For this language strings chains a plural system would for translation into German necessary
$txt['shd_maint_zero_tickets'] = '%1$d ticket(s) were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
$txt['shd_maint_zero_msgs'] = '%1$d ticket posts(s) were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
$txt['shd_maint_deleted'] = '%1$d ticket(s) had incorrect counts of the number of posts and/or deleted posts. All have been recalculated.';
$txt['shd_maint_first_last'] = '%1$d ticket(s) had incorrect messages flagged for the ticket content, or its last reply. All have been rectified.';
$txt['shd_maint_status'] = '%1$d ticket(s) had the wrong status set for them. All have been rectified.';
$txt['shd_maint_starter_updater'] = '%1$d ticket(s) had the wrong user listed as the person who opened the ticket or the last person to update the ticket. All have been rectified.';
$txt['shd_maint_invalid_dept'] = '%1$d ticket(s) were listed as being in departments that do not exist, all were moved to a new department entitled "Recovered Tickets".';
Like this
one ticket
$txt['shd_maint_zero_tickets'] = '%1$d ticket were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
more tickets
$txt['shd_maint_zero_tickets'] = '%2$d tickets were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
example
1 post = 1 Beitrag
2 posts = 2 Beiträge
Is this all the places we have such strings?
What SMF started doing and I will implement is using it like such:
$txt['shd_maint_zero_tickets'] = '%1$d ticket were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
$txt['shd_maint_zero_tickets_plural'] = '%2$d tickets were found with invalid ids, they have all been given new ids, the next available id numbers.';
Its simple and easy to understand when plural is seen.
In the admin area, I am not so worried about these. Ones such as the maintenance ones could just be skipped for ease. I know it may sound weird in another language to use a plural word with a quantity of 1, but it comes down to making it grammatically correct for administrators or users, I tend to try to focus on users.
Thanks @SleePy :) I knew until now not that this can be so solved. Will look into SMF Wiki again.