diff --git a/pylib/anki/lang.py b/pylib/anki/lang.py
index 10d2572f6..94fcdc3ab 100644
--- a/pylib/anki/lang.py
+++ b/pylib/anki/lang.py
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 # Please leave the coding line in this file to prevent xgettext complaining.
 
 import gettext
+import os
 import re
-import threading
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Optional, Union
 
 langs = sorted(
     [
@@ -133,55 +133,39 @@ def lang_to_disk_lang(lang: str) -> str:
     return re.match("(.*)_", lang).group(1)
 
 
-threadLocal = threading.local()
+# the currently set interface language
+currentLang = "en"
 
-# global defaults
-currentLang: Any = None
-currentTranslation: Any = None
-locale_folder: str = ""
+# the current translation catalog
+current_catalog: Optional[
+    Union[gettext.NullTranslations, gettext.GNUTranslations]
+] = None
 
-
-def localTranslation() -> Any:
-    "Return the translation local to this thread, or the default."
-    if getattr(threadLocal, "currentTranslation", None):
-        return threadLocal.currentTranslation
-    else:
-        return currentTranslation
+# path to locale folder
+locale_folder = ""
 
 
 def _(str: str) -> str:
-    return localTranslation().gettext(str)
+    if current_catalog:
+        return current_catalog.gettext(str)
+    else:
+        return str
 
 
 def ngettext(single: str, plural: str, n: int) -> str:
-    return localTranslation().ngettext(single, plural, n)
+    if current_catalog:
+        return current_catalog.ngettext(single, plural, n)
+    elif n == 1:
+        return single
+    return plural
 
 
-def setLang(lang: str, locale_dir: str, local: bool = True) -> None:
-    trans = gettext.translation("anki", locale_dir, languages=[lang], fallback=True)
-    if local:
-        threadLocal.currentLang = lang
-        threadLocal.currentTranslation = trans
-        threadLocal.locale_folder = locale_dir
-    else:
-        global currentLang, currentTranslation, locale_folder
-        currentLang = lang
-        currentTranslation = trans
-        locale_folder = locale_dir
+def set_lang(lang: str, locale_dir: str) -> None:
+    global currentLang, current_catalog, locale_folder
+    gettext_dir = os.path.join(locale_dir, "gettext")
 
-
-def getLang() -> str:
-    "Return the language local to this thread, or the default."
-    if getattr(threadLocal, "currentLang", None):
-        return threadLocal.currentLang
-    else:
-        return currentLang
-
-
-def noHint(str) -> str:
-    "Remove translation hint from end of string."
-    return re.sub(r"(^.*?)( ?\(.+?\))?$", "\\1", str)
-
-
-if not currentTranslation:
-    setLang("en_US", locale_dir="", local=False)
+    currentLang = lang
+    current_catalog = gettext.translation(
+        "anki", gettext_dir, languages=[lang], fallback=True
+    )
+    locale_folder = locale_dir
diff --git a/qt/aqt/__init__.py b/qt/aqt/__init__.py
index b12120210..fccd3681a 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/__init__.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/__init__.py
@@ -175,8 +175,7 @@ def setupLang(
 
     # load gettext catalog
     ldir = locale_dir()
-    gettext_dir = os.path.join(ldir, "gettext")
-    anki.lang.setLang(lang, gettext_dir, local=False)
+    anki.lang.set_lang(lang, ldir)
 
     # switch direction for RTL languages
     if lang in ("he", "ar", "fa"):
diff --git a/qt/aqt/preferences.py b/qt/aqt/preferences.py
index 8da87aa7b..7c5b924e6 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/preferences.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/preferences.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class Preferences(QDialog):
     def langIdx(self):
         codes = [x[1] for x in anki.lang.langs]
         try:
-            return codes.index(anki.lang.getLang())
+            return codes.index(anki.lang.currentLang)
         except:
             return codes.index("en_US")
 
diff --git a/qt/aqt/profiles.py b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
index 11b8878d1..03f4280cb 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/profiles.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/profiles.py
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ please see:
         sql = "update profiles set data = ? where name = ?"
         self.db.execute(sql, self._pickle(self.meta), "_global")
         self.db.commit()
-        anki.lang.setLang(code, locale_dir(), local=False)
+        anki.lang.set_lang(code, locale_dir())
 
     # OpenGL
     ######################################################################