Globalization, Internationalization, Localization and
Translation: Making Sense of These Long Words - and Why It
Matters
By Lauren Nemec
Penetrating new markets is a top strategic priority for many
businesses. Entering new foreign markets is easier than ever, but
still requires significant time and money to prepare your product
for success abroad. Success depends on careful planning and
implementing the right processes from the very beginning.
In terms of language support, these processes include
globalization, internationalization, localization and translation
and each represents a crucial step in taking a product to a new
foreign market.
Globalization
Globalization is the process of developing, manufacturing and
marketing a product intended for distribution in foreign markets.
This is a two-step process consisting of internationalization and
localization, with translation being an integral part of
localization.
Internationalization
Internationalization is the process of generalizing a product to
prepare it for localization. This neutralizes the product, enabling
a more efficient localization process, improving quality and
decreasing localization costs and time to market.
Internationalizing a product just once enables a company to easily
localize that product for multiple locations.
Here is a sample list of tasks commonly performed in the
internationalization process:
- Reduce redundant or repetitious texts
- Finalize texts before localization and translation
- Use standard terminology
- Create a glossary defining any original, technical or unclear
terminology
- Enforce a consistent writing style
- Adhere to grammar rules
- Adapt layouts to accommodate right-to-left or top-to-bottom
scripts
- Allow for extra space since text tends to expand when
translated from English
- Use programming tools that support foreign language character
sets
Localization
After a product has been internationalized, it can then be
localized. Localization is the process of adapting a product to fit
the specific language and culture of a target market. The goal is
to make the product as natural and transparent as possible for the
user, as if it was developed with that user in mind.
The following details differ greatly between countries and
therefore must be taken into consideration during localization:
- time and date formats
- time zones
- keyboard usage
- number formatting
- currency conversion
- paper size
- units of measurement
- colors
- symbols
- images
- names and titles
- regulatory compliance
- culture/value systems
- social norms
Translation
Translation is the process of rendering the meaning of a text
from one language into another. It is a significant part of the
localization process.
Why Is This Important?
Globalization has made barriers to market entry smaller than
ever before. However, language and culture remain significant
obstacles for companies expanding to foreign markets. It is a
common misconception that most business professionals in the world
have sufficient knowledge of English and, therefore, English-only
websites are perfectly acceptable for a global marketplace.
Companies cannot survive under this assumption. While English
knowledge is indeed widespread, studies have shown that knowledge
does not indicate preference. Put quite simply, people are less
likely to buy your product if they can't read about it or use it in
their own language.
How Can a Language Services Provider Help?
Language services providers offer a range of services that
support globalization, internationalization, localization and
translation initiatives, such as:
- Global content management solutions
- Product internationalization
- Website localization
- Software localization
- Software testing
- Translation
- Terminology management
- Translation memory management
- Consulting and training
When you globalize a product, you are making a commitment to
support that product in all of your target markets for the duration
of its life cycle. This long-term commitment requires an excellent
partner who has a history of success with its existing clients,
extensive experience with localization and translation
technologies, knowledge of your industry, subject-matter expertise
and a process-focused approach to supplying services.