GC: n
CT: Baidu beats Google in China. Urdu-speaking gamers favor racing games over strategic games. CNN has separate programming for Latinos in the U.S.
What do these things have in common? Language.
Baidu does better than Google because it looks and feels fully native to the Chinese-speaking audience. Urdu speakers can’t get many games in their own language, so they turn to racing games, which are easy to understand. CNN knows that there are 55 million Latinos in the U.S. who want their own language shows.
These are examples of localization. Localization (sometimes referred to as “l10n”) is the process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market. Translation is only one of several elements of the localization process. In addition to translation, the localization process may also include:
Adapting graphics to target markets
Modifying content to suit the tastes and consumption habits of other markets
Adapting design and layout to fit translated text
Converting to local requirements (such as currencies and units of measure)
Using proper local formats for dates, addresses, and phone numbers
Addressing local regulations and legal requirements.
S: http://www.gala-global.org/what-localization (last access: 19 December 2014)
N: 1. 1811, noun of action from localize (1792, from local + -ize. Related: Localized; localizing).
2. The process of adapting a product (such as a software program, website, etc.) to the language and culture of a particular region.
3. The aim of localization is to give a product the look and feel of having been created for the target market and to eliminate, or at least minimize, local sensitivities.
The Globalization and Localization Association is comprised of members worldwide who specialize in localization, translation, internationalization, and globalization. Every day they help companies, non-profit organizations, and governments communicate effectively to global audiences. They do this by making sure the content of their clients’ communications is culturally sensitive and presented in languages that their audiences understand.
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=localization&searchmode=none (last access: 19 December 2014). 2. TERMIUM PLUS – http://www.goo.gl/VWo9sT (last access: 19 December 2014). 3. http://www.gala-global.org/what-localization (last access: 19 December 2014).
OV: localisation
S: GDT – http://www.granddictionnaire.com/ficheOqlf.aspx?Id_Fiche=506326 (last access: 19 December 2014)
SYN: l10n
S: GDT – http://www.granddictionnaire.com/ficheOqlf.aspx?Id_Fiche=8356371 (last access: 19 December 2014)
