Background

ZH wiki are preferring English name in various aspects when site language set to Chinese but without conversion (i.e. zh).

For example, namespace names, like "Module" (from Scribunto), was displayed as its localized name like "模块" (Simplified Chinese) or "模組" (Traditional Chinese) in URLs, links, etc, and left various remains (mainly internal links referenced in early days). Nowadays, it switched to use its original name "Module" in zh sites, but still using the localized name in zh-hans, zh-hant and etc.

Similar to the approach in namespaces, in commit 9352436fe1fa7df0be030324e6ae54d7b4460a17, implemented the approach in special pages in MediaWiki core. It solves our concerns about the names might shifting when some variants translated but some are not.

However, this approach requires repository changes each-by-each. Also, the name stores in zh messages can easily outdated due to upstream (i.e. English) changes.

What changes

To address this, its suggested to introduced a new configuration that allows English names being used for special pages in certain site languages. This configuration currently using name "LanguagesWithoutLocalSpecialPageName", it might discussed.

This new configuration aimed to only affect special page name displaying, in URLs and links (target URL on hover of internal links displayed, or {{#special:}}), it will not affect the aliases availability. And by default, only affects sites set zh as their site language.

I've noticed that there's a similar task T326465 that suggests implementing a configuration on magic words, but rejected. In 1.40 era, it seems useless, since nowhere displays magic words' localisation, including Special:Version, and that configuration also not affects aliases availability, so it's reasonable that being rejected at that time. But the situation changes when Special:Version starting display localized names (around 1.42 or 1.43? correct me if incorrect), although I'm not going to discuss that ticket here, just for referencing.