Index: includes/common.inc
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/includes/common.inc,v
retrieving revision 1.623
diff -u -F^f -r1.623 common.inc
--- includes/common.inc	26 Mar 2007 01:32:22 -0000	1.623
+++ includes/common.inc	26 Mar 2007 13:19:51 -0000
@@ -696,6 +696,13 @@ function fix_gpc_magic() {
  */
 function t($string, $args = 0) {
   global $language;
+  
+  // first, check for an array of string replacements. if present, use the array *instead of* database lookups. 
+  // this is a high performance way to provide a handful of string replacements. see sites/default/settings.php
+  if ($t_pairs = variable_get('t_pairs', array())) {
+    return $t_pairs[$language->language][$string] ? $t_pairs[$language->language][$string] : $string;
+  }
+  
   if (function_exists('locale') && $language->language != 'en') {
     $string = locale($string);
   }
Index: sites/default/settings.php
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvs/drupal/drupal/sites/default/settings.php,v
retrieving revision 1.50
diff -u -F^f -r1.50 settings.php
--- sites/default/settings.php	26 Mar 2007 01:32:22 -0000	1.50
+++ sites/default/settings.php	26 Mar 2007 13:19:51 -0000
@@ -175,5 +175,6 @@
 #   'site_name' => 'My Drupal site',
 #   'theme_default' => 'minnelli',
 #   'anonymous' => 'Visitor',
+#		't_pairs' => array('en' => array('forum' => 'discussion board')),
 # );