# How to replace the discourse \`Topic\` with \`Question\` instead?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [March 22, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614 "2022-03-22T01:20:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@j3ang](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j3ang)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/1 "2022-03-22T01:20:04Z")
Hi,
We are trying to replace the default `Topic` term with `Question`.
In the admin settings, I see we can customize any of the text on the forum, but there are too many item contains the term topic. Is there a way to batch find and replace?
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 1:38am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/2 "2022-03-22T01:38:29Z")
> [@j3ang](#):
>
> but there are too many item contains the term topic.
That’s why it’s probably not a good idea.
You can look at [https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/main/config/locales/client.en.yml](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/main/config/locales/client.en.yml) to see all of them, so you could then fix them in the ux but the name of the thing you want to customize. You might do it in a plugin if you’re self hosted, or maybe contrive to do it with the API. But maybe your users won’t be confused by the word topic and you can avoid doing that.
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### Author:  [@j3ang](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j3ang)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 1:52am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/3 "2022-03-22T01:52:43Z")
yes, we are self-hosted. How do you suggest we write in the plugin? Should I just overwrite the locale?
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 9:42am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/4 "2022-03-22T09:42:01Z")
I’m not sure if you can just include the things you want to override on the plugin’s locale it if you’d need to explicitly overwrite them.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:08am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/5 "2022-03-22T10:08:44Z")
Why would you want to do this? Like Jay says it is really not recommended.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 11:42am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/6 "2022-03-22T11:42:33Z")
Makes sense for a Q&A based forum …?
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/7 "2022-03-22T14:19:21Z")
It might, but I think that there are hundreds of sites that are primarily question/answer that haven’t done that. And you’re not going to have any topics anywhere that aren’t questions? There are 652 occurrences of `topic` in the locale, but close to half are likely in the _names_ of the strings.
And what are you doing to do about “Private Topics”. And then how are you going to explain the path of questions being `/t/-/123`?
But I quickly added a locale to a plugin and it did override core in a quick test on my development system, so technically, it’s pretty simple.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/8 "2022-03-22T16:07:45Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> It might, but
Always a good start .. 😉
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> it’s pretty simple
Hundreds of Q&A forums will love you.
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> And then how are you going to explain the path of questions being `/t/-/123` ?
2 days in the ‘sin bin’ for asking Admin awkward questions or I could link to this topic/question.
I was hoping “question” translated to a word beginning with ‘T’ in one world language … but no …
> **[Question in Different Languages. Translate, Listen, and Learn](https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/question)**
>
> Explore our list for saying question in different languages. Learn 100+ ways to say question in other languages, expand your skills and connect across cultures.
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/9 "2022-03-22T16:10:04Z")
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Hundreds of Q&A forums will love you.
Well, if even one of them wants to love me with money I’ll create the plugin. 🙂
Too bad there isn’t a question word that starts with `t`. 😿
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/10 "2022-03-22T16:17:12Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> Well, if even one of them wants to love me with money I’ll create the plugin. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/11 "2022-03-22T17:15:10Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> And then how are you going to explain the path of questions being `/t/-/123` ?
That’s easy one. There is no need to explain, because mostly nobody sees or cares what is URL. I don’t see URL of this topic 😉
All others, especially the money, are much harder ones 🤣
(Actually no one cares if it is _topic_ instead _question_)
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### Author:  [@Tris20](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Tris20)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/12 "2022-03-22T17:30:38Z")
Jay’s covered some good reasons not to do this. I have a similar use case, but you’d be surprised how many Topics exist. Plus, if you make an FAQ, that Topic would now be a Question. If you made a Beginners Guide, that would also be a question.
Consider also the language: “Topic” inherently includes the type “Question”.
> Topic: a matter dealt with in a text, discourse, or conversation; a subject.
> Question: a matter requiring resolution or discussion.
As an achievable alternative, which aligns with language _and_ nudges users towards your Q&A style, it’s possible to replace “Replies” with “Answers” without much pain.
#### Result
#### How to
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### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/13 "2022-03-22T17:39:56Z")
> [@Tris20](#):
>
> es posible reemplazar “Replies” con “Answers” sin mucho problema
Claro, con ese tema en particular. Cuando hay otro para elegir… entonces uno debe ir a la sección de administración.
Esto no es muy útil, pero para mí es un trabajo muy fácil: en finés, “Replies” y “Answers” son la misma palabra, ¡así que quizás todos deberían empezar a usar finés 😉
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### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/14 "2022-03-22T17:52:30Z")
> [@Jagster](#):
>
> in finnish ”Replies” and ”Answers” are same word, so perhaps you all should start to use finnish
I think this is the best idea yet!
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### Author:  [@jordan.vidrine](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jordan.vidrine)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/15 "2022-03-22T22:19:31Z")
Could you create a “Questions” category and install this plugin to use for those topics?
> [@Discourse Solved](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-solved-accepted-answer-plugin/30155):
>
> discourse2Summary Discourse Solved allows users to accept solutions on topics in designated categories.open_bookInstall Guide This plugin is bundled with Discourse core. There is no need to install the plugin separately. Enabling Solved The Solved plugin can be enabled from its settings, accessed from your admin/plugins page: After enabling the plugin, to switch on Solved for all categories use the allow solved on all topics site setting. Alternati…
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### Author:  [@j3ang](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j3ang)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/16 "2022-03-22T22:24:10Z")
Thanks, I found this [topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/question-answer-plugin/56032) helpful. Installed [discourse-question-answer](https://github.com/paviliondev/discourse-question-answer)
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### Author:  [@j3ang](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j3ang)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/17 "2022-03-22T22:25:26Z")
Can I use both [Question Answer Plugin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/question-answer-plugin/56032) and the official [disourse sovled](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-solved-accepted-answer-plugin/30155) plugin together?
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### Author:  [@jordan.vidrine](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jordan.vidrine)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/18 "2022-03-22T22:26:51Z")
> [@Question Answer Plugin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/question-answer-plugin/56032/7):
>
> Good question! The Solved Plugin is indeed an official Discourse plugin. However it works differently from this plugin. The Solved Plugin allows the original poster (or an admin) to select a solution to the question in the first post. In contrast, this plugin allows each user of the forum a vote on what they think is the best answer. Different forums will want different kinds of Question / Answer style topics. I’ve added a brief description of similar plugins and Discourse features to the origi…
I think that might be confusing to your users.
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### Author:  [@j3ang](https://meta.discourse.org/u/j3ang)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/19 "2022-03-22T22:31:16Z")
Thanks for the clarification. I thought it would be helpful that the site users can vote for answers they think it’s the best but the question owner can ultimately select the one they end up using.
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### Author:  [@system](https://meta.discourse.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-replace-the-discourse-topic-with-question-instead/221614/20 "2022-04-21T22:31:31Z")
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