# Non Multilingual Language Editor

**URL:** <https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [April 10, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345 "2024-04-10T14:12:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lemmon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lemmon/32/7059_2.png) [@lemmon](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lemmon)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/1 "2024-04-10T14:12:38Z")

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My understanding is that the language editor is available only for multilingual sites. I have tried enabling languages feature in the config:

```auto
return [
    'languages' => true
];

```

However, this made the site multilingual. My goal is to allow user to:

a) Define their own common phrases. Changing for example “Next Project” phrase to “Next Album” right in the languages editor.

b) Switch default language from say ‘en’ to ‘it’ or whatever. I am distributing Kirby themes and all of them are developed in english but some customer might prefer use them in other translations but keep them monolingual.

I understand that there is workaround for all of these requirements I am describing but I guess it would make sense to have them implemented in one intuitive place.

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**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/2 "2024-04-10T16:51:11Z")

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The language editor is only available in a multi-language site, where multilanguage means, you have at least one language defined.

If you don’t want to enable the multilanguage feature, then you have to resort to workarounds like define those strings elsewhere, i.e. translate your text strings via the translation extension or let the user translate them in site settings or a custom area.

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**Author:** ![lemmon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lemmon/32/7059_2.png) [@lemmon](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lemmon)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 4:12am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/3 "2024-04-11T04:12:19Z")

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Yes, I understand that. Is the kind of feature I am describing something that makes sense, in your opinion? Is this something you might think about implementing in the future versions? Interface is already there in the panel, this is just one more use-case.

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**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 10:44am UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/4 "2024-04-11T10:44:28Z")

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No, IMO it doesn’t make sense to have language strings in the language editor if you don’t have a multilanguage site. Those string are stored in the language files, and no language files means no translation variables.

It is, however, possible to have a multilang site with only one language.

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**Author:** ![lemmon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lemmon/32/7059_2.png) [@lemmon](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lemmon)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/5 "2024-04-11T16:16:36Z")

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Well… I believe it makes sense from user experience perspective. But I understand what you are saying. Kirby is designed in certain way and this kind of messes with that logic.

And yes, I have tried exactly what you are describing. But this way suffixes all the content files with the language code… it’s not the worst thing in the world, but… hmmmm.

However, my understanding is that if you setup default language once you cannot change it afterwards from the panel section. Am I correct here or have I missed something?

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**Author:** ![texnixe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/texnixe/32/5754_2.png) [@texnixe](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/texnixe)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 4:20pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/6 "2024-04-11T16:20:02Z")

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Well, you can delete the default language and then create a new language (if you have only one language (left)). But yes, actually changing the default language from the Panel is not possible.

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**Author:** ![lemmon](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex017/user_avatar/forum.getkirby.com/lemmon/32/7059_2.png) [@lemmon](https://forum.getkirby.com/u/lemmon)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.getkirby.com/t/non-multilingual-language-editor/31345/7 "2024-04-11T16:27:19Z")

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Yup. I hope this changes one day. Thank you, anyway!
