Technical Communicators for the Global Marketplace

Today, the translation of technical documentation is no longer a process which can be ignored until the source text has been produced. Translation issues need to be taken into account both prior to and during source-text production, and thus, to some extent, they become tasks of the technical communicator. This article gives an overview of current developments in the workflow patterns leading to multilingual technical documentation and outlines the consequences these developments should have for degree programmes in technical communication and translation.

Göpferich, Susanne. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>TC>Localization

Technical Documentation for Europe: Belgium

Belgians do not have a language of their own. But the country has three equivalent languages instead: the partition of the Dutch language zones has been the result of a question of faith: With the freedom of Munster (1648), the first partition of the Netherlands took place, and, in 1830, Belgium was first founded as the catholic counterpart to the protestant Netherlands.

Reimers, Maja. tekom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Localization

Technical Documentation for Europe: Italian

Italian belongs to the family of Romanic languages. The traditional Italian alphabet has just 21 letters, but since recent times, five new letters j, k, w, x, y, have been added, thanks to the use of several words of foreign origin. Typical features are the use of the apostrophe ('l'amore') and the accent.

Manzin, Marisa. tekom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Localization>Italy

Technical Documentation in the Enlarged EU: First Round-Up on the Organisational, Technical and Economic Impacts

After the enlargement in May 2004, the EU has now 25 member states and 20 official languages (not taking into account 48 minority languages). What does the enlargement of the EU mean in the context of Technical Communication and what are the challenges of the on-going internationalisation in general? The industry has to find a way to make linguistic diversity compatible with efficiency within the set parameters of time, cost and human resources.

Wirtz, Ursula. tekom (2006). Articles>Documentation>Localization

Technical Translation: Craft, Not Commodity  

Describes the work of translators and suggests strategies buyers can use to find the best translator for their needs.

Cardillo, Louis M. Intercom (2004). Articles>Editing>Localization>Technical Writing

Technical Writers Gain Control

In the field of technical writing the use of Controlled Language (CL) attracts more and more public interest. However, the merits of controlling language in the context of technical documentation are not uncontroversial.

Reuther, Ursula. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Language>Localization>Technical Writing

Technology-Enabled Translation  

With ever-rising demands for translation finding ways to improve the entire process of multilingual publication becomes essential. One way for such improvement is the use of computer tools in the process. Translation is central to the multilingual publication process, but must be seen in the entire context. This panel provides a forum for the exploration of the issues involved in the multilingual publication process with particular emphasis on translation and the technology that enables the process from authoring to publication.

Bennett, Winfield Scott. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Language>Localization

Ten Things To Remember When Translating Documents  

There are many ways you can help your translation projects go more smoothly. It's important to trust the translation provider you've chosen, and to communicate your needs clearly. With an attitude of cooperation and partnership, you can iron out details and come up with a system that works for both of you. Here's a list of ten fundamentals that will contribute to the process.

Smith, Jackie. STC International TC SIG. Articles>Language>Localization

Terminologiemanagement

Der Unterschied zwischen dem richtigen Wort und dem beinahe richtigen ist derselbe Unterschied wie der zwischen dem Blitz und einem Glühwürmchen.

Transline (2008). (German) Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Testing for Globalization and Localization

This article discusses key testing phrases needed for a successful world ready software application: globalization testing, localizability testing and localization testing.

Microsoft (2004). Articles>Language>Localization

Testing Translated Information Across Twelve Languages, Three Continents, and Five Time Zones  

When budget constraints prevent bringing overseas testers to the development lab to verify product translation, Web conferencing sessions allow the testers to work in their own countries but still communicate directly with the lab.

Varin, Amy. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Language>Translation>Localization

Think Globally, Write Locally

Companies operating in a global marketplace know they need to translate documents for their audiences. But some documents actually need more than translation – they need localization. Although a document’s words can be translated perfectly, the document can still be ineffective in another market, due to differences in the way local businesses operate and in the way people think.

Giovanis, Kristen. Writing Assistance (2006). Articles>Language>Localization>International

Tips For Developing Smarter Documentation  

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

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

Towards a Definition of Example-Based Machine Translation  

The example-based approach to MT is becoming increasingly popular. However, such is the variety of techniques and methods used that it is difficult to discern the overall conception of what example- based machine translation (EBMT) is and/or what its practitioners conceive it to be. Although definitions of MT systems are notoriously complex, an attempt is made to define EBMT in contrast to other MT architectures (RBMT and SMT).

Hutchins, W. John. IAMT (2005). Articles>Language>Localization>Machine Translation

Translating Business Cards: Time and Money Saving Tips

If it is your first time dealing with typesetting foreign language business cards, you may start out thinking it is a simple task. So did we. Later we learned that without proper preparation and accessible information, it can turn out to be a very time consuming job with changes and changes following initial layout and translation. After many trials and errors, we have summarized the lessons we learned here for you.

WTB Language Group (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Professionalism>Localization

Translating Software Manuals from English to Japanese  

Hitachi is importing more overseas software for sale in Japan as Hitachi products. Hitachi develops the Japanese manuals for this software by translating the English manuals. The Documentation Development Department (DDD) of the Software Development Center, Hitachi Ltd., not only translates the English into Japanese, but also rewrites the Japanese and reformats the manuals into the Hitachi manual style. To translate, the DDD makes an English-Japanese dictionary of technical terms for each manual. Hitachi often will contract professional translation companies to translate these manuals. The program-development department and the DDD mutually check the translation results to ensure the highest quality translation. When rewriting, the DDD changes the style and improves readability and referencing. We must improve the efficiency of developing manuals by using automation to convert manual styles.

Ogawa, Masazumi. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Documentation>Localization>Technical Translation

Translating the Web: Web Site Development for an Asian Audience

In all aspects of marketing, the Eastern world is breaking through to the West. More and more businesses are expanding product lines and services into a new market that involves countries in East Asia. Whether a business forms an alliance with a Chinese company to use its resources for a project, or it sells directly to Japanese consumers, it is clear that key media materials should be appropriate for Asian audiences.

Sinex, Jacqueline. Usability Professionals Association (2006). Articles>Web Design>Localization>Asia

Review: Translating the World: Science and Language  

Technical communication is often compared with translation. In both cases, practitioners modify messages created by one culture so the meaning of such messages can be understood by the members of another culture. For translators, the cultures involve different languages, while technical communicators focus on bridging the differences between professional cultures (for example, engineers versus more general audiences).

St. Amant, Kirk R. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Reviews>Localization

Translating Videos for an International Market  

Smith explains the process of translating videos. The article includes sidebars on video terms and advice on choosing a video translation firm.

Smith, Jackie. Intercom (2002). Design>Multimedia>Localization>Video

Translating XML Documents with xml:tm

Sooner or later someone will want to have your XML document translated into another language. In fact XML documents are much easier to translate than other electronic documents because they separate out form from content, and they conform to a rigorous standard and defined syntax. There are various approaches to improving the translation process.

Zydron, Andrzej. XML.com (2004). Design>Web Design>Localization>XML

Translation and Localization Trends in the Baltic States  

When I first got into the business twenty years ago, most translation work was limited to the FIGS languages: French, Italian, German, and Spanish. But today, to reach markets opened by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening of the Chinese economy beginning in 2001, competitive businesses must tap into 'minor' languages.

Frievalds, John. Intercom (2004). Articles>Language>Localization>Eastern Europe

Translation Company Owners: Do You Have a Job or a Business?

Since everyone has only one life to live; I would like mine to be an enjoyable one, enriched by interesting experiences and by meaningful relationships with the people that I care about. I want to have a lot of time for myself and experience other cultures from around the world. So how do I achieve this goal and still be highly effective at work--thus obtaining financial independence, as well as self satisfaction from work?

Iler, Huiping. WTB Language Group (2005). Careers>Management>Localization

The Translation Glossary: Stepping Stone to a Quality Translation

If your company is new to the process of translating their documentation, chances are little groundwork was laid for the process. One thing you can do to improve the quality of the translation in this situation is to create a good translation glossary. A translation glossary ensures consistent terminology in the translation; that a term in English always becomes the same term in the translated text. It eliminates the problem of referring to the same concept or same component by different names in different places in the documentation. Technical writers are in a good position to create the glossary. They constantly deal with questions of terminology. They probably wrote the manual being translated and already had to make decisions about terminology for the English version.

Wright, Ami. SDL International. Articles>Language>Localization>Glossary

Translation Management  

Translation management is becoming a common task for the technical writer as companies enter the global marketplace. It is challenging and interesting, but at the same time it is generally a complex project management task and is not to be taken lightly. This paper discusses a real-life translation project and points out some of the problems that you may encounter.

Tunsley, Roger A. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Language>Localization>Project Management