Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainInitialization.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainInitialization.java	(revision 16110)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MainInitialization.java	(revision 16111)
@@ -115,5 +115,9 @@
                 }),
             new InitializationTask(tr("Initializing internal traffic data"), RightAndLefthandTraffic::initialize),
-            new InitializationTask(tr("Initializing numbering format"), I18n::initializeNumberingFormat),
+            new InitializationTask(tr("Initializing numbering format"), () -> {
+                if (Config.getPref().getBoolean("override.numbering.format", true)) {
+                    I18n.initializeNumberingFormat();
+                }
+            }),
             new InitializationTask(tr("Initializing validator"), OsmValidator::initialize),
             new InitializationTask(tr("Initializing presets"), TaggingPresets::initialize),
Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/I18n.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/I18n.java	(revision 16110)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/tools/I18n.java	(revision 16111)
@@ -344,5 +344,5 @@
 
     /**
-     * Espaces the special i18n characters <code>'{}</code> with quotes.
+     * Escapes the special i18n characters <code>'{}</code> with quotes.
      * @param msg unescaped string
      * @return escaped string