Imagine that you have been given the task of quickly translating a text into another language. Everything seems simple enough: you find exact word matches and arrange them so that they fit the context and structure of the text. Of course, you would do this well if you had sufficient skills and experience. But what if, say, a Lithuanian text needs to be adapted for the Russian market? A literal translation is no longer suitable, because each language has its own words or idioms that make the text more acceptable to its speakers. Adhering to stylistic nuances will not save you in this case either. Localization is a service that opens the way to foreign markets.
Who is who?
Let's start with the fact that translation and localization are often combined. And although a Russian translator can slightly diversify the text to make it look colombia telegram phone numbers more lively, the result will still look like a translation into another language. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between translation and localization: they are different services used to achieve a specific goal.
When translating, the main focus is on ensuring that the translated text is as close to the original as possible, grammatically correct, and conveys the style and tone appropriately. It should be easy for anyone to understand. The most common types of technical translations are: product instructions, various specifications and performance documents, contracts, scientific or technical publications. If the text is not rich in linguistic subtleties and will be easily adapted to another country, then regular translation and editing should be sufficient.
Localization is a somewhat broader field: in this case, a Russian (or other foreign language) translator should translate the text so that it is as close as possible to the target audience of that country. During localization, cultural nuances, expressions, and local market issues are taken into account, thus creating a text that gives the impression that it was written in that language, and not translated. Translators performing localization must be able to adapt perfectly to the culture of the target audience, know its needs or certain specific features that would make the text unique and attractive to it. Certain regions and their dialects, differences in measurement units and currencies are also taken into account. Localization is usually required for the translation of advertising and marketing texts, websites, computer games, smart apps, and software.