Intro to Localization

Eve Lindemuth Bodeux - Principal

www.bodeuxinternational.comgo-global@bodeuxinternational.com

© Bodeux International LLC 2003

Going Global….

Is not an afterthought!!!

• Definitions

• Getting Ready

• The Process

• Cultural Issues

• Resources

Definitions

• Locale

• Localization

• Internationalization

• Globalization

Locale

Where you are going:

a combination of language and region or country.

Portugal vs. Brazil, France vs. Canada vs. Belgium vs. Switzerland, Spain vs. Mexico vs. Peru vs. Argentina, China (PRC) vs. Taiwan, English (US vs. UK vs. International)

Localization

L10N

Adapting software or web site or other product to a locale – so it appears “local.”

Includes linguistic, cultural and technical modifications – not just translation.

InternationalizationI18N

Designing a product (software, web sites or documentation) so that it is generalized and cultural-neutral: it can handle multiple languages and cultural conventions without costly re-design for each desired locale.

Globalization

G11N

Definitions vary – globalization in this context means all tasks required to penetrate new world markets with a product: business strategy, i18n, l10n, translation, testing, sales support, marketing, promotion, customer support, etc.

Getting Ready

• Select your markets

• Analyze the product

• Identify what will be localized

• Project Prep Work

• Translation Memory

Do end users really care?

"...[R]eports [are] that Web users linger two times longer on sites in their own language. And business users on the Web are three times more likely to buy from sites in their native language.

Source: www.digitrends.net/marketing/13638_6293.html

Step 1: Select Your Markets

What are the markets to be targeted for the localized product?

This affects business strategy, internationalization, budgets and more.

All international markets are NOT the same!

Analyze the Product

• What is it?

Software, CD, web site, documentation?

• What is the subject matter?

Financial, entertainment, multi-media, medical, educational…?

Identify what will be localized

• All projects differ, but, for example:– Software strings (interface, messages, etc.)– Resource file settings– Narration: script rewritten/translated and audio files recorded

in new languages.– Help files – format?– Documentation – hard copy, PDF. – Collateral – packaging, promotional materials– Still Graphics – Flash– Animated video files– Video files with live actors – re-enact? dub?– …

Project Prep Work

• L10N review of source text and files.• Glossary development for target

languages.• Glossary approval by client.• L10N team training.• Graphics review/approval.• Translation tool word count, repetition

count & file prep.

Translation Memory

• Productivity tool – is not machine translation.• Human input and output.• Works best with repetitive text. • Database of previous and current

translations: unique, repeat and similar text. • Addresses some consistency and cost

issues.

Machine Translation?

Moderne, simple, élégante et universelle, autant d’adjectifs qui définissent la First Lady la plus populaire de l’histoire. Autant de raisons pour L’Oréal de lui rendre hommage.

Non ce n’est absolument pas un hasard si L’Oréal est à l’initiative de la venue en France de l’exposition «Jacqueline Kennedy, les années Maison Blanche». Les qualités de Jackie : l’élégance dans la discrétion, le raffinement et l’avant-gardisme, la générosité et l’universalité sont aussi des valeurs chères à L’Oréal.

From www.loreal.com

• Babel fish said:

Modern, simple, elegant and universal, as much d’adjectifs which defines most popular First Lady of l’histoire. As many reasons for L’Oréal to pay homage to him.

Not this n’est absolutely not a chance if L’Oréal is with l’initiative arrival in France of l’exposition "Jacqueline Kennedy, the Maison years Blanche". Qualities of Jackie: l’élégance in discretion, refinement and l’avant-gardism, generosity and l’universality are also expensive values with L’Oréal.

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

• What it really says:

Modern, simple, universal elegance defines the most popular First Lady in the history of the United States. L’Oréal honors the woman and her inimitable style.

It is certainly no accident that L’Oreal is responsible for bringing the exhibit “Jacqueline Kennedy And The White House Years” to France. The discreet elegance, refined avant-gardism, generosity and universality that were characteristic of Jackie are also values shared by L’Oreal.

The Process• Translation, Edit, Proof of Software• Plus: things like adapt input methods, shortcut

keys, etc. for target languages• Translation, culturalization & manipulation of related

Graphics• Translation, Edit, Proof of Help • Translation, Edit, Proof of Documentation• Create screen shots from localized software for

documentation.• Testing of localized products – software, CD, web

site – on localized platform (Chinese Windows, Russian Unix, etc.)

The Process – cont’d

• Documentation review

• Documentation file conversion

• Translation, editing, proofreading and QA of documentation

• Multilingual desktop publishing into target languages

The Process – cont’d

• Reconcile and make all pieces of product consistent

• Localize any remaining collateral materials

• Note: once localization starts, change/updates are discouraged and can be very costly.

The Team

• Project manager• Linguistic localizers – translator, editor, proofer, tester• Localization/Internationalization engineers• Graphic artists• Desktop Publishers• Voice-over artists• Production specialists (audio/video)• Web designers• Computer-aided Translation Tool Experts• Terminologists

Cultural Issues

Cultural adaptation does make a difference:

“I know that many Americans who studied Chinese in school for a long time still speak in Chinese with American ideas.”

Chinese professional in the US

What might change?

• Date format• Time format• Currency• Money format• Number formats• Punctuation• Address formats• Contact information• Forms of address• Units of Measure• Input/output in foreign

characters

• Character sets• Sort order• Calendar format• Int’l paper sizes• Double or Multi-byte

(Unicode) enabled• Accounting procedures• Puns, Idioms, Jokes• Buzz words• Acronyms• …

Showing foreign scripts.

• Different languages = different character sets.• End user “set up” must match or “garbage”

results. • Categories: Western European, Eastern

European, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Arabic, Hebrew, …

• Standards: SHIFT-JIS, ISO 8859-1 (Latin), GB Code (Simplified Chinese), Unicode …

• English operating system vs. the rest (become easier over the years)

• Example:

Chinese: incorrect display

Chinese: correct display

Examples/Resources

• Resources– http://www.bodeuxinternational.com/resources.htm

Download STC handout – scroll to bottom of page for STC link

• See handout for examples.