Localization and translation, both of these are important tools for businesses. Companies have to opt for these when it comes to expanding the business. In this advanced era where the global marketplace has boomed and the tools have become essential. The businesses dream to invade foreign markets and ace the process of globalization, they have to adapt the translation and localization.
Though both of these are used as replacements for each other often, it is important to realize that these both are not the same and there are differences between these tools.
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Localization Vs Translation
Website translation
The translation of a website is not an easy task. The translation is itself an important and meaningful task that requires a lot more than being a bilingual individual. The translation is a change of content from a source language to a target language reserving the same meaning, tone and style. It is being conducted for all languages.
Be it French or Canadian French. French is a popular language and there are a lot of translations being conducted in this language regardless of the difficulties that translators have to come across with. A lot of companies are offering French translation services.
Many English websites are translated into French and Canadian versions of French. Many translation agencies are offering Canadian French translation services to their clients to cater to the maximum audiences.
It is important to cater to the language that the target audience understands and communicates in. The context of languages is also important in the translation process. Understanding the context helps to avoid offensive and wrong translation services.
The localization processes
On the contrary, localization revolves around changing the text. The localization deals with the process of entirely changing the source content according to the preferences and choices of the new audience and culture.
This implies that other than text a few more things also need to be altered as per the requirements. With localization, new content is created for new audiences to maintain and deliver the same message.
The similarities between both of these tools can overlap. There are a lot of differences.
Neutrality Vs focus on cultural aspects of the target language
Translation and localization have a lot of different stances on culture. Website translation quiet comes as neutral to culture while website localization is more dependent on the culture. Website translations are significant for some languages. A lot of websites are also being translated to the German language and German translation services are also significant for that purpose.
Germany is home to the world’s biggest automobile companies and a lot more. Hence, in order to address the Dutch people’s needs, professional German translation services are significant. Translation has a more focus on getting the exact messages across different borders and cultures. This goal is achieved through translation without getting into a culture much.
The context is really important in the translation and once it is right and spot on the project gets completed timely and has quality.
However, when it comes to website localization, it goes way beyond the language. It has a great focus on the target market and its cultural differences with cultural expectations as well. This is why they execute the localized content according to the particular regions which is not a practice in direct translation.
This further tells how the experts and professionals of localization need to have an in-depth understanding of the new culture so that they can compare and make it comparable to the language and culture. Localization services consider the different target markets and also take into account the social norms, etiquette, humor, and slang of the mentioned audience too.
This information can only be provided by either the native speakers who understand the culture well enough or through the people who are studying or working in that region. The process of localization is different here from translation where translation only caters to the in-depth knowledge of the language.
The technical and emotional quotient in the localization and translation
The experts execute the translation of a website considering technical information across different languages. This happens due to the information having to be correct in the language in the preferred language. However, with localization, the target audience is more massive and the goal is to reach more people and build a strong connection.
People often know more than one language however, they prefer to communicate and use their native language. Spanish is the world’s most popular and important language. A lot of Spanish people learn and understand English too, but when it comes to buying the products and trading, they prefer their native language i.e. Spanish is why Spanish translation services are among the language agencies.
Thus professional Spanish translation services are not delivered by one and all as per the quality standards. Hence it is important that the businesses ask the translation agencies to have the native speakers for Spanish translation.
Final words
Translation and localization are important for each other and one can not excel without having the support of another. People often find these processes to be the same however, these are different on many levels. There are different expertise required for the localization whereas the process of translation requires more proficiency with languages and linguistics.
