EJP Translations

Language Localisation

Localisation is the term which really does define everything that EJP Translations does. Localisation is the process of adapting a product or service to a particular language, culture, and desired local "look-and-feel."

Now, this sounds easy in theory but it’s not always the case in reality. Quite often we are asked to translate and localise operations manuals or technical documents.....sounds ok but often the original English is highly “anglicized”, is full of imperial measurements, idioms and phrases that only the UK market audience would understand or “get”.

So, if EJP are consulted at the outset of the project, we advise on “internationalising” the source language first so that it is developed so that localisation is relatively easy to achieve - for example, by creating technical illustrations for manuals in which the text can easily be changed to another language and allowing some expansion room for this purpose (did you know that German expands by 30% over English, by Russian shrinks by some 20%?). This enabling process is termed internationalisation.

This internationalisation – so that localisation – can be achieved will save you time and money in the long run. Of course, we can localise documents that haven’t undergone the internationalisation process and evaluation and the outcome will still be a perfectly translated and culturally adapted document – it will just take a little longer to achieve!

Localisation – culturally adapting your translation so that it really does speak the language of your target market. In order to fully understand the importance of getting it right please take a few minutes to read some of the famous translation funnies of the past – this alone will make you realise that investing in a great translation agency, such as EJP Translations, is well worth it:

• When translated into Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off"
• In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into Schweppes Toilet Water
• In a Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid
• In Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation” came out in Chinese as Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the grave
• When Chevrolet developed the Chevy Nova, they decided to market it heavily in Mexico, where the name translates as doesn’t go

Believe us, there are many more such examples – so please do not hesitate and contact our team for your free no-obligation chat or quote today.