Do you know the difference between translation and localization? People often conflate the two, but there is a clear and important distinction.
Translation — the focus is on the words and is a process for converting text from one language into another.
Scenario: A website translates a product description from English to Spanish to ensure Spanish-speaking customers understand the features and benefits.
Localization — the focus is adapting content for target markets while maintaining the original formatting. This involves translating the content into one or many languages while maintaining the original layout and ensuring cultural appropriateness. This includes anything from idioms and number formats to cultural nuances and regional regulations.
Scenario: A website’s privacy policy and terms of service need to be available in 50+ languages. Localization ensures that the content is not only translated but also adapted to maintain legal formatting and address regional legal requirements.
It’s similar to how a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not a square. Localization includes translation but also goes further to tailor the content for local relevance.
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