#18990
How to Prepare a Localization Kit 
Today, companies need to localize their products in order to compete effectively in the global markets. Preparation of a complete localization kit is the first step in a successful localization project. A localization kit serves both client and localizer to streamline the process from the onset and allow for optimum allocation of resource, time and budget management.
Olcer, Sedef. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Language>Localization
#18492
How To Select the Right CAT Tool Solution
This article lays out a framework for selecting the right Computer Aided Translation (CAT) tool solution based on a number of characteristics of the translation environment.
#24406
Hybrid Language: A Study of E-Mail and Miscommunication
Electronic communication is a hybrid of spoken, written and digital communication. Using linguistic theories and ethnographic methods, this paper examines how the unique language composition of email contributes to miscommunication between individuals. Until written language evolves to account for electronic media, careful reading and writing of email, recognition of its hybrid nature, and occasionally bypassing it as a communication channel, can assist in avoiding or correcting miscommunications.
Grosvenor, Laura. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Language>Correspondence>Email
#31792
Identity and Cross-Cultural Communication
In this project special attention is given to legal, commercial, political and institutional discourse used in specific workplaces, analysed from an intercultural perspective. In particular, through an exploration of the international ‘image’ suggested by major social and economic actors, our project aims to improve the understanding of identity-forming features linked to ‘local’ or professional cultures, as communicated by contemporary English in various specialised domains among native and non-native speakers.
Gotti, Maurizio. Association for Business Communication (2007). Articles>Language>International>Cultural Theory
#25818
In China Su Manshu was mainly remembered as a pioneer of poetry translation, yet when it came to his translation of Les Misérables, the comments always centered on its unfaithfulness. No substantial study has ever been made to probe into the reasons behind such a practice. The research by such scholars as André Lefevere (1992, 1995) and Susan Bassnett (1995) on ideological manipulation of translation gives us some insight to rethink Su Manshu's translation of Les Misérables from the ideological perspective.
Li, Li. Translation Journal (2005). Articles>Language>Translation>China
#29121
Communication practice can be aided significantly by good communication models. In this article, the author positions models of communication in natural language within a broader perspective sketched by the role of models used in empirical sciences in order to outline the foundational limitations for constructing linguistic/communication models.
Zielinska, Dorota. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2005). Articles>Language>Linguistics
#18496
The Importance of TMX for Translation Tool Buyers
In June of 1997, a small group of individuals representing the major buyers and providers of translation tools and services began a process that will have dramatic benefits for the users of translation tools. With the momentum of Microsoft behind it, that group began defining a standard for exchanging translation memory data between translation tools. This definition has been recently published by the Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) as the Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) standard. Defined as a Document Type Definition (DTD) in SGML, this standard defines vendor-neutral conventions for storing translation memories in a manner that allows them to be uniformly exchanged between any tool of any vendor adhering to the standard. So how will TMX affect the translation tool market and what does it mean to current and future users of translation tools?
Briggs, Brian M. SDL International. Articles>Language>Localization>Software
#30278
Improving Translatability And Readability With Syntactic Cues
'Syntactic cues' are function words and punctuation marks that indicate syntactic relationships. Research in psycholinguistics, reading, and reading in a foreign language has shown that readers rely heavily on these cues to help them analyze and predict sentence structure. Yet technical writers and editors routinely eliminate many of these cues from their writing in the mistaken belief that they are improving readability. This workshop will show you how to use syntactic cues not only to improve readability, but also to eliminate ambiguities that cause problems for translators. This approach does not require knowledge of grammatical terminology, and it will increase your sensitivity to many subtleties of the English language.
Kohl, John R. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Language>Translation>Localization
#10373
Improving Translatability and Readability with Syntactic Cues 
More and more technical writing is being translated from English into dozens of languages for use worldwide by readers who have varying degrees of fluency in English. More and more technical documents are translated using computer-assisted or machine translation and are then post-edited by human translators whose first language usually is not English. As a result, more than ever before, technical writers need to be aware of syntactic ambiguity in order to ensure the most accurate, timely, and cost-effective translation. This manuscript explores an approach to writing unambiguously that is based on research from several disciplines. In addition to facilitating translation, the syntactic cues approach improves the readability of technical documents for both native and nonnative readers of English. The manuscript discusses considerations for integrating the syntactic cues approach into established documentation processes and also provides a procedure that helps technical writers learn to use syntactic cues effe
Kohl, John R. Technical Communication Online (1999). Articles>Language>Translation>Localization
#29089
In studies of political communication the use of personal pronouns is often put forward as one of the strategies for influencing sender-receiver relations (e.g., De Fina [1], Haverkate [2], Zupnik [3]). As Rogers and Swales [4] among others have demonstrated, similar techniques can be detected in corporate communication. In this article, the use of French and Dutch personal and possessive pronouns in the first person plural is examined in internal communication documents. The focus is on the link between text types and the use of inclusive, exclusive, or ambiguous we. First the research material is described; then a concise overview of the literary sources is given; finally the results of the research are discussed. It will be demonstrated that managers can exploit personal pronouns strategically and that the use of we is a parameter for identifying text function.
Dieltjens, Sylvain and Priscilla Heynderickx. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2003). Articles>Language>Grammar
#23388
The Influence of Language and Culture on Written Communication 
Language reflects the special characteristics of each culture; its conventions, history, tradition, race, religion, and political stand. These cultural conventions do not only concern language, but also the way we view and perceive the world. That is why it is important for technical communicators to learn the conventions of a particular culture, and particularly its language, if they are to write the most suitable documentation for the target group.
Nordlund, Juha. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Language>Writing
#30725
This study investigates the influence of students' perceptions of task similarity/ difference on the transfer of writing skills. A total of 42 students from a freshman ESL writing course completed an out-of-class writing task. For half of the students, the subject matter of the writing task was designed to be similar to the writing course; for the other half, it was designed to be different. All students were also interviewed about the writing task. Reports of learning transfer were identified in the interview transcripts, and students' performances on the task and on a recent assignment from the course were assessed. Results indicate that the intended task similarity/difference (i.e., in subject matter) did not have the expected impact on learning transfer; however, students' perceptions of task similarity/difference did influence learning transfer. Implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.
James, Mark Andrew. Written Communication (2008). Articles>Education>Writing>Language
#26701
Intercultural Technical Communication: The Pedagogical Possibilities of Paralogic Hermeneutics
Our rejection of language as a system necessitates the rejection of pedagogical methods that seek to cultivate 'linguistic competence' or seek to develop 'intercultural competence' on top of the 'regular' work of technical communication instruction.
Daisy, Brenda. Orange Journal, The (2005). Articles>Language>Education
#18502
International Document Publication
The formatting work that's done after translation typically represents 30-40% of the overall cost of a localization project. Some ways to reduce that cost involve choosing an appropriate page layout application. One application can require as much as five times the labor required to do the same type of formatting as in another application. By choosing the right application, you can conceivably save hundreds of hours and costs over your set of target languages.
Bailey, Ase, Adam Jones and Dick Rude. SDL International (1998). Articles>Language>Localization
#24447
Internationalization and Translatability
Internationalization prepares products and documentation for translation. It accompanies the production process, helping to ensure that all internationalization factors are considered. It prevents costly and time-consuming retrofitting and increases the chance of a successful product introduction into foreign markets.
Kumhyr, David B., Carla Merrill and Karin Spalink. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Language>Localization
#19581
The Internet and the English Language
Explores how the use of e-mail and Internet chat rooms is contributing to the deterioration of the English language.
Carter, Terence. Writer's Block (1999). Articles>Language>Online
#23484
Introducing "King Memo" (David vs. the Goliaths?)
I work as a freelance translator, mostly with Word and html files. I also regularly organize localization projects involving translations into the main European languages. When I looked around at the translation memory systems on the market today, I found them not only seriously overpriced but also laden down with so many features that I'd never expect to use in a month of Sundays.
Abele, Wolfgang. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Language>Localization>Software
#18490
An Introduction to Computer-Aided Translation
Computer Aided Translation (CAT) is the broadest term used to describe an area of computer technology applications that automates or assists the act of translating text from one spoken language to another. Today CAT tool technology is being used by both business users and professional translators. Business users conducting business internationally are now finding benefit in tools when communicating across languages when a translator is not available and the user has limited multilingual skills. Professional translators are finding CAT tools highly effective in improving their translation productivity and quality for work that lends itself to the use of the different technologies.
#18487
MLang implements a set of services that is designed to help make software that interacts with Internet data more international. More specifically, MLang helps solve problems presented by the multilingual environment that exists for software today. This article describes the services that are provided by the MLang Component Object Model (COM) object.
Microsoft (2003). Articles>Language>Localization>Microsoft Windows
#25388
Is Localization of a Product Essential to Ensure Usability and Customer Satisfaction?
Do you believe that localization of a product is essential to ensure usability and customer satisfaction?
Dick, David J. Usability Interface (2005). Articles>Language>Localization
#15149
Is Your Documentation Translation-Ready?
Describes several ways technical communicators can prepare their documentation for translation.
Potsus, Whitney Beth and Kaarina Kvaavik. Intercom (2001). Articles>Language>Localization
#26280
Java Localization with Translation Memory eXchange Standard
One of the main concerns of internationalization consists of separating the main source code from the texts, the labels, the messages and all the other objects related to the specific language in use. This article briefly explain the TMX standard and a simple TMX Java bridge.
Asuni, Nicola. evolt (2005). Articles>Language>Localization>Machine Translation
#29076
The connection between language and empiricism is a central issue in technical writing and communication, more so than in other fields. Our field deals with technical and scientific knowledge which is oftentimes very definite and objective, yet there has been increasing recognition over the past few decades that this knowledge is socially constructed and rhetorically negotiated. Debates have ensued over the rhetoricity of technical communication in contrast to its empirical and instrumental aspects. W.V. Quine, one of the most influential American philosophers of the twentieth century, however, rejected the distinction between empirical knowledge and knowledge stemming from language and social negotiation. Understanding technical writing and communication through the lens of Quine's theory ameliorates the tension between instrumental and rhetorical/humanistic views of technical discourse by recognizing the validity of both views and integrating the two. This understanding in turn will facilitate our pedagogical interactions with technical and scientific majors.
Dombrowski, Paul M. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2002). Articles>Language>Theory
#26997
Usability is an important part of good technical communication. Many writers incorporate usability techniques such as site visits, user task analysis and usability testing into their work.
Quesenbery, Whitney. WQusability (2006). Articles>Language>Usability
#26185
Language Issues (part of Globalization and Localization Issues)
This article is a very good primer on the language issues involved in localization software. It touches upon topics such as language direction, capitalization, code pages, fonts and input methods, to name just a few. It gives a reader a solid understanding of the complexity and factors involved in localizing software into different languages.
Microsoft (2004). Articles>Language>Localization
