diff --git a/src/effects/Contrast.cpp b/src/effects/Contrast.cpp
index cd13957fc..33bd78207 100644
--- a/src/effects/Contrast.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/Contrast.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ ContrastDialog::ContrastDialog(wxWindow * parent, wxWindowID id,
                          wxDefaultSize,
                          true);
             mForegroundStartT->SetName(_("Foreground start time"));
-            mForegroundStartT->SetFormatString(mForegroundStartT->GetBuiltinFormat(wxT("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
+            mForegroundStartT->SetFormatString(mForegroundStartT->GetBuiltinFormat(_("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
             mForegroundStartT->EnableMenu(false);
          }
          S.AddWindow(mForegroundStartT);
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ ContrastDialog::ContrastDialog(wxWindow * parent, wxWindowID id,
                          wxDefaultSize,
                          true);
             mForegroundEndT->SetName(_("Foreground end time"));
-            mForegroundEndT->SetFormatString(mForegroundEndT->GetBuiltinFormat(wxT("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
+            mForegroundEndT->SetFormatString(mForegroundEndT->GetBuiltinFormat(_("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
             mForegroundEndT->EnableMenu(false);
          }
          S.AddWindow(mForegroundEndT);
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ ContrastDialog::ContrastDialog(wxWindow * parent, wxWindowID id,
                          wxDefaultSize,
                          true);
             mBackgroundStartT->SetName(_("Background start time"));
-            mBackgroundStartT->SetFormatString(mBackgroundStartT->GetBuiltinFormat(wxT("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
+            mBackgroundStartT->SetFormatString(mBackgroundStartT->GetBuiltinFormat(_("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
             mBackgroundStartT->EnableMenu(false);
          }
          S.AddWindow(mBackgroundStartT);
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ ContrastDialog::ContrastDialog(wxWindow * parent, wxWindowID id,
                          wxDefaultSize,
                          true);
             mBackgroundEndT->SetName(_("Background end time"));
-            mBackgroundEndT->SetFormatString(mBackgroundEndT->GetBuiltinFormat(wxT("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
+            mBackgroundEndT->SetFormatString(mBackgroundEndT->GetBuiltinFormat(_("hh:mm:ss + hundredths")));
             mBackgroundEndT->EnableMenu(false);
          }
          S.AddWindow(mBackgroundEndT);
diff --git a/src/effects/DtmfGen.cpp b/src/effects/DtmfGen.cpp
index 4ec2c3b9a..c1884e6b8 100644
--- a/src/effects/DtmfGen.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/DtmfGen.cpp
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ void DtmfDialog::PopulateOrExchange( ShuttleGui & S )
          * "seconds" this does not always work properly. For example, it rounds
          * down to zero... */
          mDtmfDurationT->SetName(_("Duration"));
-         mDtmfDurationT->SetFormatString(mDtmfDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(dIsSelection==true?(wxT("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(wxT("seconds"))));
+         mDtmfDurationT->SetFormatString(mDtmfDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(dIsSelection==true?(_("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(_("seconds"))));
          mDtmfDurationT->EnableMenu();
       }
       S.AddWindow(mDtmfDurationT);
diff --git a/src/effects/Noise.cpp b/src/effects/Noise.cpp
index 18144d4cf..24b015a39 100644
--- a/src/effects/Noise.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/Noise.cpp
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ void NoiseDialog::PopulateOrExchange( ShuttleGui & S )
           * with "seconds" this does not always work properly. For example,
           * it rounds down to zero... */
          mNoiseDurationT->SetName(_("Duration"));
-         mNoiseDurationT->SetFormatString(mNoiseDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(nIsSelection==true?(wxT("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(wxT("seconds"))));
+         mNoiseDurationT->SetFormatString(mNoiseDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(nIsSelection==true?(_("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(_("seconds"))));
          mNoiseDurationT->EnableMenu();
       }
       S.AddWindow(mNoiseDurationT, wxALIGN_LEFT | wxALIGN_CENTER_VERTICAL | wxALL);
diff --git a/src/effects/Silence.cpp b/src/effects/Silence.cpp
index 5343415f5..b44eff732 100644
--- a/src/effects/Silence.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/Silence.cpp
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ bool EffectSilence::PromptUser()
    if (mT1 > mT0) {
       // there is a selection: let's fit in there...
       mDuration = mT1 - mT0;
-      dlog.SetFormatString(wxT("hh:mm:ss + samples"));
+      dlog.SetFormatString(_("hh:mm:ss + samples"));
 
    } else {
       // retrieve last used values
-      dlog.SetFormatString(wxT("seconds"));
+      dlog.SetFormatString(_("seconds"));
    }
    dlog.SetTimeValue(mDuration);
 
diff --git a/src/effects/ToneGen.cpp b/src/effects/ToneGen.cpp
index 4fc54be7f..899003e7f 100644
--- a/src/effects/ToneGen.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/ToneGen.cpp
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ void ToneGenDialog::PopulateOrExchangeStandard( ShuttleGui & S )
                       wxDefaultSize,
                       true);
          mToneDurationT->SetName(_("Duration"));
-         mToneDurationT->SetFormatString(mToneDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(isSelection==true?(wxT("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(wxT("seconds"))));
+         mToneDurationT->SetFormatString(mToneDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(isSelection==true?(_("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(_("seconds"))));
          mToneDurationT->EnableMenu();
       }
       S.AddWindow(mToneDurationT);
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ void ToneGenDialog::PopulateOrExchangeExtended( ShuttleGui & S )
                       wxDefaultSize,
                       true);
          mToneDurationT->SetName(_("Duration"));
-         mToneDurationT->SetFormatString(mToneDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(isSelection==true?(wxT("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(wxT("seconds"))));
+         mToneDurationT->SetFormatString(mToneDurationT->GetBuiltinFormat(isSelection==true?(_("hh:mm:ss + samples")):(_("seconds"))));
          mToneDurationT->EnableMenu();
       }
       S.AddWindow(mToneDurationT);