Localization in Practice

Localization is a key element of the services available here at Global Comms.BR. It means going beyond just translating, and really centering a piece of writing in its target culture, adapting vocabulary and concepts so that they are the most impactful for their audience. But what does this process look like in practice? Here are ten examples of how localization may be used in real-life translations, and why.

1.      Names

We all know that different names are common in different countries. For example, you are far more likely to find a João than a John in Brazil, and the opposite applies in the UK, US or Australia. In terms of localization, this means that names are often swapped out for more suitable alternatives in the target language, in order for the text to feel firmly rooted in the country’s culture. This makes for a smoother text, and also helps the reader feel as if the text originated from their own country, rather than being a translated version from elsewhere.

2.       Collectivist vs individualist cultures

Cultural norms are important in adapting a text for a particular country, and one of the most dominant differences is whether a culture is more focused on individualism, as is the case in most of the Western world, or collectivism, as is more common across Asia. Whilst individualist cultures emphasize the importance of personal success and self-actualization, collectivist cultures put their focus on thriving communities and helping one’s neighbor. In terms of translation, this can mean adapting certain examples or ideas in order to be more representative of the target culture. For example, in Coca Cola’s ´Share a Coke´ campaign they printed more bottles with first names in Australia, and more with titles of relation such as ´best friend´ and ´classmate´ in China. In this way, they successfully adapted their strategy to reflect the cultural sensitivities of the target culture.

3.       Idioms

Perhaps the most pertinent example of why direct translation often doesn’t suffice. Many idioms and phrases simply don’t make sense when translated into another language, and so must be changed in order to convey the same ideas. Otherwise, readers will find themselves confused and possibly deterred from the brand itself.

4.       Trends and celebrities

In order to make a text impactful for its intended audience, all the references and examples within it need to be applicable to its readers. That is to say, there is no use talking about fashion trends and celebrity gossip in Brazil that a reader in the US would have no clue about. Instead of having to cut out these references altogether, localization usually means researching a close equivalent in the target culture, and personalizing the text for its readers. This makes the reader feel as though the text was truly made for them.

5.       Cultural references

Just like the trends, there are lots of other cultural references which need to be accounted for when conducting a thorough localization. One of the main ones is holidays and days of celebration; there is no point in talking about Christmas or Halloween when the target audience doesn’t celebrate them. The same applies to mentions of food, clothing and lots of other aspects of daily life.

6.       Changes within the same language

One aspect of localization that is easy to overlook is the changes necessary to make when adapting a text for a different country that speaks the same language as the original audience, such as Brazil and Portugal. Here, changing names and idioms may not be quite as relevant, but there may still be different cultural norms and popular trends. Also, European and Brazilian Portuguese are particularly famous for using many different grammatical structures and pieces of vocabulary, so these need to be adapted as well in order to best serve the audience.

7.       Grammar

Speaking of grammar, this is an extremely important element to control so that a text is as professional and fluent as can be. Though any good translation should have accurate grammar, localization ensures that standard practices are adopted for the relevant culture. For example, some languages use dashes (—) to add extra information, whilst in others this is not so common. Also, the format of dates, numbers and units of measurement can differ, with a salient example being that 1.2345 is less than two in English, but over one thousand two hundred in Portuguese.

8.       Formatting

The structure of a text and its layout must be fittingly adapted to its target culture. Some languages have on average longer words than others, or read from right to left as opposed to left to right, and a strong localization must account for all of these factors.

9.       Religion

As previously alluded to with the mention of Christmas and Halloween, it is easy to forget just how widely a country’s dominant religion can affect its language and culture. Certain phrases, images and references may not be appropriate to mention for certain audiences, or may appear culturally insensitive.

10.   Colors and symbols

Last but not least, the meaning of colors is a subtle yet highly important cultural factor, and they can have different connotations across different countries. Whilst white has associations of purity and cleanliness in some cultures, it has an air of mourning in others. In order to correctly construct the tone and themes of a piece of content, background colors and colors mentioned in the text must be carefully attended to. The same applies to symbolic imagery, such as the connotations of certain animals or hand signals.

Though this list is not entirely comprehensive, it does provide a useful insight into just how broadly localization affects a piece of content, and how important it is in producing high quality work.