Multilingual Choice Question
This article helps you add a Multilingual Choice question in SurveyMars so respondents pick a survey language before they answer.
Overview
A Multilingual Choice question collects the language a respondent will use. On the response page it appears as a single-choice question. Each survey can include only one. The system builds the choices from the languages that currently have answerable content. You can edit the question title only.
Use Cases
- You want respondents to choose a language before they start the survey.
- You want one question to replace the language menu at the top of the survey.
- You need each response to record the language the respondent actually used.
Feature Access
1. Open the survey editor.
2. Add a Multilingual Choice question.
3. SurveyMars places it before the first real question and adds a page break after it.
Set Up the Question
After you add the question, SurveyMars sets its position and page break for you.
1. Edit the question title, for example, "Please select your language."
2. Translate the title with the existing question-title translation.
- You cannot edit choice labels, choice values, choice order, or add and remove choices.
- You cannot drag this question to another position, and you cannot place another question before it.
3. When you delete this question, SurveyMars also deletes the page break it created.
4. Copying, importing, or exporting the survey keeps this question.
How Language Choices Appear
Choices use the same languages and the same display format as the language menu at the top of the survey. A choice never shows a language code alone, such as en. It shows the full label, such as English(en). The label follows the current survey language. The language code stays the same.
1. The survey's primary language is always the base language.
2. If multilingual content is off, the only available language is the primary language.
3. After you turn multilingual content on, only system languages that already have answerable content appear.
4. A custom language appears only when that survey content exists.
5. A language with no translation and no answerable content does not appear.
6. Choices update automatically when you add or remove a language, or when a translation is ready.
How Respondents Choose a Language
When this question is in the survey, the language menu at the top is turned off. Respondents choose a language only in this question. If the primary language is the only answerable language, the response page hides the question and its page break. Respondents start at the first survey question, and the response stores the primary language.
When more than one answerable language exists and the respondent has not chosen one yet:
1. The survey opens in the primary language.
2. The first page shows only the Multilingual Choice question and the page break after it.
3. The respondent selects a language and clicks Next.
4. The survey reloads in that language and starts at the first real question. The language question and its page break stay hidden.
5. Refreshing, going back, or opening the same address again does not show the language question again.
How the Response Records the Language
SurveyMars records the language the respondent actually used. The saved text uses the same full format as the top language menu, written in that survey language. An English response stores English(en) and the language code en. A Chinese response stores the Chinese language name plus the code. If the language question is hidden and the submission has no answer for it, SurveyMars still writes the language from the survey the respondent completed.
Important Notes
- Each survey can contain only one Multilingual Choice question.
- When only one answerable language exists, you can keep the question in the survey. Respondents do not see it until more answerable languages are available.
- If the selected language is later removed or is not valid, the survey returns to the primary language. It does not load a translation that does not exist.
- If the survey has no Multilingual Choice question, the language menu at the top keeps its current behavior.
FAQs
Why can't I edit the language choices?
Choices must match the language menu at the top of the survey. SurveyMars creates them from the answerable languages. You can edit the question title only.
Why doesn't the question appear on the response page?
It stays hidden when the primary language is the only answerable language. It also stays hidden after a respondent has already chosen a language and opens the survey again.
Why is an added language missing from the choices?
The translation is not ready, or that language has no answerable content yet. The choice appears automatically after the translation is available.
Why did the language menu at the top disappear?
When the survey contains a Multilingual Choice question, SurveyMars turns that menu off so respondents use this question only.
Why doesn't the saved language text match what the respondent saw on the first page?
SurveyMars rebuilds the label from the language the respondent actually used. An English survey stores the English name plus the code. A Chinese survey stores the Chinese name plus the code. Other languages follow the same rule.
How many Multilingual Choice questions can I add?
Each survey can include only one Multilingual Choice question.
