Translation/Localisation

We translate English to and from the languages of the world. Read more about languages »

Translation involves much more than simply substituting English words with those of a foreign language. The Translator must fully understand the source text and translate that understanding into the target language, to retain the message, style and tone of the original.

The added complexity of many technology translations demands that our Translators have specialist knowledge in the appropriate subject area, be it medical, electronic, engineering, ICT, software, etc. The strength and depth of the Blue South team of Topic Targeted Translators™ means that we can confidently undertake translations for a very wide range of subjects. More>> 

Multi-lingual projects

Need a set of 6 different documents in 15 languages but with slight variations between the source text for each language, all to be typeset? Or how about 150,000 words into 8 languages, comprising software strings, help files and other documentation, again, with differing source material for each language? Such projects are are typical of our everyday business translations at Blue South.

Localisation

Language translation is a large part of localisation and we are able to assist companies who wish to go beyond translation and localise their documentation.

Localisation takes a product or service and makes it linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target locale (country/region and language). A successfully localised service or product is one that appears to have been developed within the local culture.

Ideally a product or service is developed so that localisation is relatively easy to achieve - for example, by creating technical illustrations for manuals in which the text can easily be changed to another language and allowing some expansion room for this purpose. This enabling process is termed internationalization and an internationalised product or service is therefore easier to localise.

Non-linguistic issues involved in localisation include;

• changing product names to avoid unwanted associations in target languages.
• screen dialog boxes and field lengths may have to be altered; date, time and currency formats changed; delimiters for figures replaced; and icons and colors adapted.
• in the case of bi-directional languages (such as Arabic and Hebrew) and double-byte character sets (such as those for Chinese, Japanese and Korean), more extensive reprogramming may be required to ensure that localised text and numerals are displayed correctly on the target platforms.
• programs often have to be changed to conform to national and cultural norms.
• in multimedia applications, the color, size and shape of objects such as coins and notes, taxis, telephones and mailboxes, buses and ambulances, traditionally vary from country to country. Dress codes will vary, and symbols take on a new significance.
• business applications such as address databases and financial accounting packages have to be adapted to the procedures and conventions applicable in their new environments.

How do I get started?
To discuss your translation requirements call us tollfree in Australia on 1-800 602 428 or Email Us 

 

Translation/ Localisation