One True i18n Table

Like many of us, at one time I "invented" the one true lookup table, eventually saw the error of my ways, and stopped doing stuff like that.

With one exception. I find I still use a single lookup table to hold all messages for internationalization. This table includes descriptions of objects, error messages, notifications, and so forth. Another table holds languages, and a third cross-references them.

Oddly enough, the reasoning is the exact same as for the OTLT, it is in fact easier to pull those descriptions out of a single place than to have a sub-table for every table in the system.

The only operational difference between them is that the languages table is entirely system-controlled, I do not have to worry about user input and validation.

I am wondering how others have approached this.

-- 
Kenneth Downs
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