Localization Glossary: Industry Terms You Should Know [Infographic]

Each industry tends to have their own jargon, so of course, the language service industry nearly has a language of its own! It primarily consists words that are at least eleven letters in length and usually end in -ation. Considering this suffix denotes an action or process, it only makes sense that the many processes involved in translation have this ending. But don’t fret, we’ve compiled a quick guide to help you navigate the most-know terms of this industry.

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Download the infographic here.

[Infographic Transcript]

CAT TOOLS

An abbreviation for Computer Aided Translation, CAT tools is a computer software that assists human translators in the translation process, increasing both efficiency and accuracy, and usually lowering project cost, as well.

CONFERENCE OR SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETING

Simultaneous interpreting allows participants of a global audience to communicate in real time.  The interpreter communicates via audio technology.

GLOBALIZATION

In our context, this term refers to the process of launching a product or website that is accessible to and understood by people around the world.

INTERNATIONALIZATION

The process of generalizing a product or software so that it can be adapted to multiple languages and cultural conventions without the need for redesign.

INTERPRETING

The spoken version of translation. Interpreting can be done in-person, in a conference setting, or over the phone. Interpreters repeat spoken material in real-time into a different language.

LOCALE

Used to describe the combination of a language and specific geographic region where, due to culture differences, terminology is adapted for specific content.

LOCALIZATION

Abbreviated as L10N (the first and last letters of the word with the number of letters in between). Localization is the process of adapting content to the language or culture of the target market or language. The goal of localization is for content to appear native to the user. Localization includes translation, graphic design, and formatting.

MACHINE TRANSLATION (MT)

Machine translation (MT) is the translation of speech or text from one particular language to another, purely via software.

POST-EDITED MACHINE TRANSLATION

After translations have been done using machine translation software, PEMT is used by human editors and linguists to run a check on MT output to eliminate inaccuracies and ensure quality.

TEP

Abbreviation for translate-edit-proof, which are the three most common steps of a translation project.

TRANSCREATION

Process by which new content is developed or adapted for a given target audience instead of merely translating existing material. It may include copywriting, image selection, font changes, and other transformations that tailor the message to the target market.

TRANSCRIPTION

The process of converting spoken language into written form.