A directory of resources inthe field of technical communication.Design>Language>Localization
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1.
#18447

Cross Language Information Retrieval

We sometimes refer to our globally interconnected information infrastructure as the World-Wide-Web. At present, however, it is far less than that. For someone who reads only English, it is presently the English-Wide-Web.

Youssef, Moustafa A. Universal Usability (2001). Design>Language>Localization>Web Design

2.
#18445

Developing A Website for Users of Languages Other Than English

Today, the Internet is positioned to be an international mechanism for communication and information exchange, the precursor of a global information superhighway. For this vision to be realized, one important requirement is to enable all languages to be technically available via the Internet, so that when a society is ready to absorb Internet technology, the language capability comes prepackaged. This is a nontrivial multilingual-information processing problem. To appreciate the extent of this issue, it is enough to know that few years ago, English was the native language of 80% of web users. Today, English is the mother tongue of less than half of web users. However, statistics show that the language of about 80% of web sites is English with only about 8% could be classified as multilingual. From the numbers above, making a website universally usable is an important issue and ignoring it may lead to groups of users suffering isolation, rather than enjoying the true interoperability alluded to by the very name of the World Wide Web. However designing websites in languages other than English or multilingual websites confronts designers with many requirements. These requirements generally fall into three categories: data representation, data display and data input requirements. This paper studies these requirements, gives general recommendations for meeting them and provides a list of guidelines for web pages designers. It also gives examples of successful websites implemented in different languages.

Ghanem, Nagia M. Universal Usability (2001). Design>Language>Localization

3.
#25856

Free Website Localization   (members only)

"Free Website Localization" is a collaborative translation project to help webmasters get free multilingual versions of their web site. There are many webmasters who understand English but are native speakers of another language. Thanks to the multicultural nature of its users, Free Localization effectively enables online peer to peer translations. Users can manage, coordinate and exchange website translations by means of a complete set of online localization tools. The service is free.

Vilei, Antonio. Free Localization (2005). Resources>Language>Localization>Web Design

4.
#13937

Language Choice Online: Globalization and Identity in Egypt

The dominance of English on the Internet in the medium's early years caused great consternation about a possible threat to local languages and cultures. Though the hegemony of English online has since weakened, there is still concern about how English and other languages interact online, but there has been almost no research on this issue. This paper combines linguistic analysis, a survey, and interviews to examine English and Arabic language use in online communications by a group of young professionals in Egypt. The study indicates that, among this group, English is used overwhelmingly in Web use and in formal e-mail communication, but that a Romanized version of Egyptian Arabic is used extensively in informal e-mail messages and online chats. This online use of English and Arabic is analyzed in relation to broader social trends of language, technology, globalization, and identity.

Warschauer, Mark, Ghada R. El Said and Ayman Zohry. JCMC (2002). Design>Language>Localization>Middle East

5.
#18500

Localization in Japan and China  (link broken)

While localization often involves common challenges across all languages and international markets, localizing into Asian markets can be particularly challenging for a number of reasons. The most obvious challenge for many of us is understanding the language itself. Multi-byte character sets and different levels of formality tend to make these projects a bit more complex. They often require more time, slower translation time, and more thorough review and quality assurance.

SDL International (1999). Design>Language>Localization>East Asia

6.
#18913

Localization of Single-Source Content   (PDF)

One of the key motivators of adopting a single-source approach for documentation is the potential cost savings available through the reduced cost of translation. By consolidating multiple documents, version updates, and similar products, translations may be leveraged across components. By creating single-source content with translation in mind, authors are able to create documents that are easy to localize, increase consistency, and reduce costs. The article below provides a summary of the translation benefits of single-sourcing and offers advice for designing a single-source strategy from a localization perspective.

Jones, Adam. STC Proceedings (2002). Design>Language>Localization>Content Management

7.
#11898

Localization: How to Make Your Site Go Round...

Localization is the 'process of altering a program so that it is appropriate for the area in which it is used.' The industry has come to see this issue is relevant to more than just software applications - indeed web sites have the same needs for accessibility via localization. Localization of a web site is done in order to meet the language and cultural needs of a target audience(s). Localization is the key to increasing the universality of the Web.

McDill, Kate. EServer (2001). Design>Language>Localization

8.
#14086

Localizing for Mobile Devices: A Primer

The mobile world and localization: designing for mobile communications; small screens; screens of various types; keyboards versus styluses; operating systems for mobile devices; proper internationalization is necessary.

LISA (2001). Articles>Language>Localization>Web Design

9.
#18501

Localizing Multimedia

Multimedia localization is a slow process. It's complicated and, technically, very challenging. It can also be very costly. Based upon the size of the applet, it costs five times as much as routine localization. It is also subject to mavericks, which means no two companies do the same thing; and no two developers in the same company do the same thing. That means every time you take the puzzle apart, it's a brand new task. A company which produced numerous products and had them developed by third-party developers or different teams within its own company, creates a different puzzle each time for you to take apart.

O'Leary, Glyn. SDL International (1998). Design>Language>Localization>Multimedia

10.
#12991

Multilingual Webmaster

MultilingualWebmaster.com was created to provide an open forum for developers and managers of multilingual web sites. Our goal is share information and innovation and promote 'best practices' in multilingual web site design.

MultilingualWebmaster.com. Resources>Language>Localization>Web Design

11.
#19580

My Computer Doesn't Understand Me: Automated Translation Tools

Can a machine that automatically renders true translations from one language to another become a reality?

Liddiard, S.D. Writer's Block (1998). Design>Language>Web Design>Localization

12.
#31355

Prepare Your Site for the Global Market   (PDF)   (members only)

Are you looking for ways to maximize your company's global Web presence? Look no further, as the authors have laid out a step-by-step plan for creating and designing a multilingual site.

Deschamps-Potter, Catherine M. and Amy Plant. Intercom (2008). Articles>Web Design>Localization>Language

13.
#14761

Selecting a Translation Agency   (PDF)

The authors offer advice on choosing translation firms, with special emphasis on the interview process.

Potsus, Whitney Beth and Catherine Deschamps-Potter. Intercom (2002). Design>Language>Translation>Localization

14.
#18694

Tips For Developing Smarter Documentation   (PDF)

Eight tips for preparing documentation that might require localization at some point in the future.

Lingo Systems (2002). Design>Language>Localization>Documentation

15.
#14605

Translation Trends   (PDF)

Nagy discusses what the translation industry can expect during the new year, including trends in Web site translation, language sensitivity, and agency management strategies, as well as the effects of increased competition.

Nagy, Charlene. Intercom (2003). Design>Language>Localization>Web Design

16.
#14640

Trends in Translation   (PDF)

Bacak, the executive director of the American Translators Association, provides an overview of some important trends in the translation profession.

Bacak, Walter. Intercom (2000). Design>Language>Translation>Localization

17.
#18446

Users from Other Cultures than the U.S.

This paper introduces general recommendations and guidelines for website developers about accommodating diverse users, in particular users from other cultures than the US. The paper shows how cultural differences might affect the usability of the websites. It also provides sample for good websites and some useful links for practitioners on how to create universally usable websites.

Elnahrawy, Eiman M. Universal Usability (2001). Design>Language>Localization

18.
#10295

Web Design and Localization

Localization is the process of creating or adapting a product to a specific locale, i.e. to the language, cultural context, conventions and market requirements of a specific target market. In this chapter, we are assuming the English design will be the original design on the basis of which all pages will be localized. The Internet has eliminated distance as a barrier to sharing information at a worldwide level. Now the biggest barrier to communication is language. 2,113,000,000 Internet users speak languages other than English. They make up 70.2% of the world economy. Increasingly multinational companies have their websites localized into multiple languages to take advantage of the promotional and commercial values of the Internet. As they have found, the localization process can be very time-consuming, costly and frustrating if the English web pages were not designed for this purpose.

Sun, Lily. Elements of Information Design (2001). Design>Language>Localization

 

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