Localization

What is Localisation?

Basically, localisation is the translation of a text according to the standards, conventions, regulations, and cultural needs of a particular country. It may be advertising or packaging materials, film, but, above all, software or websites. Localisation is not limited to translation, but involves the linguistic adaptation of certain standards changing from country to country. As to make an example, we should quote the use of different measurement units, currencies, addresses, up to the operative environments, page codes and character sets (each alphabet is maintained by different sets: ACII, ANSI, UNICODE, etc.). The ultimate goal of localisation is to allow the correct use of a product (i.e. a software) just respecting the cultural habits and expectations of end users. Such an outcome requires specific skills and appropriate software tools. Localisation of a database differs substantially from that of a CAD software; each software or tool has been developed for a particular operating environment (UNIX, Windows, OS / 2, Macintosh) and with a specific terminology and specific development tools.

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Some files, such as online-help, are written with hidden codes, hyperlinks, preformatted text, or a series of elements which, if neglected, could make the product not working. Technique and skill should be able to interact in a vast number of circumstances which, if neglected, can compromise the proper functioning of a software (i.e. the need to resize the contents of a text if its length exceeds a predetermined string). The success of localisation, therefore, comes from the integration of computer, editorial, linguistic and cultural skills.