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” generated an interesting separate discussion specifically about “Design Patterns.”

For those not in programming: in the 70s (and reinforced in the 90s by the “Gang of Four book”) a term called “Design Pattern” emerged that, according to Wikipedia, in software engineering, 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 that only clicked for me because of the discussion in the comments of the article I mentioned above. The complaint was that I translated “Design Patterns Standards” as “Padrões de Design.” Ronald, who made the complaint, raised the 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” we’re only saying that there’s a “form” used more frequently than others in solving software problems. It isn’t necessarily the most correct one — there’s no statement saying it’s the conclusive form. 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” gives the impression of the Portuguese sense of the word “padrão” in the sense that it’s the most correct or minimally correct form and that, being a “norm,” it should be followed. The translation “padrão” comes across like “obligation to follow standard Decree No. 288/2005,” in the sense of “obligation to follow the norm or regulation Decree No. 288/2005,” and 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 the problem many of us discuss in terms of understanding. Whoever correctly understood Design Patterns in the sense of “Pattern” complains about whoever understood it in the sense of “Standard.” Both translate as “padrão.” And then it becomes clear why a discussion between these two people seems like a crazy conversation: “But this is just a padrão (pattern), it’s not meant to be mandatorily followed.” – “No! This is a padrão (standard), so it must be mandatorily followed!”

Note: I noticed that some people didn’t really like the title, but I deliberately put it that way to really draw attention to the subject. Clearly I’m not stating that Portuguese is essentially bad and others are better — every language always has nuances and differences that depend on context, local culture, colloquialisms, neologisms, fashion, and so on. Precisely for that reason we always have to be alert not to understand things literally and to apply them without thinking, starting from false premises.