Brazilian Portuguese Can Confuse Us: Standard vs Pattern

Original from 4/27/2011: Gestão 2.0

My last translation article, on “Standards: Excellence vs. Mediocrity,” spun off an interesting side discussion specifically about “Design Patterns.”

For those not in programming: the term “Design Pattern” emerged in the 70s and was reinforced in the 90s by the “Gang of Four book.” According to Wikipedia, in software engineering a design pattern is a general reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem in software design. A design pattern is not a finished design that can be transformed directly into code. It’s a description or template for how to solve a problem that can be used in many different situations.

For us in Brazil there’s a huge problem, and it only clicked for me because of the discussion in the comments of that article. The complaint was that I translated “Design Patterns Standards” as “Padrões de Design.” Ronald, the one who raised it, made a correct point: the English words “default”, “standard” and “pattern” all translate to the same word “padrão” in Portuguese.

But the 3 words have very different meanings:

Default – a pre-selected option adopted by a computer program or other mechanism when no other alternative is specified by the user or programmer. Example: the “default” is 50 lines

Pattern – 1) a repetitive decorative design (as in color “patterns” on clothing). A regular arrangement or sequence in comparable objects or events. A regular and intelligible form or discernible sequence in certain actions or situations. 2) a model or design used as a guide in embroidery or other craft activities.

Standard – 1) a level of quality or accomplishment. A required or agreed-upon level of quality or accomplishment. 2) an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations. Principles of conduct informed by notions of honor and decency. A form of language that is widely recognized as the correct one.

In summary:

Default – a pre-selected choice when no other is selected.

Pattern – a model that can be observed as recurring, with no value of right or wrong.

Standard – a norm, something everyone agrees on as a basis of comparison or minimum requirements to be followed.

The problem is that the word “padrão,” in Portuguese, is used much more often with the sense of “standard.” And many times what we’re translating is the word “pattern.”

That is, when someone says “Design Pattern,” they’re only saying there’s a “form” used more frequently than others in solving software problems. It isn’t necessarily the most correct one, and there’s no statement that it’s the conclusive form. It’s just the observation that it’s frequent, regularly used. The image below shows padrões in the sense of “patterns” (“more patterns”):

But translating to “Padrões de Design” brings in the Portuguese sense of “padrão” as the most correct, or minimally correct, form, and one that, being a “norm,” should be followed. The word “padrão” comes across like “obligation to follow standard Decree No. 288/2005,” that is, “obligation to follow the norm or regulation Decree No. 288/2005.”

Then “Design Patterns” gains the connotation of a norm or regulation, which is exactly the wrong meaning. Pattern is Pattern, Standard is Standard, they’re completely different things.

And that’s where the misunderstanding between so many people lives. Whoever understood Design Patterns in the sense of “Pattern” complains about whoever understood it in the sense of “Standard.” Both translate as “padrão,” and the discussion between these two people ends up sounding like a crazy conversation: “But this is just a padrão (pattern), it doesn’t have to be mandatorily followed.” – “No! This is a padrão (standard), so it must be mandatorily followed!”

Note: I noticed some people didn’t really like the title, but I put it that way on purpose, to draw attention to the subject. I’m not claiming Portuguese is essentially bad and other languages are better. Every language has nuances and differences that depend on context, local culture, colloquialisms, neologisms, fashion, and so on.

Precisely for that reason we always have to stay alert, so we don’t take things literally and apply them without thinking, starting from false premises.