How localization and translation are different?

Localization and translation both have many commonalities, but they also have some notable differences. These differences come down to their intended purposes, which is where they differ the most. Both localization and translation are forms of Translation & Localization Services (TLS). They both serve the same purpose – adapting one text or communication to another language for a particular target audience. When you think about it, localizing software and content is just a different way of translating it. Localizing this content means taking it and its graphics from your native language to the target language for that audience. In other words, localizing software and content is merely translating the same source material into a different language for target users who speak that second language as their lingua franca.In other words, translating software and content is merely reading written English text in your native tongue as a means instead of sounding like gibberish to others as they read it aloud on speakerphone or something similar to that end effect.

What is Localization?

Localization is the adaptation of a particular piece of content for a certain target audience whose native language is different from the source language. For example, if you are creating software for a Spanish-speaking country, the software will need to be localized for that specific audience. Localization involves taking a piece of content and making adjustments to it so that it is appropriate for the target audience’s cultural context. In other words, localization is the process of adapting software or content for a specific audience based on their background and culture. When it comes to content, it is especially important to localize software and content relevant to your business as that’s what your customers (potential and current) will be reading.

What is Translation?

The translation is the act of adapting a piece of content from one language to another. A translator takes a text (source language) in which the author is unable to communicate certain messages and conveys them in another language that the readers will understand (target language). Translation differs from localization in three main ways: accuracy, type, and speed. The accuracy of a translation is the level of correspondence between the words in the source language and the words in the target language. If the sentence in the source language “the sky is blue” is translated to the sentence in the target language “the sky is blue,” then the accuracy is 100%. The source language is represented exactly in the target language. The type of translation is the style of the translation. There are various types of translations, each of which conveys some kind of information. The purpose of the translation determines which kind of translation you will use. Speed is the main concern in many businesses and it’s also relevant to localization. When you’re localizing a piece of content, you have to make sure that the translation is accurate and fits the message of the source text. You also have to make sure that the translation is done fast enough to satisfy the readers of your product or service.

Localization vs. Translation: Which one to choose?

Localization is a process of adapting software and other digital content to a specific target audience whose native language is different from the source language. The translation is the act of adapting a piece of content from one language to another. Choosing between localization and translation based on these differences is a task best undertaken by you and your company’s needs. Both localization and translation serve the same purpose – adapting a piece of content to a certain language for a certain target audience. What makes one better than the other depends on your company’s specific needs. Though localization is a different kind of translation from translation, both localization and translation are forms of Translation & Localization Services. What makes localization better than translation isn’t the same thing that makes translation better than translation. Before choosing between localization and translation, you have to ask yourself a few questions: What kind of content is relevant to your business, and what languages does it fall under? Will your software or content contain text or language relevant to your business? Which language will the content be in? Where will it be found, and what kind of audience will it reach?

Tips for choosing localization or translation

Analyze each piece of content and software that you want to localize or translate. Is the content relevant to your business? Is the software relevant to your business? Depending on these two factors, it may be worthwhile to localize or translate the content itself. Where should the content and software be localized or translated? If the source language is English, then the target language could also be English, as well as other languages depending on your target audience. Will the content and/or software be relevant and useful to your target audience? If you think the content and/or software is relevant and useful to your audience, then it may be worth the time and money to localize or translate the content and/or software.

Conclusion

Localization is the adaptation of a particular piece of content for a certain target audience whose native language is different from the source language. The translation is the act of adapting a piece of content from one language to another. These two are simply different ways of bringing together a piece of content from one language to another language for a certain audience. Localization involves taking a piece of content and making adjustments to it so that it is appropriate for the target audience’s cultural context. In other words, localization is the process of adapting software or content for a specific audience based on their background and culture. When it comes to content, it is especially important to localize software and content relevant to your business as that’s what your customers (potential and current) will be reading. Before choosing between localization and translation, you have to ask yourself a few questions: What kind of content is relevant to your business, and what languages does it fall under? Will your software or content contain text or language relevant to your business? Which language will the content be in?  The best way to decide between localization and translation is to analyze each piece of content and software that you want to localize or translate.