Localization 101: Basic concepts for newcomers

Localization 101: Basic concepts for newcomers

Are you new to the world of localization? Then, there are a few concepts you’ll need to understand before you start your journey. Learn what they mean and some key differences between them.

Although slightly confusing at first, once you understand the concept of good localization, you can begin to expand your business to other parts of the world more successfully. In this article, you’ll learn the fundamental concepts of localization, also abbreviated as l10n , as well as other important terms and tips to intentionally build rapport with your customers.

Plus, what are the differences between translation, localization, and transcreation? And how do you adapt to consumers overseas? More on this below.

?? Localization is building rapport??

Building rapport is a well-known concept that is used to connect better with other people. It includes mirroring body language, mimicking tone of voice, and finding things in common. Once rapport is established, trust is increased. This neuroscientific concept suggests that we like people who are similar to us. The same is true in localization and trusting a brand.

To connect with your audience, you need to build rapport. In this case, you adapt language, tone, cultural sensitivity, and understanding to communicate better. As you do this, the receiver feels more connected to you and your message. Hence, the entire user experience is improved.


?? What's with the numbers???

You might have noticed that some concepts in the localization realm, like l10n, i18n, or t9n, are abbreviated in a strange way. The explanation is easy – they're acronyms typical in the software industry known as numeronyms. They simply help with categorization. In the case of "localization," the 10 is included to indicate the number of letters between 'l' and 'n.' The same applies to the rest of the terms.

?? More questions? Localazy has its own dictionary of localization, app developement and marketing concepts. Access it here

?? Quick guide of localization concepts??

There are a few key elements to keep in mind throughout your localization journey. These concepts are helpful whether you’re just starting out or want to improve your existing strategy for business growth and globalization. Let’s take a look at the most important ones.

1. Translation, localization, and transcreation??

At first glance, you might think that translation, localization, and transcreation are pretty much the same. However, when taking a closer look, you’ll notice a few major differences between them, each requiring a slightly different approach.

?? Translation

When you ask a translator to translate your website, app, or documents, you’re mainly asking for accuracy. You get a translated text that sticks to the initial message, with close proximity to the original words and sentences of the source language. There is some adaptation, but not much. It is not strictly literal, but it’s not far from it.

?? Transcreation

Moving into transcreation, you begin leaving more room for creativity. This type of work usually involves some form of copywriting and reshaping of the original content. However, it is still important to stick to the main message you aim to convey and not stray too far away from the source. The transcreation should sound natural and somewhat appeal to the culture attached to the target language. A good understanding of both languages is important, including grammar and structure.

??? Localization

When we arrive at localization, there is a lot of space for creativity. What’s more, localizing requires an in-depth understanding of cultural customs and people’s behavior, business principles, and even ethics and law. When localizing content, it is still somewhat a translation but with a stronger focus on how the message is received. Here, it’s about reshaping entire sentences and customizing designs, infographics, sentence structures, etc. Even humor and tone need to be adapted.

While translation focuses on accuracy, localization leaves more space for creativity and prioritizes cultural adaptation to connect with your audience

If done right, a person in your target country who downloads your app or browses your website will feel like they're shopping at a local store. Again, with the sense of familiarity, a disconnect is less likely to happen. In software localization , this means adapting elements like the software’s layout, content, or currencies.


2. Language, dialect and locale ??

You’ll often hear the terms language, dialect, and locale in software and marketing localization. Understanding the differences between them is essential if you want to localize appropriately.

???? Language

This term refers to a structure or system with its own codes and grammar rules for written and verbal communication. We use specific languages in software, as well as in different countries across the globe.

In programming, think, for example, of Python , PHP , or JavaScript . In order to communicate effectively with someone in Spain, you’ll need proper knowledge of Spanish . And if you want to speak to an app user, you'll need the correct language for that, too.

?? Locale

Locales are sets of parameters defining a language environment. Implementing a locale relates to zooming in on a culture to a much greater extent. Imagine you're visiting a Spanish online store, but you’re in the United States. Right at the start of your visit, a pop-up window on your screen says something like: “We can see that you’re visiting from the US. Would you like to change to the United States site version?”. This function allows you to adapt the language to the specifications of your location.

Locales include elements like local currencies, user interface characteristics, date and time formats, and cultural preferences and adaptations. They are usually represented with standardized combinations of language code + country code . One language can be expressed through multiple locales.

?? Check out our collection of locale guides to learn more about specific regions and how to adapt to their linguistic preferences

For instance, if you have your site operating in Australia and the United States, you will use English , but since there are cultural differences, you will apply two different locales:

  • ???? en_AU
  • ???? en_US

But for Belgium, you will choose all the spoken languages (French , Dutch , and German ) and use the same country code for each of them:

  • ???? fr_BE
  • ???? nl_BE
  • ???? de_BE

Successful marketing and software localization, therefore, includes this important set of instructions and settings that is a locale.

?? Dialect

Dialects are a part of every language. They're simply a particular form of the language spoken by a particular group in a specific region or used by certain social or ethnic groups. When you localize, dialects can make or break your message. For example, the culture and customs in the north of France differ from those in the south. Another example is the Portuguese language, which is different in Brazil than in Portugal . Because of this, localization is sometimes adapted to the region using different dialects. Dialects are not structured systems but are instead subsets of a language.


3. Globalization, i18n and expansion ??

?? Globalization

Making your product or service global requires preparing it for international adoption. You won't be able to reach consumers in other countries successfully if you don't adapt your offer to them. This is where the globalization process comes in, which includes product design, multilingual support, marketing strategies, and, yes - localization as well. Ultimately, you want to ensure that you're offering an optimal user experience no matter which country you operate in.

??? Internationalization

Internationalization is an integral part of the localization strategy. Think of it like moving to a new country. To assimilate better, you might have to leave some of your own customs behind, speak a different language, and adapt to the culture. In software, this involves making technical preparations that will pay off when it's time to localize, as they'll set the right tone for your product or service.

This process is about preparing your software to adapt and change, which means developing your product in a way that makes it suitable for other languages and cultures, not just one. It also considers different legal requirements, website needs, and acceptance of various data types and settings to match local customs.

?? Expansion

Now, expansion can involve taking your service or product overseas, but not always. It can undoubtedly be part of a strategy to reach international consumers, yet sometimes expansion is local. In the end, it's all about increasing your revenue and creating brand awareness.

Aspects of expansion include updating your software and getting it ready for a bigger audience and implementing the right communication channels. Testing, designing, and enhancing your app's features to meet clients’ and customers’ needs is also part of the expansion process.


4. Proofreading vs. QA ??

?? Proofreading is essential in any content launch, yet it is only one leg of the whole table. A proofreader will usually address grammar, style, appropriate wording (including cultural appropriation), and legal requirements, among other things.

?? Quality assurance , on the other hand, or QA, is the table. QA involves proofreading, testing, editing, improving visual design, and deepening linguistic accuracy. In other words, it takes performance into account, ensuring that both the written and graphic content are received as intended. In the case of multilingual products, localization testing is a crucial part of this process.

5. Machine translation vs. AI-powered translation??

While neither machine translation (MT) nor AI-powered translation are perfect, they both serve an important purpose. ?? Machine translation is a big part of the engine that keeps it all together. Of course, the desire to use ?? AI-powered translation (a subset of MT) is mainly due to AI’s ability to adapt and understand more complex content and software needs. While an AI-powered translation won’t give you the accuracy that a human translator will, it is an incredibly useful aid to human translation.

As machine translation tools advance, more linguistic capabilities are incorporated, making this technology all the more valuable. They can help as much as AI to create proper translations – just in a different way. Today, these two often help each other and can be used together to achieve great localization results.

?? Related: Translation technology: Exploring the pros and cons of AI Translation

6. CAT Tool/TMS ??

A ?? TMS, or translation management system , is software that increases quality and makes localization and translation easier. It makes process management infinitely easier, letting you collaborate better with team members and eliminating cumbersome manual tasks. It also provides you with a better overview of your l10n projects. A big component of TMS are CAT tools.


?? CAT tools (from the term computer-assisted translation) are frequently used among linguists, translators, and businesses today. They usually come with translation memories, glossaries, context, and other QA tools, helping your content be more consistent across channels. Over time, machine translation features have also become an essential part of CAT tools, as they help with suggestions during the translation process.

CAT tools are excellent for globalization and marketing localization, especially when dealing with larger markets and international crowds. They support multiple languages and let you upload many different file formats . Some, being cloud-based, also enable real-time collaboration between managers and translators.

7. Key count vs. word count??

??? Strings or keys are frequently used in software localization. It is easy to understand what we mean when we talk about word count. But the key count tends to be a foggier concept. It refers to the total amount of sequences of letters, numbers, symbols, and other characters present in your source content. A key, also known as a string, can be one word or an entire sentence or paragraph. This classification system helps you automate localization and manage your content more effectively.

Strings are put into your code, then saved in software memory locations. They can thereafter be localized and used in several places on your website or in your app. Many TMS, including yours truly, use string/key count to track your localized content.


You can easily upgrade the number of source keys on our dashboard.

?? And now, what? Your next steps??

So, now that you’ve learned about the essential concepts of localization, what do you do? First, you need to make a business plan and develop a strategy. Are you looking to localize and market your product in several languages to reach a new audience within your region, or are you planning to go international with your service or app? Maybe you already offer a great service but want to appeal to an additional market. What resources do you already have or need to bring in?

The first decisions you'll have to make??

Drafting a good strategy is vital to producing excellent results, achieving cost efficiency, and managing your team's time better. Here are four key questions you'll have to answer when you kick the process off:

  • ?? Am I looking for mere translation or localization?
  • ?? How many locales am I going to tackle?
  • ?? Where can I find reputable native translators?
  • ?? How much will it all cost?

Remember that these decisions don't have to be final – you can dip your toes into a potential market by using MT or crowdsourced translations first and opt for human localization services later. Localazy gives you the flexibility to pivot your strategy at any point and adapt your budget, management methods, and quality assurance tools as you go.

Don't improvise your localization. Before you make any decision, make sure to have a business plan in place and to develop a strategy. You'll need to ask yourself the bigger-picture questions regarding targets, resources, and budget

???? Choosing a software that makes it easier??

In the end, you will probably want to make your life easier and grow your business at the same time. Choosing the right software will save you time and money and, let’s face it – many headaches. Having a software solution that provides you with many features in one and adapts to your needs while giving you the support you need along the way will make the journey so much more enjoyable and effective.

At Localazy, we are proud to offer some of the latest and most effective localization and software solutions for businesses. We have built an efficient TMS and offer various integration options , design localization tools, and other management solutions. We also help our customers localize with a human voice and reach different markets, such as SaaS , e-commerce , travel , fintech , and many more.


?? Conclusion??

Understanding the concepts above goes beyond "getting" them. It paves the way for a much more productive and direct path forward in your expansion journey. If you need more help, take a look at this beginner’s guide and learn how to localize better and smarter, and don't hesitate to contact us for any help you need during the process.


Author: @simonarahmanova

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