(c) 2006 localisation research centre1 localisation reinhard schäler consortium for training...

(c) 2006 Localisation Research Centre 1

LocalisationReinhard Schäler

www.gilc.info

www.localisation.iewww.tilponline.ie

Consortium for Training Translation Teachers (CTTT)in cooperation with the Intercultural Studies Group and the Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies at Bogazici University

Technology for Translation TeachersIstanbul, Turkey, 03 - 07 July 2006


Is this code valid?

char c;

//Get user input

If ((c>= ‘A’ && c<= ‘Z’) || (c>= ‘a’ && c<= ‘z’)) { //accept the input } else { //handle error case}

This is an English-specific way of checking for valid input.

This code would not work correctly in many non-English languages, including Danish.

In addition to 26 letters of English alphabet, Danish has three additional letters that appear after the letter z (æ ø, å).


Two internationalised and localised applicatoins

SpreadsheetOrganiser


Objectives

Clarify common localisation concepts and reflect on commonly held believes about localisation

Analyse and localise a small software application

Discuss the implications of a changing localisation world for teaching and training


Localisation Workshop

SESSION I – Localisation

SESSION II - Characteristics

SESSION III – Tools and technologies

SESSION IV - Outlook


I18N - L10N – G11N

Internationalisation … the process of designing (or modifying) software so as to isolate

the linguistically and culturally dependent parts of an application … the development of a system that allows linguistic and cultural

adaptation supporting users working in different languages and cultures.

Localisation … the linguistic and cultural adaptation of a product to the

requirements of a foreign market. Globalisation

… a business strategy (not so much an activity) addressing the issues associated with taking a product to the global market.

Includes world-wide marketing, sales and support.


Linguistic adaptation Translation of user interface and user assistance

Short turn-around time, often repetitive, always variety of digital formats

Translation of graphical user interface (GUI) Dialogues, menus, strings

Includes appropriate formats for Number, time, currency and measurements. These should

work if the product has been properly internationalised, but localisers have to make sure that they work and are used as defaults

Rendering, sorting, spelling, hyphenation. Users should be able to use their own script and process information in other languages without the loss or corruption of data. Again this should work ‘out of the box’ if properly internationalised.


Cultural adaptation Folklore and stories

El Dorado, Red Riding Hood, The Holy Grail Songs and references

Songs that teach counting or the alphabet References (yellow school bus or the Acropolis), maps, images

Religion Images of Holy Mary and Jesus; references to gender in bible

translations; feast days (‘Sun’-Day; Christmas) History

The Diaries of Columbus, a distinctly European view of the New World

The second world war Sales and marketing

Drinks (Coca-Cola, Guinness: Irish/Nigerian), food (Chinese restaurants; McDonalds), cars


Hofstedde


Localisation strategiesStrategy

Product Function or

need satisfied

Conditions of product use

Ability to buy product

Recommended communications

strategy

Rank order from least to

most expensive

Product examples

1 Same Same Yes Extension 1 Soft drinks

2 Different Same Yes Extension 2 Bicycles, motor scooters

3 Same Different Yes Adaptation 3 Gasoline, detergents

4 Different Different Yes Adaptation 4 Clothing, greeting cards

5 Same - No Develop new communication

5Hand-powered

washing machines

Extension – same approach as in home marketAdaptation – requires some changes to fit the new market requirements

Invention – an entirely new approach is required


South AmericanSouth AmericanEuropeanEuropeanEgyptianEgyptian

Examples of early L10N?


GermanGerman DutchDutch FrenchFrench

Examples of modern L10N?


Is McDonald’s localised?

USA Beef burgers and freedom fries

Spain Salads and outside chairs/tables

Greece Lamb burgers and feta cheese

India No beef; no animal fat


Why many definitions have to be refined Localisation is not the adaptation of any service or product Clearly differentiate localisation from

Mainstream translation Global marketing Graphic design, printing Film / radio production

Take account of Move from localisation of software applications to more general digital content as

traditional publishing industries (film, printing, recording) converge in the digital world.

Applications Websites Games Courseware eGovernmet, eHealth


It is localisation

If the material to be adapted is digital

because this determines

the process (analysis, pre-processing, translation automation, testing, engineering)

the tools and technologies the release and distribution

this determines the challenges specific to localisation, including

file formats (huge variety, ever growing number) encoding, fonts, rendering (dependent on standards; sometimes

difficult to implement; not always available) user interface space restrictions context (or lack thereof) and visual translation environment


Definition – refined …

… the linguistic and cultural adaptation of

digital content to the requirements of a foreign market.

… the provision of services and technologies for the

management of multilinguality across the digital,

global information flow.

[… the commoditisation of translation services.]


The rationaleThree underlying principles of current localisation efforts

Motivation: Increase return on investment (ROI) Adapt an already developed product superficially to the requirements of

foreign markets - with a minimum effort Then sell it into these new markets for a similar price as the original product:

there is no easier way to make money

Use globally acceptable content (LCD / I18N) Develop products using the lowest common denominator (LCD);

the out-of-the-box product should not offend anyone Use recognisable colours, symbols, sound and signs Less adaptation = higher potential earnings Reduce the localisation effort to translation Good for revenues, but bad for diversity and the information and

entertainment value of the product and/or service

Re-use (leverage) as much as possible (L10N) Process as much as possible – translate as little as possible;

reuse previous translations Limit changes to an absolute minimum (eliminate snowball effect) Recycling of translations is good for business, but bad for living languages

(and the people using them)

Localisation is a success if the people buying a product or paying for a service believe that it has been developed for them, in their country – although this was not

the case.

TM


When is localisation successful?

When products and services have been linguistically and culturally

adaptated to the point that…

users do not notice that the product or service they are using was

developed in a different country for a different target group

Localisation…

is the linguistic and cultural adaptation with the aim to produce digital

products and services for which the country of origin can no longer be

traced

removes the last barrier to the equal and inclusive information society:

linguistic and cultural diversity

Measure of success

I believe it’s mine, you believe it’s yours (and underneath it is all the same)


Stop a moment and reflect

Do we want to preserve diversity (of languages and cultures) while at

the same time removing the last barrier for the equal and inclusive

information society (linguistic and cultural diversity)?

Does the creation of products that use globally acceptable content

preserve linguistic and cultural diversity?

What is the effect of the use of Translation Memories on a language

over time?


Alternative strategies

Development localisationSocial, political, cultural and long-term investment reasons to localise

Social reasons Bridging the social divide

Political reasons Access to information

Cultural reasons Survival of languages and cultures

Long-term investment market penetration, access to millions of

potential users, competition


Exercise I

Open Calendar application and familiarise yourself with it

How should this calendar application be localised and what are the issues?



SESSION I - LocalisationL10N, I18N & G11N

Why localise?Development Localisation

SESSION II - Characteristics

SESSION III - Tools and technologies



Characteristics

SESSION I - Localisation

SESSION II – Characteristics




Localisation

300,000300,000How are products localised and how much does it cost?

Projectplanning and

analysis

Vendorselection

Translationkit

preparation

Translationand

editing

Softwareengineering and

testingRelease

Post M

orte

m

Financial project management

Project schedule

price/word (translation: doc., online, software)price/time (engineering, testing, screen dumps)price/item (graphics, DTP)percentage (project management)

Cost HierarchyTranslation

TestingEngineering

Project Management

OriginalProduct


Examples

Websites: PeopleSoft

Applications: Oracle

Content: Bosch

Frequent updates of online information

10 languages, 24 websitesThousands of pages in synch with

English source content

4m wordcount software strings30 languages simultaneous

release13k localisable files

Localisation group: 5,000 people

150.000 terms, 23 languages250.000 requests per month

Simultaneous update and access


Examples

Websites: PeopleSoft

Applications: Oracle

Content: Bosch

Frequent updates of online information

10 languages, 24 websitesThousands of pages in synch with

English source content

4m wordcount software strings30 languages simultaneous

release13k localisable files

Localisation group: 5,000 people

150.000 terms, 23 languages250.000 requests per month

Simultaneous update and access

Fundamental problemsIdentification of translatable strings (large variety of file formats)

The invisible target (<visual> editors)

The screen as the medium of delivery (restrictions)

Process and cascading value chain (cost, quality)


How to access the content

Content? Clients do not always know where the translatables are

Clients do not necessarily tell you what has been updated

Clients do not always have appropriate editors for all types of files to access content (in a visual environment)

How does it all come together Context, space, concatenation

File (menu)

File (dialog)

File (error message)


Question: What went wrong?One minute check


Identification of translatable strings (Win32)

Working with resource files Create resource source

file (.RC) text file, contains all the

string resources Specific syntax (Windows

Software Development Kit, MSDN)

Associate identifier (ID) with each resource

Reference each ID in your code

Use resource compiler, e.g. Rc.exe, to convert resource source file into resource file (.RES)


Example: QSv21.RC - Menu

IDR_MAINFRAME MENU BEGIN POPUP "&File" BEGIN MENUITEM SEPARATOR MENUITEM "Recent File", ID_FILE_MRU_FILE1, GRAYED MENUITEM SEPARATOR MENUITEM "E&xit", ID_APP_EXIT END POPUP "&View" BEGIN MENUITEM "&Toolbar", ID_VIEW_TOOLBAR MENUITEM "&Status Bar", ID_VIEW_STATUS_BAR MENUITEM "Op&tions", ID_VIEW_OPTIONS END POPUP "&Help" BEGIN MENUITEM "&Help Topics", ID_HELP_FINDER MENUITEM SEPARATOR MENUITEM "&About QSv21...", ID_APP_ABOUT ENDEND

The invisible target

Different file formats.ini File

[DAYS]1="M"2="T"3="W"4="T"5="F"6="S"7="S"[MONTHS]1="JANUARY"2="FEBRUARY"3="MARCH"4="APRIL"5="MAY"6="JUNE" 7="JULY"8="AUGUST"9="SEPTEMBER"10="OCTOBER"11="NOVEMBER"12="DECEMBER"

.txt file

$^%interface%^$&^%options%^*&^%STD3%^*(^%TXT4%^**^%rows%^**^%cols%^*$^%interface%^$&^%options%^*&^%STD3%^*(^%TXT4%^*$^%interface2%^$&^%options4%^*&^%STD3%^*(^%TXT7%^*

.XML file

<?xml version="1.0"?>  <INVENTORY> <BOOK> <TITLE>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</TITLE> <AUTHOR> <FIRSTNAME>Mark</FIRSTNAME> <LASTNAME>Twain</LASTNAME> </AUTHOR> <BINDING>mass market paperback</BINDING> <PAGES>298</PAGES> </BOOK> <BOOK> <TITLE>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</TITLE> <AUTHOR> <FIRSTNAME>Mark</FIRSTNAME> <LASTNAME>Twain</LASTNAME> </AUTHOR> <BINDING>mass market paperback</BINDING> <PAGES>205</PAGES> </BOOK>


The screen as medium

Type of devices and screens PC screens Mobile devices (phones, MP3/4 players, personal organisers) Photocopy machines

Modes of display Line moving (‘news ticker’) Scrolling (windows-like scroll bars) Fixed

Restrictions Size and layout Memory/Storage Capacity Power Processor Screen Size & Orientation Input Methods


First mobile


Today’s devices


Deae Minervae coh(ors) II Tungrorum mil(liaria) eq(uitata) c(ivium) L(atinorum) cui praeest C(aius) Sil(vinus) Auspex praefectus

To the goddess Minerva, the second (partly) equestrian cohort of the Tungrians with one thousand men, citizens of Latin rights, Caius Silvius Auspex (dedicated this altar) when he was prefect of the same.

Roman stones


In h(onorem) d(omus) d(ivinae) Genio [s]enturiae Satton[i]us Aeneas (centurio) po(suit).

In honour of the divine house. To the genius of the company, the centurion Sattonius Aeneas erected (this statue).

erased stonelapis deleticius

(former inscription highlighted in red)


Iranian Museum of Ancient Art

Different scriptsand languages


Cascading supply chainpromotes commoditisation and exchange-value system

MLVSLV

BrokerTranslator

Client170%

100%

30%

300%Project Mgmt

Quality AssuranceProcurementFile Handling

Exchange-valuedetermined by market conditionscould add additional percentage


Exercise II

Insert source material into a GUI localisation tool

.exe, .txt, .ini, .xml




SESSION II – CharacteristicsIdentification of translatable strings (large variety of file formats)

The invisible target (<visual> editors) and the screen as the medium Complex, international process and cascading value chain







SESSION III – Tools and technologies (GUI)



GUI localisation technology Main characteristics of tools

Easy access to strings (in a visual environmnet, with restrictions) Edit executables (no need to recompile -> much less testing) Different editors for different resources (menus, dialogs, messages),

platforms (Win32, .NET, Java) and file types Cover standard file formats Supply standard editors, development of specific editors possible

Fixing problems: testing and engineering File analysis, preparation and localisation (pre-translation, leveraging) Identification of common localisation problems Allow easy-fix without recompilation

Project management Examples

Alchemy Catalyst, Passolo, Multilizer, RCWintrans, SDL - Suite


GUI localisation technology Main characteristics of tools

Easy access to strings (in a visual environmnet, with restrictions) Edit executables (no need to recompile -> much less testing) Different editors for different resources (menus, dialogs, messages),

platforms (Win32, .NET, Java) and file types Cover standard file formats Supply standard editors, development of specific editors possible

Fixing problems: testing and engineering File analysis, preparation and localisation (pre-translation, leveraging) Identification of common localisation problems Allow easy-fix without recompilation

Project management Examples

Alchemy Catalyst, Passolo, Multilizer, RCWintrans, SDL - Suite

Why are these tools and

technologies different from

those used for the translation of

help and documentation?


Directly edit compiled files

Dramatically reduces the need for (re-)testing Ease of use, less technical More accessible to translators Large variety of in-built functionality

Translators (visual editor, translation memory, leveraging) Engineers (text extraction and preparation) Testers (duplicate/missing/inconsistent hotkeys, truncation) Project Managers (scheduling, progress report)

(Partially) integrate the roles of translator, localisation engineer, tester and project manager


Workflow Identity files to be translated Insert into translation environment Pseudo translate Prepare

Parse Pre-translate (leverage from previous versions, use

glossaries/TMs) Add comments, protect non-translatables, implement

restrictions (e.g. on length) Chunk – prepare and export translator-specific sections

Translate – check – fix Import sections translated by individual translators

Extract


Insert resource into a L10N environment

GUI localisation platforms do not allow you to edit files directly

Files are first imported into a tool-specific file format

Specific editors handle different types of resources (menu, dialog, messages)

Visual editing support is generally only available for Win32 and .NET content BUT – what you see is NOT what you get

(WYSINWYG), it is only an approximation


Prepare source for L10N Pre-translation

Restrictions? Messages can have length restrictions

Untranslatables? Certain strings should not be translated and can be marked as

such Company names, catch phrases

Strings which are not part of the visible interface

Strings which are expected by the programme

Creation of translation kits

Dealing with ‘unusual’ file formats Many tools allow the creation of custom editors


Determine the size of the project

Evaluate the size of project Number of words Number and type of dialogs

Simple Complex

Identify linguistic resources (TM) Previously translated versions Terminology / glossaries / translation memories


Pseudo translation

Estimate the effect ‘localisation’ will have on the

interface

In the localisation environment

Layout

In the running application

Layout (dynamic resources)

Functionality

Character encoding issues

Non-translatables?

Hard-coded strings?


Detect and fix problems

Layout Can be done within localisation environment

CAUTION: what the tool displays as the GUI is NOT the GUI users will see – it is an approximation!

Functionality Duplicate, missing hotkeys

Links

Amend translation guidelines Maximum length of strings

Untranslatables


Localise

Translate, check and fix common localisation problems

Create target file by extracting the material from the tool’s internal file

Report I18N problems Graphic images Character encoding Hard-coded strings Untranslatables (translation of strings causes

performance problems) DO NOT fix I18N problems


Exercise III

Pseudo translate the application

Identify and fix problems





SESSION III – Tools and technologiesAccess translatable resources

Check effects (expansion, char sets etc.)

Fix problems

SESSION IV – Outlook





SESSION III - Tools and technologies




2 worlds of L10NThe L10N factory

Localisation Community Initiatives


Localisation is processingLarge scale – high end

Scenarios Large amount of data Highly repetitive content Large number of updates

Pre-processing Automatic testing

Constant release (no traditional release cycles Large number of (small) files Complex supply chain

Requires Standard tools and processes Sophisticated tools and technologies

Leveraging Testing Project management Distribution and workflow control

1


Localisation is translationSmall scale – low end

Working with sections that could not be pre-processed Translation Editing Re-sizing Testing

Requires translation tools and technologies for individual translators Terminology databases Shared Translation Memories Visual editors Automated testing Basic project management functions

2


Implications for teaching and research

Specialised translation Translation schools Working with existing tools and technologies

Training Evaluation

Specialised engineering Computing schools Standards and interoperability of tools, technologies and

resources Process automation

Development of tools and technologies Integrated development environment with plug-ins

Design and development guidelines for international digital content


Case study Current throughput: 100,000

language check-ins per month 2 million files per month 98% of words leverage Average time to process a file:

45 seconds Fully scalable “add-a-box

model” Simship of all 30 languages International version testing

before US release Reduced no. of release

engineers (20->2) resulting in US$20m saving per year

Positive ROI within 1 year

Project constraints4m wordcount software strings30 languages simultaneous

release13k localisable filesLocalisation group in Dublin;

5,000 people world-wide distributed development team

Objectives24/7, 100% automated process – no

exceptionsTranslation in parallel with

developmentTranslation begins at code check-inTranslation “on demand” – no more

“big project” model

The Setting


Standards: the automated localisation processusing standard automation procedures and tools

not much different from those used in a manufacturing environment

DevelopmentTeam

Original LanguageVersion Store

¦--- store contents¦--- maintain contents¦--- <CMS>

LSPLocalised Language

Version Store

Development

TranslationLocalisation

Kit Prep.Testing andEngineering

Content Markup

Content Transfer

Pu

blish

ing

Pla

tform

ProductDesign Team

LSP TranslationLocalisation


LSP TranslationLocalisation

Kit Prep.Testing andEngineeringTranslation

LocalisationKit Prep.

Testing andEngineering

TranslationLocalisation


TranslationDevelopment

{Passolo, Catalyst, Multilizer, RCWinTrans}{TRADOS, SDLX, TRANSIT}

Two dimensional interoperability vector

Objective: achieve interoperability in (1) content markup/capture of localisable data and (2) content transfer

between and within different stages of the localisation process without loss and (almost) no human intervention.


IGNITEIGNITELinguistic Resources

Language data Tools StandardDigital content source/target

TerminologiesTranslation memories

Terminology DBsTM systemsUI editors

OASISISOUnicode

Exam

ple

s

Performance analysis

IGNITEConsortium

IGNITEContact Group

Ph

ase I

Ph

ase I

IP

hase I

II

Linguistic Resources

Language data Tools StandardDigital content source/target



OASISISOUnicode

Exam

ple

s

Linguistic Resources

Language data Tools StandardsDigital content source/target



OASISISOUnicodeW3C

Exam

ple

s

Localisation Process EnvironmentState-of-the-art technologies and process environent

IGNITEConsortium

IGNITEContact Group

Ph

ase I

Ph

ase I

IP

hase I

II

L i n g u i s t i c R e s o u r c e s S u p p o r t N e t w o r k

Performance analysisStandard verification and enhancement


Kofi Annan

The new information and communications technologies

are among the driving forces of globalisation. They are

bringing people together, and bringing decision makers

unprecedented new tools for development. At the same

time, however, the gap between information "haves"

and "have-nots" is widening, and there is a real danger

that the world's poor will be excluded from the

emerging knowledge-based global economy.

http://www.unicttaskforce.org/sg_challenge.html


GILC2005 – the year of…

Supporting local computing across geographical, political, social and economic divides

Building, on existing frameworks, the infrastructure for regional initiatives to coordinate, pool resources, raise awareness, and communicate on a

global level

Removing myths around localisation, dealing with real needs and requirements in an imaginative, inspired and creative way

Creating a framework for just and balanced localisation activities

Localisation is not an option – it is a fundamental right

Launch date: 13-14 September 2005

Creating the accessible framework for localisation

www.gilc.info


The Institute of Localisation Professionals (TILP)

Certified Localisation Professional (CLP) Programme Accreditation of course providers Certification of individuals

Localisation Teaching, Training and Research Network (LttN) Join and help to develop

The Localisation Technology Laboratory and Showcase (LOTS) Satellites

Ask the Expert Sessions Offer Host






SESSION IV – Outlook2 worlds of L10NThe L10N factory

Localisation Community Initiatives


Thank you!

www.localisation.iewww.electonline.org

www.gilc.infowww.tilponline.org

(c) 2006 localisation research centre1 localisation reinhard schäler consortium for training...

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