In this Q&A session with head of technology at Acclaro Ian Barrow, we'll get a glimpse of how technology powers modern translation solutions and what the near future holds in terms of new developments in client-agency connectivity.
In today's post, we want to give a quick explanation on how we select and promote our linguists (translators, editors, and language leads) and our continual quality control process for our language translation and localization services offerings.
The key to a successful project is ensuring that quality is implemented from the start, and qualification of our linguists is the first and a very important step in assuring a successful rollout. So, without further ado, may we present: our linguist qualification process!
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage) answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about multimedia localization and how to manage a successful multilingual video project.
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage) answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about externalizing strings using a grep tool or Lingoport's Globalyzer, and what Jon has to say about internationalization.
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage) answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about graphics and tools, and what Jon has to say about them.
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage) answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about graphics and tools, and what Jon has to say about them.
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage)answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about graphics and tools, and what Jon has to say about them.
Our resident globalization architect and localization geek, Jon Ritzdorf (see his Geek2Geek webpage) answers your localization and translation questions. Read on for the most recent Q&A about graphics and tools, and what Jon has to say about them.
Calling all localization geeks (and we know you're out there)! Have you got burning questions standing in between you and your multilingual software release or global web launch? Jon Ritzdorf, Acclaro's own in-house localization guru, and self-avowed geek, has made himself available to answer questions about any technical localization issue your heart desires.
Machine translation. It sounds simple, right? Rather than use a human translator, you put the burden on a computer. How hard could it be?
That depends, of course, on how much you value making sense from what you’ve translated. And that depends on what — and how much — you’re translating in the first place.
Machine Translation (MT) is a powerful and evolving solution to the complexities companies face when they must quickly and inexpensively make large amounts of information available to international audiences.
In this six question Q&A we’ll give you the “nuts and bolts” (if you will) about the current state of MT and how it might help you save time and money on your next translation project.
How do you begin to market to 300 million Arabic speakers worldwide? Is there such a thing as standard Arabic? The short answer is yes; the long answer is yes...and no. An understanding of Arabic's history may help raise your voice in and help define your global business strategy for this huge linguistic region.
Ever wonder how the subtitling and dubbing process actually works? It is a far cry from the sometimes badly-produced televised kung fu movies from the 80s and 90s that you may remember. As mentioned in our recent blog post on the art of subtitle translation, there's more to this than meets the eye.
About guest author Rui Monteiro-Claro: Rui is a client development manager at Acclaro, with nearly 15 years experience in the translation and localization industry. Rui was born and raised in Portugal and often travels to Brazil for business and pleasure.
What makes Brazil such an appealing place for business?
Brazil has the world's
eighth-largest economy, despite the poverty and inequality that plagues this
giant of the southern hemisphere. And as
one of the fastest-growing economies on the planet, it's become a much more
attractive place to do business. Brazil is the second-largest exporter of
agricultural products, has a large industrial sector, and vast mineral, oil and
gas resources.
Starting in 2003, the government headed by President Lula (and now by his successor, Dilma Rousseff) put in place a mix of progressive social policies and excellent fiscal management. Domestic consumer demand is rising, GDP was more than $2 trillion in 2010, and the economy continues to enjoy healthy growth.
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese — not Spanish — and it's very important to remember this. While most Brazilians can understand Spanish, they are proud of their status as the only Portuguese-speaking country in South America.
How should I prepare for business meetings in Brazil?
It's important to schedule business meetings at least two or three weeks ahead of time, and confirm them when you arrive in Brazil. Make sure to leave a couple of hours in between meetings in case the meetings go on longer or start later than you've planned.
You'll also need to adjust your own expectations of time. Brazilians approach scheduling with a very relaxed and flexible attitude and may arrive late — very late.
It's extremely important to socialize a bit before you get down to business, because the first step to building trust and good relationships in Brazil is getting to know your colleagues personally. And personal relationships are one of the single most important keys to succeeding in business in Brazil. So you may start a meeting by sharing a cafezinho (a little cup of that famous Brazilian coffee) and talking about soccer and family before any actual business takes place. Make sure to accept any food and drink that you’re offered as refusing can be considered insulting.
About author Jon Ritzdorf: Jon serves as the Acclaro in-house globalization architect. He holds an M.A. in Chinese Translation and draws on more than a decade of experience for both his professional work and as an adjunct professor at New York University and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
What are some of the latest trends in China?
There are several trends to be aware of:
Micro-blogging
(i.e. Twitter) has really taken off in China. The clear leader is Sina Weibo, launched in August 2009, with nearly
100 million users, according to Forbes.com. If you’re trying to create a loyal following and/or promote your
products directly to Chinese customers, definitely consider a Chinese micro-blog.
As with other countries, mobile advertising is gaining momentum. While smart phone penetration is still relatively low overall, the youth market is leading the trend of using their phones for internet use and app downloads (and with these, come mobile advertising). According to Nielsen, 73% of Chinese youth ages 15-24 reported using the mobile internet in the previous 30 days (versus 48% in the U.S. and 46% in the UK). Look for mobile internet use and mobile advertising to really ramp up in the next few years.
Search,
search and more search. According to iResearch, China’s web
search reached 64.02 billion queries in Q4 2010. And people aren’t necessarily
searching on Google China, but rather Baidu,
China’s largest search engine, with over 75% (or even as much as 83%, according
to some reports) of market share. And watch for Baidu to expand beyond its borders.
We’ve already written about the importance of a glossary and
why it’s important to create one before 
starting any major translation effort —
whether it be for technical documentation, marketing communications, web,
software, eLearning, or multimedia projects. Now, let’s look at what should be
included in a glossary.
What goes into a glossary?
What should a glossary look like?
A glossary can be a complex database or a simple spreadsheet. It depends on your global reach and the size of your overall globalization efforts. If you are just starting out, you may just want to use an Excel spreadsheet. Then you can work your way up to a more complex database.
1. What is HTML5?
HTML5 is a major revision to HTML and XHTML, the standard for structuring and presenting content on the Internet. It includes everything you see in your browser, such as text, images, multimedia, web apps, search forms, and so on.
2. How is it different from HTML and XHTML?
3. Why all the fuss?
Many of these new features, like video playback and drag-and-drop, have been dependent on third-party browser plug-ins like Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight and Google Gears. HTML5 changes all of that. As an open source system, it supports open standards that expose underlying technologies, enabling integration, innovation and development of more complex software and services.
4. How does HTML5 affect website localization?
HTML5 is a game-changer, however, it won't drastically alter the way that your translation partner localizes your website. HTML5 is simply a revision of the "old" HTML and XHTML, and thus requires the same translation and localization skills used with previous versions.
Search engine marketing (SEM) localization is the process of targeting customers in international 
markets by ranking well in search engine results, generating traffic, and converting visitors to actual leads and sales.
Many people have problems differentiating between SEO, PPC, and SEM. (So many acronyms!)
SEO is search engine optimization, and is often referred to as "natural," "organic," or "unpaid" search. In the localization world, SEO means translating your metatags, descriptions, alt tags, URLs, and other language-based information into the target language.
PPC (pay per click) is when you (the advertiser) bid on keywords relevant to your product, service, and target market. Your ads then display as "sponsored results" on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Microsft when those queries are typed in. (Depending, of course, on their relevance, how much you bid, and about a trillion other factors.)
Smart, fun and useful. Acclaro shares news and tips on translation, localization, language, global business and culture.