title: Xcode Base Translation: What is Base all about?
body: <p>I read a lot about Base Translation in Xcode but some parts seem far away from being intuitive or correct. </p>
  
  <h1>localizable.strings</h1>
  
  <p>For this question I assume to have an App with base translation and <code>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion = en</code>.</p>
  
  <h2>Expected behavior</h2>
  
  <p>1) What is inside base translation of <code>localizable.strings</code>?</p>
  
  <p>It should be english. So all Apps with a missing translation should fall back to base (=english).</p>
  
  <p>2) What do new translations base upon?</p>
  
  <p>When I export <code>xliff</code> files for translation they should source on base translation.</p>
  
  <p>3) Is english needed beside base which is english?</p>
  
  <p>I should not need an english translation, since base is english</p>
  
  <h2>Actual behavior</h2>
  
  <p>1) I don't see a use for base translation of <code>localizable.strings</code>. It is not used as fallback. It is not used for new translations.</p>
  
  <p>2) xliffs for new languages depend on <code>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</code>, so in this case the english translation. E.g: I export xliff for <code>fr</code> -> I get a file which has english translation to work out french translation.</p>
  
  <p>3) To have xliff not to depend on the key in <code>NSLocalizedString</code> I need to have a <code>localizable.strings</code> in english.</p>
  
  <p>This ends me up in the following.</p>
  
  <p>1) I don't have a base localization for <code>localizable.strings</code></p>
  
  <p>2+3) Instead I need a localization for english and for that I need english as supported language beside <code>base</code>.</p>
  
  <h1>XIB/Storyboard</h1>
  
  <p>In XIB/Storyboard it is different! I understand that <code>base</code> here could be something abstract like "Header Label" or "username" since I can't describe that otherwise. </p>
  
  <h1>All together</h1>
  
  <p>I don't need <code>base</code>for anything. Instead I need the language of <code>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</code> plus each localization I need additionally as translations.</p>
  
  <h1>Questions</h1>
  
  <p>1) Is base a concrete language (e.g. english) or an abstract description (e.g. "username")?</p>
  
  <p>2) Do I need the <code>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</code> as a concrete localization beside base?</p>