Localization Guide

Localization Guide

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Localize for Target Countries: Be Culturally Sensitive
Localization means more than just translation: you need to adapt your website to local markets and cultures, not translate your content word-for-word. Professional translators who are native speakers in the target language can help you to shape your message into other languages and cultures.

Note that there are regional language varieties: Spanish in Spain and Mexico are, for instance, quite different. In this case, you may want to create different translations for each country.

Quality Content
Your website represents your business in local markets. For this reason, it is advisable to write good quality content in your website for your potential international clients. Machine translation is a great tool to get instant translations but only a professional, human translator has a careful approach to every detail and can deliver effectively the message to the target audience.

Localization Scenarios
The typical localization scenarios that your company may have in place are as follows:

1.Incorporate Google Translator Toolkit within your organization and internalize localization work.
2.Use Google Search to find a translation company or freelance translator that can help you with your localization needs.
3.Work with your usual online agency (when applicable).
Working with Translation Service Providers
Vendor Types
Translation vendors fall into three broad categories:

•Multi-language vendors (MLVs). MLVs offer global coverage, so you have a one-stop shop for handling all your localization needs. For example, an MLV might offer translations from English into Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish.
•Single-language vendors (SLVs). SLVs offer local coverage. Typically, SLVs handle translations from different source languages into one target language. For example, a German SLV might offer translations from English into German and from Spanish into German.
•Freelancers. Freelancers are individuals who usually translate from one or more languages into their native language.
Services Types and Quality
Service levels vary by vendor. Larger vendors provide a full range of localization services, including translation, project management and desktop publishing (DTP). Smaller vendors and freelancers may provide only translation services.


Pricing
Translation services are often charged on a per-word rate, although creative translations may also be charged per hour. For example, if your original-language document ("source") contains 400 words, your vendor may charge $0.20 per word, then the translation will cost $80. Depending on the project, you may also need to pay for additional services such as project management and DTP.

If a vendor charges an hourly rate, you should expect a particular translation throughput. For example, you may expect to find the number of words the service provider may translate per hour.

Most service providers will create a translation memory (TM) for your translations. Translation memories are databases of previous, human translations; they save time and money for future translations by allowing translators to reuse your translations for your subsequent projects. When that happens, the service provider typically offers price reductions based on the number and quality of translation memory matches.

For more information, please contact your translation vendor.

Glossary of Localization Terms
Computer-aided translation (CAT) tool. Computer-aided translation tools help translators work faster by combining glossaries, translation memories, and, increasingly, machine translation. Computer-aided translation tools typically show your original-language document with your translation in a side-by-side format, and which translators translate segment-by-segment (usually sentences). Google Translator Toolkit is an example of a computer-aided transaltion tool. Learn more.

Desktop publishing (DTP). Skills and software used to create graphics for point-of-sale displays, promotional items, trade show exhibits, retail package designs, and outdoor signs.

Freelance translator. Individual, typically able to handle translations from one or more source languages into the freelancer’s native language.

Glossary. A list of translations of specialized terms. They are used by translators during translation to maintain consistency across documents. Learn more.

Localization. The process of adapting content for a specific region or language by translating text and adding locale-specific references.

Localization service provider (LSP). An entity that provides localization services. An LSP is usually either a multi-language vendor, single-language vendor, or a freelance translator.

Machine translation (MT). Translation automatically generated by computers, usually through statistical modeling (statistical machine translation or SMT), translation rules (rules-based machine translation or RBMT), or a combination of both. Google Translate is an example of a machine translation system. While machine translation is not perfect, it offers a free or low-cost way of translating your website. Learn more.

Multi-language vendor (MLV). Translation company that offers translation services into several language pairs (source and target together, e.g. French-German or English-Spanish).

Non-disclosure agreement (NDA). A legal contract between that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but to which they wish to restrict access for third parties.

Pivot language. A pivot language is an intermediate language into which your original-language content is translated before translating into other languages. For example, if your content’s original langauge is Traditional Chinese and you are translating into Arabic, English, and Spanish, you may not find many translators who can translate from Traditional Chinese into Arabic or Traditional Chinese into Spanish; however, you may find many translators who can translate from English into Arabic and English into Spanish. Thus, you may choose English as your pivot language. First, translate your content from Traditional Chinese into English; then, translate your content from English into Arabic and English into Spanish.

Pricing model. The payment model used by a translation service provider, usually a cost per word per language or cost per hour per language. When the service provider uses translation memories or machine translation, the pricing model may include a complex discount model based on the quality of machine translation and translation memory matches.

Service-level agreement (SLA). A document that describes mutually agreed service terms for a translation project, such as turnaround time, pricing, delivery method and quality.

Single-language vendor (SLV). Translation company that offers translation services into one language pair (English-Spanish, for example).

Source language. The original language from which a translation is created.

Style guide. A document that describes specific instructions that you want translators to follow during translation. For example, your style guide for translation into English may include the rule: for comma-separated lists that contain at least three items, always include a comma before the "and". Thus, the translator would translate the Spanish "manzanas, naranjas, y peras" into "apples, oranges, and pears" instead of "apples, oranges and pears".

Target language. The language into which your content is translated.

Translation memory (TM). A database used by translators that contains previously translated words, phrases and paragraphs. By using translation memories, not only do you help improve consistency in your translations, but you also save money because translators often provide discounts based on translation memory matching. For example, if your brand tag line, "Save more with My Company" was previously translated into Spanish, then most translators would provide a discount for translating the same text into Spanish (or provide the service for free). Translation memories are often integrated into computer-aided translation (CAT) tools. Learn more.

Turnaround time (TaT). The total time taken between the submission of a text for translation and the return of the complete output to the customer..

FAQ
How much does localization cost?
The final cost of localization depends on a number of factors:

•Content domain. For example, translating a website with high-quality, medical content requires specialized, medical translators. Medical translators may charge a premium because they have advanced degrees in medicine, biochemistry or related fields.
•Engineering. If your content is in a specialized file format (e.g., a custom form of XML), then a translation service provider may require engineers to pre-process and post-process your files. Otherwise, some of the content that you may not want translated (e.g., special commands embedded in XML) may become corrupted during translation.
•Project management. When you’re translating into, say, 10 languages, you will need a project manager to help manage your translations. Among other things, a translation project manager ensures that the translations are performed on time and responds to translators’ questions.
•Source and target language. Some languages have fewer skilled translators than others. For example, Icelandic translators are in short supply compared with Spanish translators.
Contact your localization service provider for details.

Does Google recommend certain translation vendors?
No.

I have native speakers in my office. Do I still need to use a translation vendor?
A translation company can offer a scalable translation solution for you. A close collaboration between your internal resources and your translation company is key for the success of your localization projects. Google offers Translator Toolkit, a free tool to help you localize your collateral. The tool can provide great support for internal resources as well as vendors.

Do AdWords Editor and Translator Toolkit work together?
Yes, you can upload and download between the two. Learn more.