title: Default I18n ActiveRecord validation translations
body: <p>Can I use a default I18n config for lookups if localisation file lookup fails?</p>
  
  <p>As part of Rails, <a href="http://guides.rubyonrails.org/i18n.html#how-i18n-in-ruby-on-rails-works" rel="nofollow">http://guides.rubyonrails.org/i18n.html#how-i18n-in-ruby-on-rails-works</a></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>As part of this solution, every static string in the Rails framework — e.g. Active Record validation messages, time and date formats — has been internationalized, so localization of a Rails application means “over-riding” these defaults.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>So, when I add my own localisation files, I lose the default rails error text for ActiveRecord.
  e.g. given the following code within a Model</p>
  
  <pre><code>validates_length_of :name, :maximum =&gt; 50
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When this fails, I get </p>
  
  <pre><code>translation missing: en-gb, activerecord, errors, models, model_name, attributes, name, too_long
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Two possible fixes :</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>Add <code>:message</code> to each and every <code>validates_*</code> method? e.g.</p>
  
  <pre><code>validates_length_of :name, :maximum =&gt; 50, :message =&gt; "is too long (maximum is %{count} characters)"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The problem with this is there are quite a few calls, and people adding new code would have to have remember to add the text.
  (And I dont think variable substitution works here!)</p></li>
  <li><p>Add the set of defaults that <a href="https://github.com/svenfuchs/rails-i18n/blob/master/rails/locale/en-GB.yml" rel="nofollow">rails uses</a> in each and every locale config file, e.g</p>
  
  <pre><code>errors:
    messages:
      less_than: must be less than %{count}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The problem here is that the same text has to be added to every locale file (as I am not interested in translating these), this is not that big off a deal, but seems odd.</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Which, if any, routes are advised? Any other ideas or suggestions?</p>
  
  <p>Is there no default/fallback file that the I18n uses, i.e. if the lookup cannot be found in the locale file?</p>
  
  <p>(Using rails 2.3.5)</p>