Word 2010: Language default in spell-checker not working properly
Thread poster: Karen Henry
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
Feb 22, 2013

This has been annoying me for ages!

When I receive a document in French and I directly translate it into English, either by overtyping or with a column next to the French text, even if I change the default language to English it just changes back to French. I've tried several ways to no avail. Any suggestions?


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 21:08
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

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Hi Karen Feb 22, 2013

Which software are you talking about? Word? Or anything else?

 
Michael T
Michael T  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:08
Spanish to English
+ ...
Auto-detect language setting Feb 22, 2013

It sounds like this had something to do with the language auto-detect function interfering in some way. Have you tried turning it off?

In Office 2010:

Review, Language, Set Proofing Language, Detect language automatically (uncheck the box)

I don't really use word much myself, so I'm not sure this will solve your specific problem...


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
@ Natalie Feb 22, 2013

Natalie wrote:

Which software are you talking about? Word? Or anything else?


Hi Natalie,

It's Word 2010


 
Tina Vonhof (X)
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:08
Dutch to English
+ ...
Same problem Feb 22, 2013

My language reverts back to US English no matter what I say.

 
Rolf Keller
Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 21:08
English to German
Default language? Feb 22, 2013

karen henry wrote:

even if I change the default language to English it just changes back to French.


Is there really a default language for a certain document? I don't think so. Like all character attributes (e. g. italic, bold, color, font, size, ...) the Language attribute affects characters only.

So, select your French document completely (i. e. all the characters), e. g. by Ctrl-A, then set the language to Englisch.

Or, if you want to work with two columns, select the first column, then set the language (Language = No checking). Repeat this for the second column, even if it is empty yet. (Language = English).

And of course, uncheck "Detect language automatically".

BTW, in Word's language dialog the headline reads "Mark selected text as" ...


 
wotswot
wotswot  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 21:08
Member (2011)
French to English
@Karen, Tina Feb 22, 2013

The other thing worth checking is your Windows regional settings (in XP) or Region and Language (Windows 7, Control Panel), keyboards and languages tab. Make sure all the languages you need are "installed" here.

 
Freisk
Freisk  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 20:08
Member (2011)
English to French
[CTRL+A] + change the language Feb 22, 2013

I do have similar issues sometimes with Word 2010, which is particularly annoying when using the spellchecker.

The most efficient way I found is:
1-to select the full text (using the shortcut CTRL+A with your keyboard)
2-to click on the language "button" located on the bar at the bottom of Word window (next to the page number/wordcount) and select the correct language in the pop-up window (in your case English).

If you work with column, just select the whol
... See more
I do have similar issues sometimes with Word 2010, which is particularly annoying when using the spellchecker.

The most efficient way I found is:
1-to select the full text (using the shortcut CTRL+A with your keyboard)
2-to click on the language "button" located on the bar at the bottom of Word window (next to the page number/wordcount) and select the correct language in the pop-up window (in your case English).

If you work with column, just select the whole column you're working on and apply step 2-.

Hope that will help.

Séb
Collapse


 
wotswot
wotswot  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 21:08
Member (2011)
French to English
@Karen, Tina Feb 22, 2013

Sorry, I misled you in my last post. Make sure all the languages you need are installed in:
Start
All programs
Mircrosoft Office
Mircrosoft Office 2010 Tools
Mircrosoft Office 2010 Language Preferences

This is where you add all the languages you need. Click the dropdown box next to the greyed-out Add button, add the language(s) you need and click the Add button (now enabled) each time.

They should now be listed above this dropdown box, wit
... See more
Sorry, I misled you in my last post. Make sure all the languages you need are installed in:
Start
All programs
Mircrosoft Office
Mircrosoft Office 2010 Tools
Mircrosoft Office 2010 Language Preferences

This is where you add all the languages you need. Click the dropdown box next to the greyed-out Add button, add the language(s) you need and click the Add button (now enabled) each time.

They should now be listed above this dropdown box, with "Installed" in the "Proofing (Spelling, Grammer...)" column (and "Not enabled" in the keyboard layout column, which is logical).

Remember to click OK at the bottom of this dialog. Start Word and it should now work as expected.
Collapse


 
Frank van Thienen (X)
Frank van Thienen (X)  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 12:08
Dutch to English
Word 2010 > Options > Language Feb 22, 2013

As mentioned below, make sure you have your OS "Region and Language" settings the way you want. Get rid of unneeded keyboard layouts, install the languages you use and set the proper defaults. If you need an unlisted display language, or particularly proofing tools for a language, then you may need to buy a Language Pack from Micro$oft (about $35 each).

Next, In Word for Windows you can set your language preferences separately from your OS language settings. I forget exactly where
... See more
As mentioned below, make sure you have your OS "Region and Language" settings the way you want. Get rid of unneeded keyboard layouts, install the languages you use and set the proper defaults. If you need an unlisted display language, or particularly proofing tools for a language, then you may need to buy a Language Pack from Micro$oft (about $35 each).

Next, In Word for Windows you can set your language preferences separately from your OS language settings. I forget exactly where that is done in older versions, but in Word 2010, click on File, Options, Language, which will allow you to choose keyboard layouts, proofing language(s).

Once your defaults are set, then when you get a doc that is not your default, follow Séb's advice, by using Ctrl-A and changing the language.

HTH,
Frank
Collapse


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
default language Feb 22, 2013

Rolf Keller wrote:

Or, if you want to work with two columns, select the first column, then set the language (Language = No checking). Repeat this for the second column, even if it is empty yet. (Language = English).


I didn't realise that you could select different texts in the same document, I'll try that.


Rolf Keller wrote:
And of course, uncheck "Detect language automatically".



I've tried that but it doesn't make any difference.


Thanks Rolf


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
auto-detect Feb 22, 2013

Michael T wrote:

It sounds like this had something to do with the language auto-detect function interfering in some way. Have you tried turning it off?



Yes I have and it doesn't make any difference!

Thanks


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Done that! Feb 22, 2013

wotswot wrote:

The other thing worth checking is your Windows regional settings (in XP) or Region and Language (Windows 7, Control Panel), keyboards and languages tab. Make sure all the languages you need are "installed" here.


Done that!

Thanks


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Feb 22, 2013

Freisk wrote:

I do have similar issues sometimes with Word 2010, which is particularly annoying when using the spellchecker.

The most efficient way I found is:
1-to select the full text (using the shortcut CTRL+A with your keyboard)
2-to click on the language "button" located on the bar at the bottom of Word window (next to the page number/wordcount) and select the correct language in the pop-up window (in your case English).

If you work with column, just select the whole column you're working on and apply step 2-.

Hope that will help.

Séb



Again, I dodn't realise that you can select different texts, I'll try that, thanks Freisk!


 
Karen Henry
Karen Henry  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:08
French to English
TOPIC STARTER
Ctrl + A Feb 22, 2013

Frank van Thienen wrote:

Once your defaults are set, then when you get a doc that is not your default, follow Séb's advice, by using Ctrl-A and changing the language.

HTH,
Frank


I've set all my defaults as you explained, what I haven't tried is using Ctrl +A to select the text, so I'll try that thanks Frank


 


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Word 2010: Language default in spell-checker not working properly






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