (untranslated)
• “Custom Install” description → “Tāutatanga Ritenga” (customized installation)

Summary of Changes

1. Terminology Standardization

   • Established consistent translations for all core terms
   • Created comprehensive glossary for future translators
   • Ensured security and technical terms maintain precision while being natural in Māori

2. UI Flow Improvements

   • Aligned button text with Māori action verb conventions
   • Used proper passive forms for status messages
   • Created natural-sounding instructions and error messages

3. Cultural Context

   • Incorporated traditional Māori greeting patterns
   • Adapted metaphors and idioms to resonate with Māori speakers
   • Used Māori-specific linguistic structures

4. Technical Precision

   • Created accurate translations for security concepts
   • Preserved all placeholders and formatting variables
   • Maintained distinctions between similar terms (password vs passphrase)

5. Accessibility Enhancements

   • Focused on clear, direct language accessible to all Māori speakers
   • Used consistent terminology for better user experience
   • Avoided overly academic or formal language

This translation approach makes Onetime Secret accessible and culturally appropriate for Māori-speaking users while maintaining the technical precision and security focus essential to the application.