Lokalized - Languages - American English

Cardinalities

CARDINALITY_ONE

Matches i = 1 and v = 0

Example Integers: 1
CARDINALITY_OTHER

Matches all other values

Example Integers: 0, 2, 16, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, …

Example Decimals: 0.0, 1.5, 10.0, 100.0, 1000.0, 10000.0, 100000.0, 1000000.0, …

Cardinality example

This localized strings file selects the localized form of “day” for a delivery estimate. Raw numbers choose the CLDR category; values formatted with the JDK NumberFormat are interpolated for display.

Sample localized strings file

en-US.json Localized Strings File (American English)

{
  "Delivery.LeadTime": {
    "commentary": "Estimated delivery time, expressed in days.",
    "translation": "{{leadTime}}",
    "placeholders": {
      "leadTime": {
        "value": "dayCount",
        "translations": {
          "CARDINALITY_ONE": "{{formattedDayCount}} day",
          "CARDINALITY_OTHER": "{{formattedDayCount}} days"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage and expected results

The Java code passes each raw number for cardinality selection and formats its display value separately with NumberFormat. The exact-tag 1,000,000 assertion records JDK 26 output; older JDK locale data can differ.

Locale locale = Locale.forLanguageTag("en-US");

Strings strings = Strings.withFallbackLocale(locale)
  .localizedStringSupplier(() -> LocalizedStringLoader.loadFromFilesystem(Paths.get("strings")))
  .localeSupplier((matcher) -> matcher.bestMatchFor(locale))
  .build();

NumberFormat numberFormat = NumberFormat.getNumberInstance(locale);

// Raw numbers select language forms; NumberFormat produces the display values

// CARDINALITY_ONE
Number oneDayCount = 1;
String oneFormattedDayCount = numberFormat.format(oneDayCount);

// Expected: 1 day
assertEquals(oneFormattedDayCount + " day", strings.get(
  "Delivery.LeadTime", Map.of("dayCount", oneDayCount, "formattedDayCount", oneFormattedDayCount)
));

// CARDINALITY_OTHER
Number otherDayCount = 0;
String otherFormattedDayCount = numberFormat.format(otherDayCount);

// Expected: 0 days
assertEquals(otherFormattedDayCount + " days", strings.get(
  "Delivery.LeadTime", Map.of("dayCount", otherDayCount, "formattedDayCount", otherFormattedDayCount)
));

// Exact-tag formatting sample
Number localeProfileDayCount = 1_000_000;
String localeProfileFormattedDayCount = numberFormat.format(localeProfileDayCount);

assertEquals("1,000,000", localeProfileFormattedDayCount);

assertEquals(Cardinality.OTHER, Cardinality.forNumber(localeProfileDayCount, locale));

// Expected: 1,000,000 days
assertEquals(localeProfileFormattedDayCount + " days", strings.get(
  "Delivery.LeadTime",
  Map.of("dayCount", localeProfileDayCount, "formattedDayCount", localeProfileFormattedDayCount)
));

Cardinality Ranges

These are CLDR's explicit range mappings. For any start/end pair not listed, Cardinality.forRange(...) falls back to the ending cardinality.

CARDINALITY_ONE - CARDINALITY_OTHER

Matches CARDINALITY_OTHER
CARDINALITY_OTHER - CARDINALITY_ONE

Matches CARDINALITY_OTHER
CARDINALITY_OTHER - CARDINALITY_OTHER

Matches CARDINALITY_OTHER

Cardinality range example

The start and end cardinalities select the locale's CLDR range result. The selected form wraps a separately formatted display range.

Sample localized strings file

en-US.json Localized Strings File (American English)

{
  "Delivery.Window": {
    "commentary": "Estimated delivery window, expressed as a range of days.",
    "translation": "{{window}}",
    "placeholders": {
      "window": {
        "range": {
          "start": "minDays",
          "end": "maxDays"
        },
        "translations": {
          "CARDINALITY_ONE": "{{formattedDayRange}} day",
          "CARDINALITY_OTHER": "{{formattedDayRange}} days"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage and expected results

The Java code passes raw range endpoints for selection. Because NumberFormat formats one number at a time, it formats both endpoints separately and joins them for display; choose range punctuation appropriate to your application.

Locale locale = Locale.forLanguageTag("en-US");

Strings strings = Strings.withFallbackLocale(locale)
  .localizedStringSupplier(() -> LocalizedStringLoader.loadFromFilesystem(Paths.get("strings")))
  .localeSupplier((matcher) -> matcher.bestMatchFor(locale))
  .build();

NumberFormat numberFormat = NumberFormat.getNumberInstance(locale);

// Raw numbers select language forms; NumberFormat produces the display values

// CARDINALITY_OTHER range
Number minDays = 1;
String formattedMinDays = numberFormat.format(minDays);
Number maxDays = 2;
String formattedMaxDays = numberFormat.format(maxDays);
String formattedDayRange = formattedMinDays + "-" + formattedMaxDays;

assertEquals(Cardinality.OTHER, Cardinality.forRange(
  Cardinality.forNumber(minDays, locale),
  Cardinality.forNumber(maxDays, locale),
  locale
));

// Expected: 1-2 days
assertEquals(formattedDayRange + " days", strings.get(
  "Delivery.Window",
  Map.of("minDays", minDays, "maxDays", maxDays, "formattedDayRange", formattedDayRange)
));

Ordinalities

ORDINALITY_ONE

Matches n % 10 = 1 and n % 100 != 11

Example Integers: 1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 101, 1001, …
ORDINALITY_TWO

Matches n % 10 = 2 and n % 100 != 12

Example Integers: 2, 22, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 102, 1002, …
ORDINALITY_FEW

Matches n % 10 = 3 and n % 100 != 13

Example Integers: 3, 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83, 103, 1003, …
ORDINALITY_OTHER

Matches all other values

Example Integers: 0, 4, 18, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000, …

Ordinality example

This localized strings example uses complete CLDR minimal-pair patterns to demonstrate every Ordinality category defined for the locale.

Source: Unicode CLDR 48.2 en locale data.

Sample localized strings file

en-US.json Localized Strings File (American English)

{
  "Ordinal.MinimalPair": {
    "commentary": "Demonstrates every CLDR ordinal category defined for this locale.",
    "translation": "{{ordinalExample}}",
    "placeholders": {
      "ordinalExample": {
        "value": "ordinalValue",
        "translations": {
          "ORDINALITY_ONE": "Take the {{formattedOrdinalValue}}st right.",
          "ORDINALITY_TWO": "Take the {{formattedOrdinalValue}}nd right.",
          "ORDINALITY_FEW": "Take the {{formattedOrdinalValue}}rd right.",
          "ORDINALITY_OTHER": "Take the {{formattedOrdinalValue}}th right."
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage and expected results

The Java code passes each raw number to Ordinality.forNumber(...) and formats its display value separately with NumberFormat.

Locale locale = Locale.forLanguageTag("en-US");

Strings strings = Strings.withFallbackLocale(locale)
  .localizedStringSupplier(() -> LocalizedStringLoader.loadFromFilesystem(Paths.get("strings")))
  .localeSupplier((matcher) -> matcher.bestMatchFor(locale))
  .build();

NumberFormat numberFormat = NumberFormat.getNumberInstance(locale);

// Raw numbers select language forms; NumberFormat produces the display values

// ORDINALITY_ONE
Number oneOrdinalValue = 1;
String oneFormattedOrdinalValue = numberFormat.format(oneOrdinalValue);

assertEquals(Ordinality.ONE, Ordinality.forNumber(oneOrdinalValue, locale));

// Expected: Take the 1st right.
assertEquals("Take the " + oneFormattedOrdinalValue + "st right.", strings.get(
  "Ordinal.MinimalPair",
  Map.of("ordinalValue", oneOrdinalValue, "formattedOrdinalValue", oneFormattedOrdinalValue)
));

// ORDINALITY_TWO
Number twoOrdinalValue = 2;
String twoFormattedOrdinalValue = numberFormat.format(twoOrdinalValue);

assertEquals(Ordinality.TWO, Ordinality.forNumber(twoOrdinalValue, locale));

// Expected: Take the 2nd right.
assertEquals("Take the " + twoFormattedOrdinalValue + "nd right.", strings.get(
  "Ordinal.MinimalPair",
  Map.of("ordinalValue", twoOrdinalValue, "formattedOrdinalValue", twoFormattedOrdinalValue)
));

// ORDINALITY_FEW
Number fewOrdinalValue = 3;
String fewFormattedOrdinalValue = numberFormat.format(fewOrdinalValue);

assertEquals(Ordinality.FEW, Ordinality.forNumber(fewOrdinalValue, locale));

// Expected: Take the 3rd right.
assertEquals("Take the " + fewFormattedOrdinalValue + "rd right.", strings.get(
  "Ordinal.MinimalPair",
  Map.of("ordinalValue", fewOrdinalValue, "formattedOrdinalValue", fewFormattedOrdinalValue)
));

// ORDINALITY_OTHER
Number otherOrdinalValue = 4;
String otherFormattedOrdinalValue = numberFormat.format(otherOrdinalValue);

assertEquals(Ordinality.OTHER, Ordinality.forNumber(otherOrdinalValue, locale));

// Expected: Take the 4th right.
assertEquals("Take the " + otherFormattedOrdinalValue + "th right.", strings.get(
  "Ordinal.MinimalPair",
  Map.of("ordinalValue", otherOrdinalValue, "formattedOrdinalValue", otherFormattedOrdinalValue)
));

Language-Specific Examples

These examples show how Lokalized models grammatical choices and translation behavior that commonly affect American English application copy. Each example identifies the Lokalized language forms and other library features it uses.

Indefinite articles by initial sound

English chooses a or an from the first sound rather than the first letter, including silent-h and consonantal y-glide onsets.

Language reference: Cambridge Dictionary: a/an follows the initial sound

Lokalized forms used: Phonetic

Sample localized strings file

en-US.json Localized Strings File (American English)

{
  "Create a {{resource}}.": {
    "translation": "Create {{article}} {{resource}}.",
    "placeholders": {
      "article": {
        "value": "resource",
        "translations": {
          "PHONETIC_VOWEL": "an",
          "PHONETIC_CONSONANT": "a",
          "PHONETIC_H_SILENT": "an",
          "PHONETIC_GLIDE_Y": "a"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

The application-provided resolver classifies each raw term at runtime. Its small lookup map stands in for application-specific pronunciation logic or a lexicon.

Usage and expected results

Locale locale = Locale.forLanguageTag("en-US");

Map<String, Phonetic> phoneticsByTerm = Map.ofEntries(
  Map.entry("account", Phonetic.VOWEL),
  Map.entry("report", Phonetic.CONSONANT),
  Map.entry("hourly reminder", Phonetic.H_SILENT),
  Map.entry("user account", Phonetic.GLIDE_Y)
);
PhoneticResolver phoneticResolver = (term, ignoredLocale) ->
  phoneticsByTerm.getOrDefault(term, Phonetic.OTHER);

Strings strings = Strings.withFallbackLocale(locale)
  .localizedStringSupplier(() -> LocalizedStringLoader.loadFromFilesystem(Paths.get("strings")))
  .phoneticResolver(phoneticResolver)
  .localeSupplier((matcher) -> matcher.bestMatchFor(locale))
  .build();

assertEquals("Create an account.", strings.get(
  "Create a {{resource}}.", Map.of("resource", "account")
));

assertEquals("Create a report.", strings.get(
  "Create a {{resource}}.", Map.of("resource", "report")
));

assertEquals("Create an hourly reminder.", strings.get(
  "Create a {{resource}}.", Map.of("resource", "hourly reminder")
));

assertEquals("Create a user account.", strings.get(
  "Create a {{resource}}.", Map.of("resource", "user account")
));

Addendum: Language Form Rules

The language form expressions above are specified by Unicode Technical Standard #35 and use the following notation:

n absolute value of the source number (integer and decimals)
i integer digits of n
v number of visible fraction digits in n, with trailing zeros
w number of visible fraction digits in n, without trailing zeros
f visible fractional digits in n, with trailing zeros
t visible fractional digits in n, without trailing zeros
c/e compact decimal exponent operands used by some CLDR compact-number rules

Cardinalities

CARDINALITY_ONE

CARDINALITY_OTHER

Cardinality example

Sample localized strings file

Usage and expected results

Cardinality Ranges

CARDINALITY_ONE - CARDINALITY_OTHER

CARDINALITY_OTHER - CARDINALITY_ONE

CARDINALITY_OTHER - CARDINALITY_OTHER

Cardinality range example

Sample localized strings file

Usage and expected results

Ordinalities

ORDINALITY_ONE

ORDINALITY_TWO

ORDINALITY_FEW

ORDINALITY_OTHER

Ordinality example

Sample localized strings file

Usage and expected results

Language-Specific Examples

Indefinite articles by initial sound

Sample localized strings file

Usage and expected results

Addendum: Language Form Rules