Localization Glossary
Master the terminology of the global translation industry. Essential terms and definitions for translation, localization, and globalization professionals.
101% Matching
Occurs when a string's text and its specific context in the translation memory precisely match the text and context of another string.
Agile Localization
A combination of practices that integrate localization and translation into an agile product development process. Localization is implemented concurrently with development, ensuring they run synchronously.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A software intermediary that specifies how software components should interact with one another and share data. APIs are used when programming GUI components.
CAT Tools (Computer-Assisted Translation)
Software used to make translation more efficient and accurate. Typically includes translation memory, concordance, import/export, and post-production features.
Collaborative Translation
A process where a group of people works together on a translation project in a collaborative online workspace to improve quality and reduce turnaround time.
Concordance Search
The process of searching for specific words, phrases, or wording sequences within a translation memory database to see how they have been translated before.
Content Management System (CMS)
A software application that allows users to manage website content effectively without technical knowledge.
Continuous Localization
A subset of agile localization where the process runs autonomously alongside product development, eliminating manual tasks like string uploads/downloads and file transfers.
DNT (Do Not Translate)
An acronym used for brand names, trademarks, slogans, and other specific phrases that must remain in their original source language.
DTP (Desktop Publishing)
Reformatting localized documents in the target language to match the original design layout, ensuring text fits correctly even if its length or direction changes.
Fuzzy Matching
A technique used by CAT tools to look for phrases that are similar but not 100% exact within a translation memory database, saving time and costs.
GILT
An acronym representing Globalization, Internationalization, Localization, and Translation, the four pillars of global content adaptation.
Globalization (g11n)
The adaptation of a resource or business to meet the requirements of multiple cultures and locales, allowing for international operation on a global scale.
Glossary
A list of terms and definitions for a specific localization project, explaining what terms mean, how to translate them, or if they should remain untranslated.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
A visual interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and indicators, such as text boxes, windows, and icons.
In-Context Translation
A mechanism that enables translators to see the source text alongside its surrounding environment, such as background images or screenshots.
International SEO
The practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engines for users across different countries and languages to drive global traffic.
Internationalization (i18n)
The process of designing products or content to ensure they can be localized into numerous regions without needing fundamental engineering changes.
Keys
Unique identifiers used in code or files to represent text, which are substituted with language-specific values during the localization process.
Language Code
A standardized set of letters or numbers used as identifiers for specific languages, such as 'ES' for Spanish or 'HI' for Hindi.
Language Pair
The specific combination of source and target languages that a translator or interpreter works between (e.g., English to Japanese).
Literal Translation
A translation that follows the phrasing and sentence construction of the source language too closely, often resulting in poor quality or lost nuance.
Locale
The combination of a specific language and geographic region (usually a country) where terminology is adapted for specific content and design requirements.
Localization (l10n)
The process of culturally adapting products, services, and content to meet the language, cultural, and technical requirements of a specific target market.
Localization Software
Tools designed to minimize manual and repetitive work for software teams during the localization process, improving overall workflow efficiency.
Localization Testing
The process of verifying and validating the localized aspects of software or mobile applications to ensure they meet regional requirements.
LSP (Language Service Provider)
An organization or business that supplies comprehensive language services, including translation, localization, interpretation, and language learning programs.
Markup Language
Web languages like HTML or XML that specify formatting and layout using tags. In localization, content inside these tags is extracted for translation.
MT (Machine Translation)
A software-based process that translates content from one language to another without human intervention, prioritizing speed over nuance.
Multilingual Workflow
The automation of business processes for managing multilingual content, typically utilizing a TMS, machine translation, and translation memory.
NLP (Natural Language Processing)
The automatic manipulation and analysis of natural language, such as speech and text, by software using computational linguistics.
NMT (Neural Machine Translation)
A fully automated translation technology that uses deep learning and neural networks to provide more accurate, context-aware translations.
NMTPE (Neural Machine Translation Post-Editing)
A workflow where machine-translated text is reviewed and refined by human translators to ensure high-quality, professional results.
Post-Edited Machine Translation
Software-generated translations that are reviewed and corrected by human translators to combine efficiency with professional accuracy.
Proofreading
Reviewing translated text to identify and correct errors in spelling, grammar, syntax, coherence, and stylistic consistency.
Pseudo-Localization
A process for verifying if a product is ready for localization by replacing original text with an altered version to find layout or internationalization issues.
Quality Assurance (QA)
The process of evaluating whether a localized product meets specified requirements for linguistic accuracy, functionality, and cultural relevance.
RTL (Right-to-Left)
Refers to languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Urdu that are read and written from right to left, requiring layout and UX adjustments in localization.
Segment
A sentence, phrase, or piece of text that represents a cognitive unit, utilized when searching for matches in a translation memory database.
Segmentation
The process of splitting translations into smaller, relevant chunks to make translation memory richer and the localization process more efficient.
Simship (Simultaneous Shipping)
The practice of releasing a product or content in both domestic and foreign markets at the same time.
Software Development Kit (SDK)
A set of tools, libraries, and documentation that allow developers to create applications for specific platforms, often including localization modules.
Source File
A file containing the original strings or content that will be used as the base for all subsequent translations.
Source Language
The original language of a text that is being translated into another language.
Target Language
The specific language into which a text is being translated.
TM (Translation Memory)
A database that stores previously translated content in translation units to eliminate repetitive tasks and preserve consistency across projects.
TMS (Translation Management System)
Software used to automate the translation workflow, supporting complex projects and eliminating manual, repetitive tasks from the localization cycle.
Transcreation
Adapting a message from one language to another while maintaining its original intent, style, and tone, often requiring creative re-writing for local relevance.
Transcription
The process of converting audio or non-editable content into a written format, typically within the same language.
Translatability
The degree to which a specific text can be accurately and effectively rendered into another language without losing its core meaning.
Translation Memory Leverage
The amount of previously stored translation data that can be reused for a new project, helping to estimate the actual translation effort needed.
XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format)
An XML-based standard for exchanging localization data between different tools and providers in the translation industry.
XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
A metadata language used to describe other markup languages, frequently used as a format for storing and exchanging localized content.