Localisation ll
Planning Ahead
If you are currently developing a product destined to be marketed internationally,
consider the following points during the design stage... Prepare Plan
for translation from the very beginning. This will save money and help
speed up the localisation process. Try to involve the localisation company
from the start so that any translation issues can be identified before
they become expensive problems.
Text
Expands
Translation into many languages "grow" with respect to the source language
anywhere from ten to fifty percent. On average text expands by about
twenty-five to thirty percent. For example, a simple button once localised
may end up being twice the length when translated properly.
Set
Realistic Deadlines
It is important to realise that it may sometimes take almost as long
to translate a web site as it took to create the original site.
Separate
Graphics and Text
It is often best to keep graphic layers separate from text layers.
Cultural
Considerations
Some graphics or colours that are perfectly acceptable or understandable
in Ireland, may not be so in other countries. For example, a person
outside of Ireland may not understand the relationship between the graphic
of a pink piggy bank and your company's savings plan.
Slang
When using slang in Web or CD-ROM content, a good localisation company
will utilise a translator who can come up with comparative words or
descriptions appropriate for that specific language. However, sometimes
it is just a better idea to limit the amount of slang used in a product.
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