diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f81818aa40..f233132e12 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ fi
 AM_MAINTAINER_MODE
 
 save_PACKAGE=$PACKAGE
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign dist-bzip2 no-define 1.5])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign dist-bzip2 no-define 1.5 silent-rules])
 PACKAGE=$save_PACKAGE
 
 ### Set the execute permissions of the various scripts correctly
diff --git a/src/Buffer.cpp b/src/Buffer.cpp
index 369dff14f8..2d44472d4f 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/Buffer.cpp
@@ -3389,7 +3389,8 @@ static void setLabel(Buffer const & buf, ParIterator & it)
 			counters.reset(enumcounter);
 		counters.step(enumcounter);
 
-		par.params().labelString(counters.theCounter(enumcounter));
+		string const & lang = par.getParLanguage(bp)->code();
+		par.params().labelString(counters.theCounter(enumcounter, lang));
 
 		break;
 	}
@@ -3402,10 +3403,11 @@ static void setLabel(Buffer const & buf, ParIterator & it)
 		else {
 			docstring name = buf.B_(textclass.floats().getType(type).name());
 			if (counters.hasCounter(from_utf8(type))) {
+				string const & lang = par.getParLanguage(bp)->code();
 				counters.step(from_utf8(type));
 				full_label = bformat(from_ascii("%1$s %2$s:"), 
 						     name, 
-						     counters.theCounter(from_utf8(type)));
+						     counters.theCounter(from_utf8(type), lang));
 			} else
 				full_label = bformat(from_ascii("%1$s #:"), name);	
 		}
diff --git a/src/Counters.cpp b/src/Counters.cpp
index 3921cf2890..a79bc6b36d 100644
--- a/src/Counters.cpp
+++ b/src/Counters.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "support/convert.h"
 #include "support/debug.h"
+#include "support/gettext.h"
 #include "support/lassert.h"
 #include "support/lstrings.h"
 
@@ -143,19 +144,12 @@ docstring const & Counter::labelString(bool in_appendix) const
 }
 
 
-docstring const & Counter::flatLabelString(bool in_appendix) const
+Counter::StringMap & Counter::flatLabelStrings(bool in_appendix) const
 {
 	return in_appendix ? flatlabelstringappendix_ : flatlabelstring_;
 }
 
 
-void Counter::setFlatLabelStrings(docstring const & fls, docstring const & flsa)
-{
-	flatlabelstring_ = fls;
-	flatlabelstringappendix_ = flsa;
-}
-
-
 void Counters::newCounter(docstring const & newc,
 			  docstring const & masterc, 
 			  docstring const & ls,
@@ -255,20 +249,6 @@ void Counters::reset()
 	appendix_ = false;
 	subfloat_ = false;
 	current_float_.erase();
-	CounterList::iterator it = counterList_.begin();
-	CounterList::iterator const end = counterList_.end();
-	std::vector<docstring> callers;
-	for (; it != end; ++it) {
-		it->second.reset();
-		// Compute the explicit counter labels without any
-		// \thexxx strings, in order to avoid recursion.  
-		// It only needs to be done when the textclass is
-		// updated, but in practice the extra work is probably
-		// not noticeable (JMarc)
-		docstring const fls = flattenLabelString(it->first, false, callers);
-		docstring const flsa = flattenLabelString(it->first, true, callers);
-		it->second.setFlatLabelStrings(fls, flsa);
-	}
 }
 
 
@@ -430,18 +410,29 @@ docstring Counters::labelItem(docstring const & ctr,
 }
 
 
-docstring Counters::theCounter(docstring const & counter) const
+docstring Counters::theCounter(docstring const & counter,
+			       string const & lang) const
 {
 	CounterList::const_iterator it = counterList_.find(counter); 
 	if (it == counterList_.end())
 		return from_ascii("??");
-	// FIXME: this should get translated.
-	return counterLabel(it->second.flatLabelString(appendix()));
+	Counter const & ctr = it->second;
+	Counter::StringMap sm = ctr.flatLabelStrings(appendix());
+	Counter::StringMap::iterator smit = sm.find(lang);
+	if (smit != sm.end())
+		return counterLabel(smit->second, lang);
+
+	vector<docstring> callers;
+	docstring const & fls = flattenLabelString(counter, appendix(),
+						   lang, callers);
+	sm[lang] = fls;
+	return counterLabel(fls, lang);
 }
 
 
 docstring Counters::flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter, 
-				       bool in_appendix, 
+				       bool in_appendix,
+				       string const & lang,
 				       vector<docstring> & callers) const
 {
 	docstring label;
@@ -459,12 +450,12 @@ docstring Counters::flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter,
 		return from_ascii("??");
 	Counter const & c = it->second;
 
-	docstring ls = c.labelString(in_appendix);
+	docstring ls = translateIfPossible(c.labelString(in_appendix), lang);
 
 	callers.push_back(counter);
 	if (ls.empty()) {
 		if (!c.master().empty())
-			ls = flattenLabelString(c.master(), in_appendix, callers) 
+			ls = flattenLabelString(c.master(), in_appendix, lang, callers) 
 				+ from_ascii(".");
 		callers.pop_back();
 		return ls + from_ascii("\\arabic{") + counter + "}";
@@ -481,7 +472,8 @@ docstring Counters::flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter,
 		       && lowercase(ls[k]) <= 'z')
 			++k;
 		docstring const newc = ls.substr(j, k - j);
-		docstring const repl = flattenLabelString(newc, in_appendix, callers);
+		docstring const repl = flattenLabelString(newc, in_appendix,
+							  lang, callers);
 		ls.replace(i, k - j + 4, repl);
 	}
 	callers.pop_back();
@@ -490,7 +482,8 @@ docstring Counters::flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter,
 }
 
 
-docstring Counters::counterLabel(docstring const & format) const
+docstring Counters::counterLabel(docstring const & format,
+				 string const & lang) const
 {
 	docstring label = format;
 
@@ -507,7 +500,7 @@ docstring Counters::counterLabel(docstring const & format) const
 		       && lowercase(label[k]) <= 'z')
 			++k;
 		docstring const newc = label.substr(j, k - j);
-		docstring const repl = theCounter(newc);
+		docstring const repl = theCounter(newc, lang);
 		label.replace(i, k - j + 4, repl);
 	}
 	while (true) {
diff --git a/src/Counters.h b/src/Counters.h
index a83c5226e2..fdae212a26 100644
--- a/src/Counters.h
+++ b/src/Counters.h
@@ -49,19 +49,19 @@ public:
 	docstring const & master() const;
 	/// Returns a LaTeX-like string to format the counter. 
 	/** This is similar to what one gets in LaTeX when using
-	 *  "\the<counter>". The \c in_appendix bool tells whether
-	 *  we want the version shown in an appendix.
+	 *  "\the<counter>". The \c in_appendix bool tells whether we
+	 *  want the version shown in an appendix.
 	 */
 	docstring const & labelString(bool in_appendix) const;
-	/// Returns a LaTeX-like string to format the counter. 
-	/** This is similar to what one gets in LaTeX when using
-	 *  "\the<counter>". The \c in_appendix bool tells whether
-	 *  we want the version shown in an appendix. This version does 
-	 * not contain any \\the<counter> expression.
+	/// Returns a map of LaTeX-like strings to format the counter. 
+	/** For each language, the string is similar to what one gets
+	 *  in LaTeX when using "\the<counter>". The \c in_appendix
+	 *  bool tells whether we want the version shown in an
+	 *  appendix. This version does not contain any \\the<counter>
+	 *  expression.
 	 */
-	docstring const & flatLabelString(bool in_appendix) const;
-	/// set the \c flatLabelString values.
-	void setFlatLabelStrings(docstring const & fls, docstring const & flsa);
+	typedef std::map<std::string, docstring> StringMap;
+	StringMap & flatLabelStrings(bool in_appendix) const;
 private:
 	///
 	int value_;
@@ -75,10 +75,12 @@ private:
 	docstring labelstring_;
 	/// The same as labelstring_, but in appendices.
 	docstring labelstringappendix_;
-	/// A version of the labelstring with \\the<counter> expressions expanded
-	docstring flatlabelstring_;
-	/// A version of the appendix labelstring with \\the<counter> expressions expanded
-	docstring flatlabelstringappendix_;
+	/// Cache of the labelstring with \\the<counter> expressions expanded, 
+	/// indexed by language
+	mutable StringMap flatlabelstring_;
+	/// Cache of the appendix labelstring with \\the<counter> expressions expanded, 
+	/// indexed by language
+	mutable StringMap flatlabelstringappendix_;
 };
 
 
@@ -119,11 +121,17 @@ public:
 	/// the &to array of counters. Empty string matches all.
 	void copy(Counters & from, Counters & to,
 		  docstring const & match = docstring());
-	/// returns the expanded string representation of the counter.
-	docstring theCounter(docstring const & c) const;
-	/// Replace in \c format all the LaTeX-like macros that depend on
-	/// counters.
-	docstring counterLabel(docstring const & format) const;
+	/** returns the expanded string representation of counter \c
+	 *  c. The \c lang code is used to translate the string.
+	 */
+	docstring theCounter(docstring const & c,
+			     std::string const & lang) const;
+	/** Replace in \c format all the LaTeX-like macros that depend
+	 * on counters. The \c lang code is used to translate the
+	 * string.
+	 */
+	docstring counterLabel(docstring const & format,
+			       std::string const & lang) const;
 	/// Are we in appendix?
 	bool appendix() const { return appendix_; };
 	/// Set the state variable indicating whether we are in appendix.
@@ -137,9 +145,12 @@ public:
 	/// Set the state variable indicating whether we are in a subfloat.
 	void isSubfloat(bool s) { subfloat_ = s; };
 private:
-	/// expands recusrsively any \\the<counter> macro in the
-	/// labelstring of \c counter.
-	docstring flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter, bool in_appendix, 
+	/** expands recusrsively any \\the<counter> macro in the
+	 *  labelstring of \c counter.  The \c lang code is used to
+	 *  translate the string.
+	 */
+	docstring flattenLabelString(docstring const & counter, bool in_appendix,
+				     std::string const &lang,
 				     std::vector<docstring> & callers) const;
 	/// Returns the value of the counter according to the
 	/// numbering scheme numbertype.
diff --git a/src/Paragraph.cpp b/src/Paragraph.cpp
index 19997fa51b..9dc6f4fafa 100644
--- a/src/Paragraph.cpp
+++ b/src/Paragraph.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@
 #include "support/gettext.h"
 #include "support/lassert.h"
 #include "support/lstrings.h"
-#include "support/Messages.h"
 #include "support/textutils.h"
 
 #include <sstream>
@@ -1609,14 +1608,7 @@ void Paragraph::setLabelWidthString(docstring const & s)
 docstring const Paragraph::translateIfPossible(docstring const & s,
 		BufferParams const & bparams) const
 {
-	if (!isAscii(s) || s.empty()) {
-		// This must be a user defined layout. We cannot translate
-		// this, since gettext accepts only ascii keys.
-		return s;
-	}
-	// Probably standard layout, try to translate
-	Messages & m = getMessages(getParLanguage(bparams)->code());
-	return m.get(to_ascii(s));
+	return lyx::translateIfPossible(s, getParLanguage(bparams)->code());
 }
 
 
@@ -1624,17 +1616,18 @@ docstring Paragraph::expandLabel(Layout const & layout,
 		BufferParams const & bparams, bool process_appendix) const
 {
 	DocumentClass const & tclass = bparams.documentClass();
+	string const & lang = getParLanguage(bparams)->code();
 
 	docstring fmt;
 	if (process_appendix && d->params_.appendix())
-		fmt = translateIfPossible(layout.labelstring_appendix(),
-			bparams);
+		fmt = lyx::translateIfPossible(layout.labelstring_appendix(),
+			lang);
 	else
-		fmt = translateIfPossible(layout.labelstring(), bparams);
+		fmt = lyx::translateIfPossible(layout.labelstring(), lang);
 
 	if (fmt.empty() && layout.labeltype == LABEL_COUNTER 
 	    && !layout.counter.empty())
-		return tclass.counters().theCounter(layout.counter);
+		return tclass.counters().theCounter(layout.counter, lang);
 
 	// handle 'inherited level parts' in 'fmt',
 	// i.e. the stuff between '@' in   '@Section@.\arabic{subsection}'
@@ -1652,7 +1645,7 @@ docstring Paragraph::expandLabel(Layout const & layout,
 		}
 	}
 
-	return tclass.counters().counterLabel(fmt);
+	return tclass.counters().counterLabel(fmt, lang);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiGraphics.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiGraphics.cpp
index 953f8e1247..2fcb798671 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiGraphics.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiGraphics.cpp
@@ -469,14 +469,6 @@ void GuiGraphics::on_angle_textChanged(const QString & filename)
 				 (filename != "0"));
 }
 
-// returns the number of the string s in the vector v
-static int itemNumber(const vector<string> & v, string const & s)
-{
-	vector<string>::const_iterator cit =
-		    find(v.begin(), v.end(), s);
-	return (cit != v.end()) ? int(cit - v.begin()) : 0;
-}
-
 
 void GuiGraphics::paramsToDialog(InsetGraphicsParams const & igp)
 {
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/Validator.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/Validator.cpp
index d27f6b301f..59655eb004 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/Validator.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/Validator.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ LengthValidator::LengthValidator(QWidget * parent)
 QValidator::State LengthValidator::validate(QString & qtext, int &) const
 {
 	bool ok;
-	double d = qtext.trimmed().toDouble(&ok);
+	qtext.trimmed().toDouble(&ok);
 	if (qtext.isEmpty() || ok)
 		return QValidator::Acceptable;
 
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp b/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
index a679dd6dbd..008bf9aebe 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@
 #include "FuncRequest.h"
 #include "InsetIterator.h"
 #include "InsetList.h"
+#include "Language.h" 
 #include "Lexer.h"
 #include "output_xhtml.h"
 #include "Paragraph.h"
 #include "ParagraphList.h"
+#include "ParIterator.h"
 #include "TextClass.h"
 
 #include "frontends/alert.h"
@@ -253,13 +255,15 @@ void InsetBibitem::fillWithBibKeys(BiblioInfo & keys, InsetIterator const & it)
 
 
 // Update the counters of this inset and of its contents
-void InsetBibitem::updateLabels(ParIterator const &) 
+void InsetBibitem::updateLabels(ParIterator const & it) 
 {
-	Counters & counters = buffer().masterBuffer()->params().documentClass().counters();
+	BufferParams const & bp = buffer().masterBuffer()->params();
+	Counters & counters = bp.documentClass().counters();
 	docstring const bibitem = from_ascii("bibitem");
 	if (counters.hasCounter(bibitem) && getParam("label").empty()) {
 		counters.step(bibitem);
-		autolabel_ = counters.theCounter(bibitem);
+		string const & lang = it.paragraph().getParLanguage(bp)->code();
+		autolabel_ = counters.theCounter(bibitem, lang);
 	} else {
 		autolabel_ = from_ascii("??");
 	}
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp b/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
index 09254d133f..f3dbc5808a 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "FuncRequest.h"
 #include "FuncStatus.h"
 #include "InsetList.h"
+#include "Language.h"
 #include "MetricsInfo.h"
 #include "output_latex.h"
 #include "OutputParams.h"
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@ void InsetCaption::updateLabels(ParIterator const & it)
 {
 	Buffer const & master = *buffer().masterBuffer();
 	DocumentClass const & tclass = master.params().documentClass();
+	string const & lang = it.paragraph().getParLanguage(master.params())->code();
 	Counters & cnts = tclass.counters();
 	string const & type = cnts.current_float();
 	// Memorize type for addToToc().
@@ -325,7 +327,7 @@ void InsetCaption::updateLabels(ParIterator const & it)
 			cnts.step(counter);
 			full_label_ = bformat(from_ascii("%1$s %2$s:"), 
 					      name,
-					      cnts.theCounter(counter));
+					      cnts.theCounter(counter, lang));
 		} else
 			full_label_ = bformat(from_ascii("%1$s #:"), name);	
 	}
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
index 8590cc5c7b..2abe8a7f75 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
@@ -970,11 +970,12 @@ docstring InsetCollapsable::xhtml(odocstream & os, OutputParams const & runparam
 
 	bool const opened = html::openTag(os, il.htmltag(), il.htmlattr());
 	if (!il.counter().empty()) {
-		// FIXME Master buffer?
-		Counters & cntrs = buffer().params().documentClass().counters();
+		BufferParams const & bp = buffer().masterBuffer()->params();
+		Counters & cntrs = bp.documentClass().counters();
 		cntrs.step(il.counter());
+		// FIXME: translate to paragraph language
 		if (!il.htmllabel().empty())
-			os << cntrs.counterLabel(translateIfPossible(from_ascii(il.htmllabel())));
+			os << cntrs.counterLabel(from_utf8(il.htmllabel()), bp.language->code());
 	}
 	bool innertag_opened = false;
 	if (!il.htmlinnertag().empty())
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetFoot.cpp b/src/insets/InsetFoot.cpp
index 2b64cc3640..6c0d9b7924 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetFoot.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetFoot.cpp
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@
 #include "Buffer.h"
 #include "BufferParams.h"
 #include "Counters.h"
+#include "Language.h"
 #include "Layout.h"
-// FIXME: the following is needed just to get the layout of the enclosing
-// paragraph. This seems a bit too much to me (JMarc)
 #include "OutputParams.h"
 #include "ParIterator.h"
 #include "TextClass.h"
@@ -33,6 +32,7 @@ using namespace std;
 
 namespace lyx {
 
+using support::bformat;
 
 InsetFoot::InsetFoot(Buffer const & buf)
 	: InsetFootlike(buf)
@@ -47,16 +47,16 @@ docstring InsetFoot::editMessage() const
 
 void InsetFoot::updateLabels(ParIterator const & it)
 {
-	DocumentClass const & tclass = buffer().masterBuffer()->params().documentClass();
-	Counters & cnts = tclass.counters();
+	BufferParams const & bp = buffer().masterBuffer()->params();
+	Counters & cnts = bp.documentClass().counters();
 	docstring const foot = from_ascii("footnote");
 	Paragraph const & outer =  it.paragraph();
 	if (!outer.layout().intitle && cnts.hasCounter(foot)) {
 		cnts.step(foot);
 		// FIXME: the counter should format itself.
-		custom_label_= support::bformat(from_utf8("%1$s %2$s"),
-					  translateIfPossible(getLayout(buffer().params()).labelstring()),
-					  cnts.theCounter(foot));
+		custom_label_= bformat(from_utf8("%1$s %2$s"),
+				       translateIfPossible(getLayout(bp).labelstring()),
+				       cnts.theCounter(foot, outer.getParLanguage(bp)->code()));
 		setLabel(custom_label_);
 	
 	}