1. Development Guidelines for Application Design Guide
  2. Working with Noun Strings

Working with Noun Strings

This section discusses:

  • Working with noun strings.

  • Noun strings used in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne applications.

  • Approved text strings.

  • System codes for translating global product solutions.

Avoid long noun strings. A noun string is a group of three or more nouns in succession. Noun strings are difficult to translate because the relationship between words is not always clear. Consider this example:

Manual G/L Transactions Entry

Does this mean manual entry of G/L transactions or entry of manual G/L transactions? A good way to rewrite a noun string is to change the order of the words (often starting at the end and reversing the order) and to use prepositional phrases to clarify relationships:

Manual Entry of G/L Transactions

If any word is a nominalization (a noun formed from a verb), change it back to a verb:

Entering G/L Transactions Manually

If space is a consideration, you can use hyphens to indicate the relationship between words:

Manual G/L-Transactions Entry

Use one of these strategies to avoid noun strings:

  • Insert helpful words such as of, for, and to.

  • Add -ing or -ed to indicate what has been or is being acted upon.

For example, depending on the intent, consider rewording Install System Code to:

  • Installed System Code.

  • Install the System Code.

  • Code for Install System.

  • Install Code for System.

  • Code the Install System.

The Install System Code example is particularly confusing because both install and code could be verbs. This phrase could be one very long noun, a request for action, or an action already taken.

To effectively translate text, translators often require more information than English readers do. The translator must know who or what is performing an action. Translators also face gender issues. Depending on how the words are organized, a word can be feminine or masculine.

If you are in doubt about how to separate a long string of nouns, ask whether one of the nouns is a verb. If so, then insert a verb helper, like to, the, of, or for, or change the tense of the verb. Consider shortening a long noun string by eliminating words that might not be necessary. For the noun string Install System Code, either Install Code or System Code is easier to translate.