diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3716d5453..2472f5adc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     "lint": "prettier --write \"src/**/*.js\"",
     "make:combined-translation-keys": "babel-node scripts/findTranslationKeys.js && babel-node scripts/combineTranslationKeys.js",
     "make:translation-keys": "babel-node scripts/findTranslationKeys.js",
+    "make:arrows": "babel-node scripts/makeArrows.js",
     "make:lib": "mkdirp lib && npm run make:lib:js && npm run make:lib:css",
     "make:lib:js": "mkdirp lib && babel src --out-dir lib --ignore=__tests__/* --source-maps",
     "make:lib:css": "mkdirp lib && babel-node scripts/styles.js && SASS_ENV=ie babel-node scripts/styles.js && babel-node scripts/postcss.js && SASS_ENV=ie babel-node scripts/postcss.js",
diff --git a/scripts/makeArrows.js b/scripts/makeArrows.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aad64fcfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/makeArrows.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+
+const pathToCombinedTranslationKeys = path.join(
+  __dirname,
+  './translationKeys/combined-translation-keys.txt'
+);
+
+const pathToArrowsOut = path.join(__dirname, '../src/locales/xx.js');
+
+const wordRE = /^[A-Za-z]+$/;
+
+function makeArrows() {
+  const lines = fs
+    .readFileSync(pathToCombinedTranslationKeys, 'utf-8')
+    .split(/\r?\n/);
+  const entries = lines
+    .map(line => {
+      const key = line.split(/\/\//)[0].trim();
+      const quoteChar = key.indexOf("'") === -1 ? "'" : '"';
+
+      if (key.indexOf('"') !== -1) {
+        throw new Error('double quotes are not supported, key: ' + key);
+      }
+
+      const maybeQuoteKey = wordRE.test(key)
+        ? key
+        : quoteChar + key + quoteChar;
+      const arrowStr = arrowPad(getArrowLen(key));
+
+      const quotedVal = quoteChar + arrowStr + key + arrowStr + quoteChar + ',';
+      const singleLine = '  ' + maybeQuoteKey + ': ' + quotedVal;
+
+      if (singleLine.length <= 80) return singleLine;
+
+      return '  ' + maybeQuoteKey + ':\n    ' + quotedVal;
+    })
+    .join('\n');
+
+  const head = 'export default {';
+  const tail = '};\n';
+
+  fs.writeFile(pathToArrowsOut, [head, entries, tail].join('\n'));
+  console.log('arrows mock translation written to: ' + pathToArrowsOut);
+}
+
+// inferred from the arrow file Greg provided
+function getArrowLen(key) {
+  return Math.max(1, Math.round(key.length / 5.7));
+}
+
+function arrowPad(n) {
+  let out = '';
+  for (let i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+    out += '⇚';
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+makeArrows();
+
+process.on('exit', function(code) {
+  if (code === 1) {
+    throw new Error('makeArrows failed.');
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/locales/index.js b/src/locales/index.js
index cea9e735a..acdfdf0e4 100644
--- a/src/locales/index.js
+++ b/src/locales/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import en from './en';
+import xx from './xx';
 
 export default {
   en: en,
+  xx: xx,
 };
diff --git a/src/locales/xx.js b/src/locales/xx.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7705abac0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/locales/xx.js
@@ -0,0 +1,195 @@
+export default {
+  'Anchor Point': '⇚⇚Anchor Point⇚⇚',
+  Angle: '⇚Angle⇚',
+  Annotation: '⇚⇚Annotation⇚⇚',
+  Arrow: '⇚Arrow⇚',
+  Arrowhead: '⇚⇚Arrowhead⇚⇚',
+  Auto: '⇚Auto⇚',
+  Autoscale: '⇚⇚Autoscale⇚⇚',
+  Axes: '⇚Axes⇚',
+  'Background Color': '⇚⇚⇚Background Color⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Bar Padding': '⇚⇚Bar Padding⇚⇚',
+  'Bar Width': '⇚⇚Bar Width⇚⇚',
+  Bars: '⇚Bars⇚',
+  Blank: '⇚Blank⇚',
+  'Border Color': '⇚⇚Border Color⇚⇚',
+  'Border Width': '⇚⇚Border Width⇚⇚',
+  Bottom: '⇚Bottom⇚',
+  'Box Padding': '⇚⇚Box Padding⇚⇚',
+  'Box Select': '⇚⇚Box Select⇚⇚',
+  'Box Width': '⇚⇚Box Width⇚⇚',
+  Canvas: '⇚Canvas⇚',
+  Center: '⇚Center⇚',
+  'Click to enter Colorscale title':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Colorscale title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter Component A title':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Component A title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter Component B title':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Component B title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter Component C title':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Component C title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter Plot title': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Plot title⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter X axis title': '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter X axis title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Click to enter Y axis title': '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Click to enter Y axis title⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Color: '⇚Color⇚',
+  "Common Case: An 'All' tab might display this message because the X and Y tabs contain different settings.":
+    "⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Common Case: An 'All' tab might display this message because the X and Y tabs contain different settings.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚",
+  'Compare data on hover': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Compare data on hover⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Connect: '⇚Connect⇚',
+  'Connect Gaps': '⇚⇚Connect Gaps⇚⇚',
+  Continue: '⇚Continue⇚',
+  'Continuing will convert your LaTeX expression into raw text.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Continuing will convert your LaTeX expression into raw text.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Continuing will convert your note to LaTeX-style text.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Continuing will convert your note to LaTeX-style text.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Continuing will remove your expression.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Continuing will remove your expression.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Custom: '⇚Custom⇚',
+  'Custom Color': '⇚⇚Custom Color⇚⇚',
+  'Default Colors': '⇚⇚Default Colors⇚⇚',
+  Display: '⇚Display⇚',
+  'Double-click on legend to isolate one trace':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Double-click on legend to isolate one trace⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Double-click to zoom back out': '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Double-click to zoom back out⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Download plot as a png': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Download plot as a png⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Edit in Chart Studio': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Edit in Chart Studio⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Edit in HTML': '⇚⇚Edit in HTML⇚⇚',
+  'Edit in Rich Text': '⇚⇚⇚Edit in Rich Text⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Enter Link URL': '⇚⇚Enter Link URL⇚⇚',
+  'Filled Area': '⇚⇚Filled Area⇚⇚',
+  'Fixed Height': '⇚⇚Fixed Height⇚⇚',
+  'Fixed Width': '⇚⇚Fixed Width⇚⇚',
+  'Font Color': '⇚⇚Font Color⇚⇚',
+  'Font Size': '⇚⇚Font Size⇚⇚',
+  'Global Font': '⇚⇚Global Font⇚⇚',
+  'Go back': '⇚Go back⇚',
+  "Go to the 'Create' tab to define traces.":
+    "⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Go to the 'Create' tab to define traces.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚",
+  'Heads up!': '⇚⇚Heads up!⇚⇚',
+  Hide: '⇚Hide⇚',
+  Horizontal: '⇚⇚Horizontal⇚⇚',
+  'Horizontal Positioning': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Horizontal Positioning⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'IE only supports svg.  Changing format to svg.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚IE only supports svg.  Changing format to svg.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  LaTeX: '⇚LaTeX⇚',
+  "LaTeX is a math typesetting language that doesn't work with rich text.":
+    "⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚LaTeX is a math typesetting language that doesn't work with rich text.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚",
+  'Lasso Select': '⇚⇚Lasso Select⇚⇚',
+  Layout: '⇚Layout⇚',
+  Left: '⇚Left⇚',
+  Legend: '⇚Legend⇚',
+  'Legend Box': '⇚⇚Legend Box⇚⇚',
+  'Line Color': '⇚⇚Line Color⇚⇚',
+  'Line Width': '⇚⇚Line Width⇚⇚',
+  Linear: '⇚Linear⇚',
+  Lines: '⇚Lines⇚',
+  "Looks like there aren't any traces defined yet.":
+    "⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Looks like there aren't any traces defined yet.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚",
+  'Margin Color': '⇚⇚Margin Color⇚⇚',
+  'Margins and Padding': '⇚⇚⇚Margins and Padding⇚⇚⇚',
+  Max: '⇚Max⇚',
+  Middle: '⇚Middle⇚',
+  Min: '⇚Min⇚',
+  'Multiple Values': '⇚⇚⇚Multiple Values⇚⇚⇚',
+  Normal: '⇚Normal⇚',
+  'Note Text': '⇚⇚Note Text⇚⇚',
+  Notes: '⇚Notes⇚',
+  Opacity: '⇚Opacity⇚',
+  'Orbital rotation': '⇚⇚⇚Orbital rotation⇚⇚⇚',
+  Orientation: '⇚⇚Orientation⇚⇚',
+  Padding: '⇚Padding⇚',
+  Pan: '⇚Pan⇚',
+  'Plot Background': '⇚⇚⇚Plot Background⇚⇚⇚',
+  Points: '⇚Points⇚',
+  Position: '⇚Position⇚',
+  Positioning: '⇚⇚Positioning⇚⇚',
+  'Produced with Plotly': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Produced with Plotly⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Range: '⇚Range⇚',
+  'Relative To': '⇚⇚Relative To⇚⇚',
+  Reset: '⇚Reset⇚',
+  'Reset axes': '⇚⇚Reset axes⇚⇚',
+  'Reset camera to default': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Reset camera to default⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Reset camera to last save': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Reset camera to last save⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Reset view': '⇚⇚Reset view⇚⇚',
+  'Reset views': '⇚⇚Reset views⇚⇚',
+  'Return to the Graph > Create menu above to add data.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Return to the Graph > Create menu above to add data.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Reversed: '⇚Reversed⇚',
+  'Rich Text': '⇚⇚Rich Text⇚⇚',
+  'Rich text is incompatible with LaTeX.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Rich text is incompatible with LaTeX.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Right: '⇚Right⇚',
+  Scale: '⇚Scale⇚',
+  Selection: '⇚⇚Selection⇚⇚',
+  Shape: '⇚Shape⇚',
+  Show: '⇚Show⇚',
+  'Show closest data on hover': '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Show closest data on hover⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Size: '⇚Size⇚',
+  'Size and Spacing': '⇚⇚⇚Size and Spacing⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Snapshot succeeded': '⇚⇚⇚Snapshot succeeded⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Sorry, there was a problem downloading your snapshot!':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Sorry, there was a problem downloading your snapshot!⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Symbol: '⇚Symbol⇚',
+  'Taking snapshot - this may take a few seconds':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Taking snapshot - this may take a few seconds⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Text: '⇚Text⇚',
+  'Text Attributes': '⇚⇚⇚Text Attributes⇚⇚⇚',
+  "The anchor point determines which side of the annotation's positioning coordinates refer to.":
+    "⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚The anchor point determines which side of the annotation's positioning coordinates refer to.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚",
+  'The positioning inputs are relative to the anchor points on the text box.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚The positioning inputs are relative to the anchor points on the text box.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'This input has multiple values associated with it. Changing this setting will override these custom inputs.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚This input has multiple values associated with it. Changing this setting will override these custom inputs.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'This trace does not yet have any data.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚This trace does not yet have any data.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Tick Labels': '⇚⇚Tick Labels⇚⇚',
+  'Tick Markers': '⇚⇚Tick Markers⇚⇚',
+  Title: '⇚Title⇚',
+  'Title and Fonts': '⇚⇚⇚Title and Fonts⇚⇚⇚',
+  Titles: '⇚Titles⇚',
+  'Toggle Spike Lines': '⇚⇚⇚Toggle Spike Lines⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Toggle show closest data on hover':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Toggle show closest data on hover⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Top: '⇚Top⇚',
+  Trace: '⇚Trace⇚',
+  'Trace Order': '⇚⇚Trace Order⇚⇚',
+  'Trace opacity is not supported for a scatter trace with fill or for a scatter trace that gets filled by another scatter trace.':
+    '⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚Trace opacity is not supported for a scatter trace with fill or for a scatter trace that gets filled by another scatter trace.⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Turntable rotation': '⇚⇚⇚Turntable rotation⇚⇚⇚',
+  Type: '⇚Type⇚',
+  Typeface: '⇚Typeface⇚',
+  URL: '⇚URL⇚',
+  Vertical: '⇚Vertical⇚',
+  'Vertical Positioning': '⇚⇚⇚⇚Vertical Positioning⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  Width: '⇚Width⇚',
+  'X Position': '⇚⇚X Position⇚⇚',
+  'X Vector': '⇚X Vector⇚',
+  'Y Position': '⇚⇚Y Position⇚⇚',
+  'Y Vector': '⇚Y Vector⇚',
+  Zoom: '⇚Zoom⇚',
+  'Zoom Interactivity': '⇚⇚⇚Zoom Interactivity⇚⇚⇚',
+  'Zoom in': '⇚Zoom in⇚',
+  'Zoom out': '⇚Zoom out⇚',
+  'close:': '⇚close:⇚',
+  'high:': '⇚high:⇚',
+  'incoming flow count:': '⇚⇚⇚⇚incoming flow count:⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'kde:': '⇚kde:⇚',
+  'lat:': '⇚lat:⇚',
+  log: '⇚log⇚',
+  'lon:': '⇚lon:⇚',
+  'low:': '⇚low:⇚',
+  'lower fence:': '⇚⇚lower fence:⇚⇚',
+  'max:': '⇚max:⇚',
+  'mean ± σ:': '⇚⇚mean ± σ:⇚⇚',
+  'mean:': '⇚mean:⇚',
+  'median:': '⇚median:⇚',
+  'min:': '⇚min:⇚',
+  'open:': '⇚open:⇚',
+  'outgoing flow count:': '⇚⇚⇚⇚outgoing flow count:⇚⇚⇚⇚',
+  'q1:': '⇚q1:⇚',
+  'q3:': '⇚q3:⇚',
+  'source:': '⇚source:⇚',
+  'target:': '⇚target:⇚',
+  trace: '⇚trace⇚',
+  'upper fence:': '⇚⇚upper fence:⇚⇚',
+};