Localization

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Localization and Translation
Leigh Richardson
January 15, 2007
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Localization

• What is localization?
• Merriam-Webster
• 1 to make local orient locally
• 2 to assign to or keep within a definite
  locality
• WikipediaIn web design and software,
  localization refers to the adaptation of
  language, content and design to reflect local
  cultural sensitivities.

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Localization

• Document localization is the process of tailoring
  a standard translation to fit the individual
  culture and dialect of your target audience,
  ensuring any images and concepts are culturally
  appropriate

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Localization

• American technology companies earn more than half
  of their income from foreign markets.
• As a technical communicator, you need to know
  about translation and localization before your
  work goes abroad.

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How do I get started?

• Research translation companies and compare costs
  and services
• Prepare your document for translation
• Send document source files to translation company
• Receive translated source files from translation
  company
• Review/validate translation
• Distribute localized documentation to your
  customer

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Preparing text for translation

• Reduce the number of words in your content
• Write concisely!
• The simpler your document the more accurate the
  translation will be.
• If one word in ten is eliminated, you've just
  saved 10 of the translation cost.

Translation is usually priced by the word the
fewer words you have, the less it costs.
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Write concisely

• Read each sentence and ask yourself "Does our
  customer need to know this?" If not, delete it.
  If so, is there a simpler way to state it?
• Get straight to the point. Don't include a lot of
  background information if it's not important to
  the user.
• Cut out unnecessary adjectives. Is
  "fuel-efficient, hydrostatic drive system" really
  better than "the drive system," or worth the
  extra expense?

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Write concisely

• Compare these two paragraphs
• It is important to remember to change the oil in
  your vehicle's engine every three months. This
  will help to increase the car's operating
  efficiency and result in better gas mileage both
  in city and highway driving. For further
  information on gas mileage, see Section 3,
  "Maximizing Your Fuel Usage," page 81. (53
  words)
• Important change the engine oil every three
  months to increase your car's efficiency and gas
  mileage see Section 3. (20 words 63
  reduction)

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Write concisely

• Compare these two paragraphs
• At this point in time we can't ascertain the
  reason as to why the screen door was left open.
  (19 words)
• We dont know why the screen door was left open.
  (10 wordsalmost 50 reduction)

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Write concisely

• Compare these two paragraphs
• As far as the periodicity of the report, Im
  under the impression that we should have already
  referred back to the personal opinions of the
  greater majority of management level individuals.
  Once we have chosen a methodology for making the
  decision, as our designated spokesperson, I will
  issue a statement to communicate that we have
  made such a decision. Regardless, no less often
  than monthly should do. (67 words)
• We should run the report at least monthly, but we
  need ask the managers opinions. I will let you
  know when we decide. (23 words66 reduction)

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Write concisely

• Compare these two paragraphs
• Past experience has shown that all of the
  computer-based software programs that money can
  buy in the world will not ever prove to be worth
  its weight in gold if the end users of them do
  not possess the knowledge to adequately utilize
  these tools in the performance of their jobs. (52
  words)
• All the software money can buy wont help if
  people dont know how to use it for their jobs.
  (20 words62 reduction)

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Reduce redundant words

• advance planning
• end result
• root cause
• close proximity
• whether or not

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Reduce redundant words

• Another type of redundancy
• Absolutelyabsolutely unique
• Completelycompletely finished
• Reallyreally exceptional
• Veryvery important

Substitute damn every time youre inclined to
write very your editor will delete it and the
writing will be just as it should be.Mark Twain
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Avoid slang

• Write with an international audience in mind.
  Avoid using slang terms, idioms and culturally
  biased graphics. Slang is difficult to translate
  because many expressions do not exist in other
  languages/cultures.
• If your shipment is dead on arrival
• If your computer freezes during installation...
• Simply hack into the encrypted file
• Use the back door to log in
• Your server is a memory hog

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Avoid slang

• English Discard the mother board.
• German Das Mutterbrett wegwerfen.
• German to English The nut/mother board throw
  away.

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Avoid slang

• English blue screen of death
• Korean ??? ?? ???
• Korean to English blue screen of gruel sound

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Avoid clichés

• Soup-to-nuts solution
• Low-hanging fruit
• Bleeding edge
• Thinking outside the box
• Too much on my plate
• Back burner

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Avoid clichés

• English Thinking outside the box.
• Korean ?? ???? ??
• Korean to English Above box thought.

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Avoid clichés

• English The cutting edge of technology
• Korean ??? ???? ?
• German to English Technique be sharp

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Avoid clichés

• English state of the art
• German zustand - von - die - kunst
• German to English condition of the art

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Create a glossary

• Create a glossary of terms that are specific to
  your field so the translator understands the
  context of the word
• A glossary also ensures you dont use the
  different terms for the same thing
• Computer, system unit, CPU, PC, machine
• Monitor, screen, terminal, display
• Laptop, notebook, tablet, PC
• Phone, cell, PDA, mobile device

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Explain acronyms

• If your text uses acronyms, explain the meaning
  the first time it appears. That way even though
  the words describing the acronym are translated
  the English acronym can remain throughout the
  document.
• For example
• The common English acronym RAM means Random
  Access Memory, but when translated into
  Portuguese it is memória de acesso aleatório.
  Because you explained the acronyms meaning, you
  can use RAM throughout the remainder of the
  document.

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White space

• Translated text often uses more words than the
  original version. Leave white space in your
  document to ensure that the overall design
  doesnt need changing to accommodate the
  translated version.
• On average
• German text 30 more words
• Spanish text 25 more words
• Vietnamese 33 more words
• Russian 10 more words

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White space

• For GroupWise users entering the system through
  automatic discovery, Nokia Intellisync Mobile
  Suite uses GroupWise authentication by default.
  When a user connects for the first time, Nokia
  Intellisync Mobile Suite authenticates the user
  against the GroupWise server to automatically
  create a new user account. With other approaches
  to authentication, you must configure additional
  options to grant access to the GroupWise server.
  If your system includes e-mail and PIM
  synchronization (covered in the next chapter),
  using GroupWise authentication simplifies the
  process of granting mail access. (84 words)
• Para los usuarios de GroupWise que incorporan el
  sistema con descubrimiento automático, la
  habitación móvil de Nokia Intellisync utiliza la
  autentificación de GroupWise por defecto. Cuando
  un usuario conecta por primera vez, la habitación
  móvil de Nokia Intellisync authentica a usuario
  contra el servidor de GroupWise para crear
  automáticamente una nueva cuenta del usuario. Con
  otros acercamientos a la autentificación, debes
  configurar opciones adicionales para conceder el
  acceso al servidor de GroupWise. Si tu sistema
  incluye el E-mail y la sincronización de PIM
  (cubiertos en el capítulo siguiente), usar la
  autentificación de GroupWise simplifica el
  proceso de conceder el acceso del correo. (102
  words)

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Choose typefaces carefully

• When selecting fonts, simpler is better. Avoid
  ornate or decorative fonts that could reduce
  legibility in languages containing special
  accents and characters. Try to choose fonts that
  are available on both Mac and PC.
• Example of special accents and characters
  (Czech)
• Klient Intellisync lze pouít k pripojení behem
  cest mimo kancelár. Pomocí klientu Intellisync
  vaí spolecnosti muete zrídit spojení a získávat
  informace z e-mailu, informace PIM, odesílat nebo
  stahovat soubory, instalovat nebo aktualizovat
  software, zálohovat, stahovat webové stránky pro
  mobilní zarízení a synchronizovat databáze.

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Graphics need translation

• Minimize or eliminate screen shots in your
  documentation graphics with text need
  translation
• Capture screens in the other language and send
  images to translator
• Use graphics editing tool to manually change
  English text to another language and send images
  to translator.
• Pay translation company to manually edit screen
  shots in graphics editing tool

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Summary

• Write concisely
• Write in neutral terms avoid slang terms
• Create a glossary
• Use white space in your design
• Choose typefaces carefully
• Minimize or eliminate screen shots
• Avoid clichés
• Reduce redundant words

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Questions

• Contact me
• Leigh.richardson_at_nokia.com
• www.leighrichardson.com
• 678-431-7639