Feature Request: Improve switching source/target languages for native to foreign translation

[juarezr]

Overview

I've been using the Simple Translate extension for a long time and it has been a real tool in my daily work.

The most common uses are:

1. Translating new words and terms in foreign languages (mainly English) selected in browser pages to my native language (Portuguese).
2. Using an alternative language with huge similarities (Spanish) when the translation to my native language is misleading, confusing, or not good enough to understand the work/term from the foreign language.
3. Typing text phrases in my native language to find the correct form of writing or saying them in the foreign language, mainly to figure out grammar, verb tenses, and other language characteristics that don't have a 1-on-1 correspondence with my native language.

Motivation

Currently, use cases 1. and 2. work well for me but for use case 3., the Simple Translate lacks agility, especially because:

• It isn't very pleasant nor is quick to switch source/target languages every time you need to switch between use cases 1. and 2. (foreign to native language) to use case 3. (native to foreign language)
• The language list combo/dropdown field has too many languages and almost all of them besides the native, foreign and some alternates are useless to almost everybody.
• It takes some time and iterations between mouse and keyboard to click on the language list combo/dropdown field to find the source language, select the translation text filed, and type.
• It causes loss of focus and mis-concentration.

Feature Request

• Improve the translation panel adding support to quickly switch between use cases 1. and 2. (foreign to native language) to use case 3. (native to foreign language).
• Improve the selection of source/target languages in the context of switching between native/foreign/alternative languages.
• Put the user's native/foreign/alternative languages first in the language list so one can find it faster.

Thank for this amazing extension.

[juarezr]

I have drawn a mockup exemplifying a possible way to quickly switch between native/foreign languages.

The image below uses:

• English as foreign language
• Portuguese as native language
• Spanish as alternative language

[juarezr]

One more example:

• Google Translate
• They use a main/recent/select other pattern and an invert button to quickly select and switch between source/target languages.