Software localisation

Software localisation differs from ordinary translation in many ways. In software localisation, attention must be paid both to the limitations resulting from the software code and to aspects such as text direction, units of measurement and currencies as well as many kinds of tags and variables. Text, or strings, may have to be translated separately from the strings surrounding them and, as a result, special localisation tools are needed to determine the context.

As a result, software translation requires not only language skills but also translation technology. Our translation memory software makes it possible to easily process various file formats, such as .xml, .resx, .xliff and .html. If necessary, we can create filters to allow us to operate with various file types that can be exported out of the customer’s software environment and imported back after translation.

Nowadays, the translation of software, an application or a website is rarely a one-off project. Text is continuously complemented and updated in step with development cycles. Continuous localisation often requires a sufficient degree of automation and integration between different systems to avoid the need to extract sections of text one by one and send them for translation separately. LanguageWire’s connectors and customised application programming interface (API) allow you to use your own tools – we will see to it that translations are in their correct places.

Localisation projects especially require careful planning and adherence to schedules. Software translation projects may involve up to millions of words and hundreds of files, with a large group of translators working on them simultaneously. Software localisation requires the translation partner to have versatile expertise in localisation project management and translation technology.

Both Delingua’s customer stories and LanguageWire’s website feature examples of software translation projects we have carried out.