Kalmykov V.A.,  Makarova G.I.

LОСALIZATION of SOFTWARE as a TRANSLATION PROBLEM

Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistic University

В данном докладе рассматривается теоретическая и практическая обоснованность  зарождения нового направления в техническом переводе, а именно:  локализации программного обеспечения. Вышеуказанная тема представляется очень важной в связи со все возрастающим потоком программного обеспечения, требующего лингвистической и культурологической адаптации на родной язык пользователя. Его авторы определяют элементы программного обеспечения и структурируют их в интерактивном формате.

Ключевые слова: программное обеспечение, локализация, адаптация, технический перевод, культурный компонент.

This report examines the theoretical and practical background for a rise of a new trend in technical translation, that is the problem of localization of software. The above mentioned topic seems to be very acute due to an ever increasing volume of software which is the subject to adopt linguistically and culturally for the native language. Its authors outline the elements of software and provide their on-line structure.

Key words: software, localization,  adaptation, technical translation, cultural component.

This article gives the background to study the peculiarities of localization of software as a new trend of translation within the framework of cross-cultural communication.

Since the mid 1950s the flow of translation activities has increased dramatically due to intense international contact, and in the globalization epoch its role has grown even more.

Localization of software is not yet studied appropriately in linguistic literature, since it is a relatively new trend of technical translation. Translation of scientific and technical texts became an independent research field just in the 1930s due to the studies of such outstanding scholars and educators as M.M.Morozov, Ya.I.Retsker, A.V. Fedorov, and V.N. Komissarov who published a number of important theoretical works on translation into Russian from other foreign languages. Their studies are as important now as they used to be then. The problems of technical translation were surveyed in the studies of such Russian scholars as L.S.Barkhudarov, Y.A.Zvereva, A.V. Fedorov, A.L. Pumpyansky, R.V.Yumpelt, etc. It is necessary to emphasize “The general theory of Translation” by A.V.Fedorov and “The Introduction to the Practice of Translation of Scientific and Technical Literature into English” by A.L. Pumpyansky [1, 2].

As for the problems of translation related to the process of software localization, Russian scholars, unfortunately, have not devoted any big research to this problem with the exception of some articles which deal with some minor aspects of software localization. In the West this problem receives a more careful treatment; S.Gopferich, B.Schumann, K.D. Schmitz, I.Spitznagel, K.Wahle give a thorough study of theoretical and applied problems in the process of software localization[4].

The Western linguists and scholars provided for the independence of such a scientific field as software localization because its importance is constantly growing world-wide.

As before translation remains a necessary condition of fruitful international cooperation, and in the period of globalization its role on the international arena is hard to underestimate. A wide spread of computer technologies and Internet justifies an ever growing demand in qualified translators for software localization. Though the term “localization” has been included in the terms dictionaries since long, linguistic students have no idea about its meaning oftentimes. Till now there is no deep study of the theory and practice of software localization, though there is a great demand in such a type of methodological literature. Besides, little attention is paid to the importance of getting students to know the latest developments in computer programs for translators which aim at reducing translation consuming time and making an interpreter’s work easier on the whole; it is also necessary to remember that the interpreter’s professional success directly depends on his/her knowledge of computer technologies.

All the time leading world universities, which train interpreters, start special schools for translators to work in the field of software localization ( Munich Language Institute in Germany, Irish University of Limerick, a number of universities in the USA), in our country, unfortunately, the importance of studying this field by the future technical translators is underestimated.

The basis for our analyses is a software localization project of Canon NetSpotAccountant, which was done by a German Translation Bureau from English into German. The analyses of the project were carried by comparison.

A special research in this field which we are going to implement in the future, will give a chance to teachers and students to widen their knowledge about scientific and technical translation, to get them acquainted with the latest trends of translators’ activities in this area. It is known that language is “a reflection of the surrounding world and creates a specific and unique picture of the world for every language and accordingly for a nation, an ethnic group, language community which use this language as a means of communication” [3:14].

Language interpretation has always been especially important for mutual understanding of the nations, at present it is of utmost importance. International communication is exercised not only through the language but, what is equally important, through cultural contact. It may be manifested in various forms –using a language of international communication ( English at present) or/and interlingual communication which is provided by means of a translator. Software localization nowadays is one of the most promising forms of cross-cultural communication.

Though English as a language of international communication is becoming more important, it can not be a substitution for national languages. Even in Internet with its prevalence of English you can find the people who communicate in Indian languages or regional dialects. Language variety of mass media is also increasing.

Multi-language commercial web sites are created to be used by the maximum number of would-be readers. It is a known fact that the companies producing software have greater expenditures, twenty-fold, to get their software international or adapted than just to have them ready to sell. In spite of the fact that globalization of economy is achieved due to English, a demand for translators from English into regional languages of advertisement texts, instructions of various kinds and other documentation for the ready product is constantly growing. Nowadays, the consumer has the right to ask for detailed documentation in the native language which is vital for maintenance, enhancement and adaptation of a product for specific using conditions and terms.

In some countries there is a legal system which binds the producer to apply all the necessary documentation in the local language. This situation is characterized by the following slogan of international corporations - “Think globally, act locally”. Communication itself becomes a product, and it really affects the role of a translator on the whole.

Technical translators don’t limit themselves to the translation of scientific and technical texts of a varied level of difficulty only, but their potential field of activities also includes localization of software and web sites, creation of advertisement texts for Internet, etc.

The idea of localization (‘LION’ is a short word for it) is often used to determine translator’s field of activity in the area of information technologies.

The term also presupposes the adaptation of the product to a specific culture changing such channels of information as texts, sound, image. In the wide meaning of the word, LION is also a marketing strategy which attaches a great importance to cultural peculiarities of the market where a producer wants to advance its product. Thus, a demand for specialists who are able not only to prepare a high-quality translation but to appeal to the target audience specific tastes, is on the rise.

The Location International Standards Association – LISA defines the functions of localization in the following way:

“Localization involves taking a product and making it linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target locale (country/region and language) where it will be used and sold” [5].

Thus, under the notion of “localization” we mean the process and result of a special product adaptation to linguistic, national and cultural peculiarities of a target market for distribution. The main task of localization of software is to provide such a type of interlingual communication when the text under creation in the target language is considered to be an equal communicative substitute to the original text and is considered by the receivers as an original text in its function, structure and content.

Thus, speaking about software localization, we have every reason to state, that if a user has an impression when he works with the programme that the product had been specially developed for him/her and not just translated from one language to another, our purpose of localization may be considered to be achieved.

Software is an integrity of the informational system processing and programme documentation which are necessary to handle them. In general, software may be divided in two groups: system software and application software. System software aims at creating operational medium for functioning of other programmes, it provides computer’s operation (for example, “Windows NT”, “Mac-OS”, “MS-DOS”, “UNIX”). Application software solves specific tasks of the user (“MySOL” – the programme to work with the data base, “MS Word” – for word processing, Civilization – a programme for games, etc.).

The following elements of software may be localized:

-  programme casing, because the interface of the programme product has to take the words and commands in the language of this country (the language of localization) or at least in English;

-  - the contents which is a part of the data based product, if any. This refers to developing encyclopedic product; such a kind of work is the most time consuming one and the most responsible type of work, too.

-  - texts of the programme files “on-line help”;

-  - documentation to the product;

-  - elements of format and design: on the face of a CD, covers of documentation,  boxes and packing of the product;

-  - license agreement and registration card (sometimes it is required to change their contents according to the legal system of the country, for which the software was developed).

The software localization process is put into practice as a rule in three stages:

• translation of the text and localization of graphic elements;
• editing and enhancement of the text to present its outward structure;
• testing of the software localized version .

In big translations bureaus, which are specialized for the software localization, a translator fulfils just text localization, or other work is bound to be fulfilled by technicians.

All the information, concerning the start of the programme and its handling, the user receives from the materials for documentation.

Documentation is created both traditionally – as written texts and electronically: audio-, video- and TV presentations, web-pages, computer presentations, etc. Since the time, when it came to be possible to save and keep information on the electronic means documentation is usually issued in the interactive variant. In the interactive format information is usually structured by three components:

• software description and general guide lines to handle it;
• additional materials in the interactive form, which teaches users to work with this programme products;
• inquiry system, which allows the user within seconds to find necessary information by key words.

Thus, the study of the literature of this issue and available factual material give all the grounds to consider software localization as a special translation area with a heavy cross-cultural component.

Literature:

1.Фёдоров А.В. Основы общей теории перевода (Лингвистические  проблемы). – М.:Высш. школа,1983. 303 с.

2.Пумпянский А. Л. Введение в практику перевода научной и технической литературы на английский язык.- М.:Наука, 1981. 344 с.

 3.Тер-Минасова С.Г. Язык и межкультурная коммуникация.- М.:Слово/Slovo, 2000. 264 с.

4.Esselink B. Globalization Terms and Definitions. 2001. http://www.lionbridge.com/kc/ec.asp?sort=ml_site&pageNum=1&content=g11n_terms.

5. LISA (Localisation Industry Standards Association). LISA     FAQ’s. 2005.  http://www.lisa.org/info/faqs.html.