emooreatx · Oct 29, 2026 · Oct 29, 2026 · Oct 29, 2026
diff --git a/localization/TRANSLATION_GUIDE.md b/localization/TRANSLATION_GUIDE.md
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ so a lesson learned here reaches the models that would otherwise repeat it.
 - **Register drift.** The formality the glossary's standing rules specify is
   binding, not advisory: Amharic formal `እርስዎ` and never `አንተ/አንቺ`, Bengali
   `আপনি`, Yoruba respectful forms.
+- **Who is speaking decides the register.** When the agent addresses the person
+  (`prompts.*`, safety and care exemplars, replies), use the language's formal
+  address: `usted`, `Lei`, `Sie`, `vous`, `Вы`, `Ви`, `siz`, `आप`, `آپ`, `Anda`.
+  A glossary's conversational rule covers interface labels only. Spanish safety
+  exemplars came back in `tú` and passed review at MQM 100; a reviewer flags it.
 - **Orthography is meaning.** Yoruba tone marks and sub-dots disambiguate words
   (`okun` is beach, rope or strength by marks alone), so unmarked text is
   ambiguous rather than merely informal. Amharic takes `።` and `፣`; Hausa keeps

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/am_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/am_glossary.md
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Amharic.
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use standard/formal Amharic (መደበኛ አማርኛ) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Amharic for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Amharic for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "እርስዎ" (never "አንተ" or "አንቺ"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical terms can use English loan words with Amharic script adaptation
 
 ### Honorifics and Respect

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/de_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/de_glossary.md
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in German.
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal German register (Sie-Form) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational German for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational German for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "Sie" (never "du"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Maintain professional tone throughout
 - Technical terms often remain in English (API, LLM, Token, Backend, etc.)
 

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/es_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/es_glossary.md
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Spanish.
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal "usted" (implied) in official documentation and ACCORD
-- Use conversational "tú" (implied) for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational "tú" (implied) for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "usted" (never "tú"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical terms maintain professional but accessible tone
 
 ### Regional Variations

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/fa_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/fa_glossary.md
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Persian
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal Persian (فارسی رسمی) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Persian (فارسی محاوره‌ای) for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Persian (فارسی محاوره‌ای) for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "شما" with formal verb forms (never "تو"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical terms may use English loan words where established
 
 ### Pronouns and Respect

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/hi_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/hi_glossary.md
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Hindi. A
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal Hindi register (मानक हिन्दी) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Hindi (बोलचाल की हिन्दी) for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Hindi (बोलचाल की हिन्दी) for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "आप" (never "तुम" or "तू"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Use technical Hindi with English loan words for DMA prompts
 
 ### Honorifics

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/id_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/id_glossary.md
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Indonesi
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia baku) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Indonesian for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Indonesian for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "Anda" (never "kamu" or "kau"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical terms may be borrowed from English where no clear Indonesian equivalent exists
 
 ### Pronouns

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/it_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/it_glossary.md
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Italian.
 ## Cultural Considerations
 
 ### Formality Level
-- Use **informal "tu"** form for conversational UI and chat interactions (e.g., "Come posso aiutarti?")
+- Use **informal "tu"** form for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "Lei" (never "tu"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Use **formal language** for legal/official documentation and system messages
 - For action buttons and commands, use **imperative verb forms** (e.g., "Invia", "Annulla", "Conferma")
 - Technical terms borrowed from English (API, LLM, DMA) remain unchanged

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/pt_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/pt_glossary.md
@@ -212,7 +212,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Portugue
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use standard Brazilian Portuguese register for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Brazilian Portuguese for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Brazilian Portuguese for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always a respectful "você": no contractions or colloquialisms ("Estou aqui para você", not "Tô aqui"), and never "tu". This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical terms can mix Portuguese with English loan words (common in tech contexts)
 
 ### Addressing Users

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/ru_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/ru_glossary.md
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Russian.
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal Russian register (литературный русский) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Russian (разговорный язык) for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Russian (разговорный язык) for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "Вы" (never "ты"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Maintain professional tone without excessive formality in agent interactions
 
 ### Addressing Users

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/tr_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/tr_glossary.md
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Turkish.
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal register for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Turkish for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Turkish for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "siz" (never "sen"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Technical Turkish with English loan words for DMA prompts is acceptable
 
 ### Politeness

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/uk_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/uk_glossary.md
@@ -108,11 +108,12 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Ukrainia
 
 1. Ukrainian uses Cyrillic script - distinct from Russian
 2. Use formal register (Ви) for system messages
-3. Technical terms (API, DMA, LLM) remain in Latin script
-4. Respect Ukrainian-specific letters: і, ї, є, ґ
-5. Preserve placeholders exactly: {action}, {threshold}, {confidence}
-6. Use Ukrainian vocabulary over Russian loanwords where possible
-7. Apostrophe (') is used for softening - critical for meaning
+3. **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "Ви" (never "ти"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
+4. Technical terms (API, DMA, LLM) remain in Latin script
+5. Respect Ukrainian-specific letters: і, ї, є, ґ
+6. Preserve placeholders exactly: {action}, {threshold}, {confidence}
+7. Use Ukrainian vocabulary over Russian loanwords where possible
+8. Apostrophe (') is used for softening - critical for meaning
 
 ## DSASPDMA Deferral Taxonomy Terms
 

diff --git a/localization/glossaries/ur_glossary.md b/localization/glossaries/ur_glossary.md
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ This glossary defines the canonical translations for key CIRIS terms in Urdu. Al
 
 ### Formality Level
 - Use formal Urdu register (ادبی اردو) for ACCORD and official documentation
-- Use conversational Urdu (بول چال) for UI strings and chat messages
+- Use conversational Urdu (بول چال) for interface text (labels, buttons, menus)
+- **When the agent speaks to the person** (keys under `prompts.`, safety and care exemplars, the agent's replies): always formal "آپ" (never "تم" or "تو"). This overrides any conversational rule for interface text: a person in distress is addressed with respect, and the agent's own guidance requires it.
 - Use technical Urdu with English loan words for DMA prompts
 
 ### Honorifics