WordPress翻译

Question

Often we see code like this:

       __( 'Daily Archives: %s', 'twentyeleven' ), 

First argument is string to be translated, and the second is domain used.
What's the purpose of this? Why does it need to be translated? And what's the outcome of the translation?

Answer 1

This answer really should/could be a comment; all the information you need about WordPress Translations can be found in the codex, here .

What's the purpose of this?

Internationalization and localization are terms used to describe the effort to make WordPress available in languages other than English, for people from different locales, who use different dialects and local preferences.

Why it needs to be translated, and what is the outcome of the translation?
Reading the codex, and the above paragraph (from the codex), will answer this as well.

But there is no need to translate it, it just adds to the users benefit to have translation/localizations available because not everyone speaks the same language.
Many theme creators make it a standard practice to develop themes that are ready to be localized because it not only adds extra value to their theme, it is (relatively speaking) not that much extra work to do.

---

An added benefit is that you can easily change wording on your website without having to add or edit the code. Or you can easily do things like making your website in 'Pirate'-language on national pirate day. Or pull pranks on the 1st of April by removing all vowels or something like that. - All of which are just a 'creative' (not necessarily intended) uses of translations.