We’ve all heard or read terms like translation agency, translation company, localization agency, and language service provider (LSP). Many people new to translation and localization are sometimes confused by the jargon. This article will help clear up the confusion with the often interchangeable terms. “translation“Y”location“as well as other terminology associated with the translation industry. Although translation and localization have different meanings, the term localization has gained popularity and is sometimes used in place of translation.
Translation agency, localization company or language service provider?
Technically, all the terms in the heading above could describe the same organization. The Language Service Provider (LSP) has become increasingly popular in conference presentations, because the term is more general and describes a full-service organization that can do more than just translation. In terms of common use, translation agency is an older and more traditional term, while Language Service Provider (LSP) is a more current and commonly used term for a company or partner that provides a wide range of translation services or linguistic.
Common terminology of the translation industry
Translation agency: A translation agency offers translation services. This term is often used interchangeably with a translation company or localization agency. A translation agency offers translation services and manages translation projects for clients. Some translation agencies may also provide interpreters, multilingual desktop publishing (DTP), and other language-related services such as website translation and software translation. (Also known as localization agency, language service provider, globalization service provider)
Translation: The act of translating the meaning from one language to another. In other words, translation is the communication of the meaning of a text in the source language by means of an equivalent text in the target language. The translation is carried out by a translator or a translation team.
Copy writing or transcreation: While transcreators live to copy writing in a target language, the primary responsibility of a translator is to accurately translate the source content into the target language. To stay true to the original content, this can result in more literal translations. Multilingual projects that involve marketing or persuasive text may often require actual copywriting or what is known as “transcreation.” In many cases, the translated text must be rewritten for the message to be persuasive, as well as accurate and culturally appropriate. In some cases, the locale of the target language may be so different that a complete rewrite of the source marketing text is required.
Location (L10n): The Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) defines localization as follows: “Localization involves taking a product and making it linguistically and culturally appropriate for the destination (country / region and language) where it will be used and sold.” The localization must take into account the regional settings, for example, Brazil for Portuguese vs. Portugal.
Internationalization (I18n): Internationalization is a process that generalizes a software product (or website) so that it will not need to be redesigned to allow it to handle multiple languages and cultural conventions. Internationalization takes place early in the program design and documentation development process. Separating text from software source code is a critical aspect of internationalization. Moving translatable text, (text that is visible to the user), into separate resource files prevents translators from changing or breaking program code.
Globalization (G11n): The Location Industry Standards Association (LISA) defines globalization as: “Globalization addresses the business problems associated with globalizing a product. In globalizing high-tech products, this involves integrating location across the entire company, after appropriate product design and internationalization. such as marketing, sales and support in the world market. ” Globalization implies both internationalization and localization. The concept of globalization is frequently used in a sales or marketing concept, which defines when a company moves beyond domestic / national markets and globalizes websites for e-commerce to search for consumers and sales in specific places.
Website translation:Website translation is also known as “Website Globalization”. To truly “translate” a website into other languages, you may need Internationalization (I18n) and Localization (L10n) services.
Internationalization (I18n) + Localization (L10n) = Globalization of the website.
Internationalization (I18n) involves enabling a website’s backend or content management system (CMS) to handle different languages, character sets, currencies, submitting form data, site search capabilities, etc. and it involves understanding what database and content management systems you are using to create, store and publish your website content. Many recent versions of databases and content management solutions (CMS) are already enabled for other languages. Localization (L10n) involves translating and localizing the front-end and user interface of your website into different languages, ensuring that all content (text, scripts, and web graphics) is translated accurately and culturally correct.
Software translation: Software translation is also known as “Software Globalization”. In order to truly “translate” the software into other languages, you may need Internationalization (I18n) and Localization (L10n) services.
Internationalization (I18n) + Localization (L10n) = Globalization of the software.
Internationalization (I18n) involves enabling an application’s codebase to support different languages, character sets, time, date, and number formats, etc. And it involves understanding the platform and your application development process. Localization (L10n) involves translating and localizing your software’s user interface (screen, menus, dialog boxes, error messages), online help, and user manuals into different languages, ensuring that all content (text and graphics) is translated accurately and culturally correct. way.
Local: a locale includes the language of the region, as well as many other issues, such as character set support, date / time format, payment methods, product / data classification, phone / address format, and more. The localizations are associated with the target languages; for example, Brazil and Portugal are places associated with the Portuguese language.
Translation memory: Translation memory (TM) technology enables translation teams to store and reuse source and target language content for any translation project. GPI translation teams use translation memory tools to create and maintain multilingual translation memories and glossaries for our clients. These glossaries and reports are the property of our clients and can be provided as part of the deliverables of any project. Tool usage is customer driven and GPI can work with all commercially available TM technologies.
Translation memory is not machine translation (TM). Translation memory benefits include:
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Consistency in translations in larger projects, where teams of translators are required.
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Productivity and precision improvements.
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Reduced translation costs by offering leveraged pricing on repeated and roughly matched text.
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Review projects can be handled in the most cost-effective and time-efficient manner.
Translator machine: Machine Translation (MT) is software that automatically produces drafts of very crude translations. Machine translation software requires extensive initial glossary development, strict adherence to controlled source language authorship, and qualified translators to subsequently edit the raw translations that are produced to achieve acceptable quality. I use human translation and editing teams that work with translation memory tools, NOT machine translation.
GOLDEN: An acronym for “Globalization, Internationalization, Localization and Translation”. This term is sometimes used to describe professional societies and associations in our industry.
CJKV: An acronym sometimes used to describe a combination of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
FIGS: A common acronym for French, Italian, German, and Spanish, four of the most common Western European target languages for English source materials.
BRIC: A more recent acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These countries make up 4 of the world’s fastest growing economies. Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and some Indian dialects are becoming increasingly popular as target languages for content translation, localization, and website globalization.
Helpful Resources for the Translation Industry
There are a number of organizations and websites that provide useful materials and regular updates through blogs and articles. The following is a list that I recommend:
- Multilingual Computing MultiLingual is the industry’s leading magazine for website globalization, international software development, and language technology.
- Common Sense Advisory This firm focuses on helping clients implement, compare, optimize and innovate the best practices in the industry in translation, localization, interpreting, globalization and internationalization.
- GALA (Globalization and Localization Association) The Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) is an international non-profit association whose member companies specialize in language services, translation services, and language technology.
- Byte Level Research Since 2000, Byte Level Research has been dedicated to the art and science of web globalization.
- ClientSide News CSN is a customer-centric organization that harnesses intelligence to drive globalization, internationalization, localization and translation (GILT) industry solutions.