NIPO ODIN Version 5.17
*LANGUAGE
Purpose
Defines a language section.
Syntax
*LANGUAGE "<name>[,LTR|RTL]"
Description
With this command, you can create one or more sections that contain text in another language than the default language. The first *LANGUAGE section must start at the end of the script containing the actual questionnaire logic. A limited number of commands are available in a *LANGUAGE section for mostly formatting purposes. See further below for details. All other logic must be placed in the main section.
If a question number is not available in another language, the text from the main section is displayed. If a question is only available in a translation, it is never displayed. The codes are displayed as they are specified in the language, so make sure the original code labels and their translations correspond.
During the interview the interviewer can select the appropriate language from the Language menu (NIPO CATI and NIPO CAPI only). The language can also be changed using the *SWILANG command.
The name of the currently active language is contained within the system text variable LANGUAGE.
Arguments
name
This is the name of the language section that NIPO ODIN refers to when a language is selected from the menu. Language names must be specified between double quotes (for example "Nederlands").
LTR
Indicates language direction Left-to-Right (default). Supported for NIPO CAPI and NIPO CAWI only.
RTL
Indicates language direction Right-to-Left (Hebrew and Arabic). Supported for NIPO CAPI and NIPO CAWI only.
Remarks
- The default language is always considered to be English. This is the default name of the first item in the language menu and cannot be changed. It is recommended to create the original questionnaire in English when appropriate and then add the translation sections.
- If your original questionnaire is written in another language than English and you made an English translation later on, refer to the original language with "English" and to this translation with another name, e.g., "Engels". To avoid confusion it is recommended to use
*SWILANG to switch between languages to not confuse the interviewer. - If you are using the
*SWILANG command in your NIPO ODIN questionnaire, you can disable the language menu in the survey configuration using SwilangDisablesLanguageSwitch=1. - To use bi-directional languages (Hebrew and Arabic) in NIPO CATI or in the NIPO CATI preview, add the setting
BiDi=1 to the [OdQes] section of the NIPOSYS.INI file.
Allowed commands
The following commands may be used in a *LANGUAGE section:
*QUESTION with question number but without type, position, conditions and other options.*?***FONT (definition)*FONT (switching)*LIST (definition)*USELIST*INTRO*INFO*NEW*PICT (question option)*PICT (codes option)*HELP (definition - only numbered *HELP screens)*PAGE (As part of a numbered *HELP screen)*NUMBER (in *FORM question) without position definition or options*ALPHA (in *FORM question) without position definition or options*SCALE (in *FORM question) without position definition or options*GRID (in *FORM question) without position definition or options*HEADING*MERGE to merge language sections only
Example 1
Test questionnaire in three languages
*QUESTION 100 *CODES L1
Please type in the language code.
You can change the language code via the Language menu.
1: English
*QUESTION 1 *CODES L1
question in English
1: Yes
2: No
*QUESTION 2 *CODES L1
second question in English
1: Yes
2: No
*QUESTION 3 *CODES L1 *IF [ Q100,2 ]
third question only in Dutch
1: Yes
2: No
*END
*LANGUAGE "Nederlands"
Test vragenlijst in drie talen
*QUESTION 100
Wilt u de taalcode intikken.
U kunt de taalcode wijzigen via het Language menu.
2: Nederlands
*QUESTION 1
vraag in het Nederlands
1: Ja
2: Nee
*QUESTION 2
tweede vraag in het Nederlands
1: Ja
2: Nee
*QUESTION 3
de derde vraag is alleen in het Nederlands
1: Klopt
2: niet waar
*LANGUAGE "Deutsch"
Test Fragenbogen in drei Sprachen
*QUESTION 100
Bitte geben Sie die Sprache ein.
Sie können die Sprache ändern via das Language menu.
3: Deutsch
*QUESTION 1
Frage auf Deutsch
1: Ja
2: Nein
*QUESTION 2
Zweite Frage auf Deutsch
1: Ja
2: Nein
Example 2
*INTRO
Introduction text for English respondents.
** In FORM questions the location of the fields should also be
** specified in the translation, without position or options;
** but including [Tab] and [Space] characters where required.
*QUESTION 4 *FORM
FORM question
1:Numeric field *NUMBER L2 *MIN 18 *MAX 65
2:Alpha field *ALPHA L20 *NON
*TAB 40,50,60,70
*QUESTION 5 *FORM
FORM SCALE question
value1 value2 value3
1:Statement 1 *SCALE L1 3 10
2:Statement 2 *SCALE L1 3 10
3:Statement 3 *SCALE L1 3 10
*QUESTION 6 *FORM
FORM GRID question
Brand 1 Brand 2 Brand 3
1:Line 1 *GRID L12 4.1 3.10
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
*LANGUAGE "Nederlands"
*INTRO
Introduktietekst voor Nederlandse respondenten.
*QUESTION 4
FORM vraag
1:Numeriek veld *NUMBER
2:Alfa veld *ALPHA
*QUESTION 5
FORM SCALE vraag
waarde1 waarde2 waarde3
1:Uitspraak 1 *SCALE
2:Uitspraak 2 *SCALE
3:Uitspraak 3 *SCALE
*QUESTION 6
FORM GRID vraag
Merk 1 Merk 2 Merk 3
1:Regel 1 *GRID
Regel 2
Regel 3
Regel 4
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