diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
index 6466e3bc..b4ab8e80 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/index.ludic
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ import "keys.ludic"
 import "keyed.ludic"
 import "keyed_render.ludic"
 import "keyed_args.ludic"
+import "mixed.ludic"
 import "plural.ludic"
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
index aeb8e7b9..cda9f5ab 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/keyed_render.ludic
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function kr_fill(i18n_st: mut I18nState, t: string, args: []string) -> string {
     if h >= 1 {
       var v = ""
       if h < len(args) { v = args[h] }
-      if i18n_is_key(v) { v = keyed(i18n_st, v) } else if i18n_st.on and kr_words(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) }
+      if i18n_is_key(v) or kx_mixed(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) } else if i18n_st.on and kr_words(v) { v = L(i18n_st, v) }
       r = r + t[seg..i] + v
       i = hole_end(t, i)
       seg = i
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/keys.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/keys.ludic
index e1191d82..5d9a9b38 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/keys.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/keys.ludic
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ export function i18n_key(name: string) -> string { return kx_join(I18N_KEY, name
 export function i18n_key_plural(name: string) -> string { return kx_join(I18N_PLURAL, name, "", "", "", "", 0) }
 
 # the key's name without its marker ("pause.resume"), or the string as it is
-@alloc_ok("a key's name: a slice of text already made, kept by whoever holds the key")
 export function key_text(k: string) -> string {
   if not i18n_is_key(k) { return k }
   var e = 1
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ export function key_text(k: string) -> string {
 }
 
 # the text of a key: drawn translated where it is drawn (its marked text, a free cast)
-@alloc_ok("a cast: the key's own marked text, nothing is made")
 export function tr(k: Key) -> string { return string(k) }
 # a key's text with its holes, {1} .. {4}, filled by strings already made (a number, a name, another key)
 @alloc_ok("a line with its holes, made when something happens and kept by what shows it")
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/mixed.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/mixed.ludic
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a1576e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/mixed.ludic
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# mixed.ludic - a key's text glued into an English line ("A {1}, {2} cm." given a name that is a key, or a
+# name + "\n" + its blurb): each marked name made in the language in use, then the line as English. Interim,
+# until every such line is a key of its own (26.9); a mark with arguments cannot be told from the line after it
+
+# a key's name: a-z, 0-9, _ and . (every key the compiler derives or a game writes), a full stop at its
+# end left to the sentence
+function kx_name_byte(c: int) -> bool { return (c >= 97 and c <= 122) or (c >= 48 and c <= 57) or c == 95 or c == 46 }
+
+function kx_name_end(s: string, i: int) -> int {
+  var e = i
+  while e < len(s) and kx_name_byte(s[e]) { e += 1 }
+  while e > i and s[e - 1] == 46 { e -= 1 }
+  return e
+}
+
+# a string with a mark that is not the whole of it: a mark past its start, or words after a key's name
+export function kx_mixed(s: string) -> bool {
+  let n = len(s)
+  if n == 0 { return false }
+  if i18n_is_key(s) {
+    let e = kx_name_end(s, 1)
+    return e < n and s[e] != I18N_SEP
+  }
+  for i in 1 .. n { if s[i] == I18N_KEY or s[i] == I18N_PLURAL { return true } }
+  return false
+}
+
+# what L does with such a line: made once per distinct line in this language, kept with the keys
+function kx_line(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
+  if i18n_st.kc == null { kc_clear(i18n_st) }
+  let ci = Dict.get_or(i18n_st.kc, s, -1)
+  if ci >= 0 { return i18n_st.kc_out[ci] }
+  var r = kx_unmix(i18n_st, s)
+  if i18n_st.on { r = whole(i18n_st, r) }
+  if Dict.size(i18n_st.kc) >= CACHE_MAX { kc_clear(i18n_st) }
+  @alloc_ok("a line with a key glued in, made into text: kept, up to CACHE_MAX")
+  Dict.set(i18n_st.kc, s, len(i18n_st.kc_out))
+  @alloc_ok("a line with a key glued in: as above")
+  push(i18n_st.kc_out, r)
+  return r
+}
+
+@alloc_ok("a line with a key glued in (a cache miss): once per distinct line")
+function kx_unmix(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
+  var r = ""
+  var start = 0
+  var i = 0
+  while i < len(s) {
+    if s[i] == I18N_KEY or s[i] == I18N_PLURAL {
+      let e = kx_name_end(s, i + 1)
+      r = r + s[start..i] + keyed(i18n_st, s[i..e])
+      start = e
+      i = e
+    } else {
+      i += 1
+    }
+  }
+  return r + s[start..len(s)]
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/keys_test.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/keys_test.ludic
index 851898eb..045692eb 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/keys_test.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/tests/keys_test.ludic
@@ -85,4 +85,16 @@ program I18nKeysTest {
     expect(L(i18n_st, trf(k"catch.saw", "Day 3", "5:30", "", "")) == "5:30 saatinde 3. gun gordun.")       # a pattern
     expect(L(i18n_st, trf(k"catch.saw", "Nowhere known", "7", "", "")) == "7 saatinde Nowhere known gordun.")  # no line: as it is
   }
+
+  test "a key's text glued into an English line is made where it sits, until the line is a key of its own" (i18n_st: mut I18nState) {
+    start (i18n_st)
+    let elk = tr(k"species.elk.a_name")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "Saw " + elk + ", 30 cm.") == "Saw an elk, 30 cm." and L(i18n_st, "Saw " + elk + ".") == "Saw an elk.")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, elk + ": 30 cm") == "an elk: 30 cm" and L(i18n_st, elk + "\n" + tr(k"pause.quit")) == "an elk\nQuit")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "Not owned.  " + tr(k"pause.quit")) == "Not owned.  Quit" and L(i18n_st, elk + "Quit") == "an elkQuit")
+    expect(L(i18n_st, trf(k"catch.saw", "Seen: " + elk, "5:30", "", "")) == "You saw Seen: an elk at 5:30.")
+    i18n_load_text(i18n_st, tt())
+    expect(L(i18n_st, "Day " + tr(k"pause.resume")) == "Devam. gun")      # the name made, then the line's own pattern
+    expect(L(i18n_st, trf(k"catch.saw", elk, "5:30", "", "")) == "5:30 saatinde bir geyik gordun.")   # a key whole is untouched
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic b/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
index e5a2d70c..fe946450 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.i18n/translate.ludic
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # translate.ludic - what the game draws, in the language in use: a key (keyed_render.ludic); else, the old
 # English form, exact, else a pattern, else padding taken off, else a paragraph a sentence at a time
 export function L(i18n_st: mut I18nState, s: string) -> string {
+  if kx_mixed(s) { return kx_line(i18n_st, s) }
   if i18n_is_key(s) { return keyed(i18n_st, s) }
   if not i18n_st.on { return s }
   let ci = Dict.get_or(i18n_st.cache, s, -1)