Glossary of Localization Terms and Acronyms

Navigating the jargon of the localization business can sometimes feel like making sense of a bad hand in Scrabble. Industry-specific terms mixed with regular software lingo result in a language that can get intimidating for newcomers.
We compiled a list of commonly used terms that you’re likely to come across when discussing localization projects - sorry, l10n projects - so you can make sure you don’t skip a beat.
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  1. CAT Tool (Computer-Assisted Translation Tool): Software that assists human translators in the translation/localization process by providing features such as string management, translation memory, terminology management, and consistency checks. Sadly, no actual cats are bundled with the software. 😿
  1. GILT (Globalization, Internationalization, Localization, and Translation): An acronym encompassing various processes involved in making products and services adaptable and accessible to different cultures and languages.
  1. TM (Translation Memory): A database of previously translated content, to reuse or compare translations for similar or identical phrases in future projects.
  1. T9n (Translation): Adapting content word-for-word in another language. 9 is for the 9 letters being omitted between T and N, like with the others below.
  1. L10n (Localization): Adapting content in another language while making necessary adjustments to adhere to a different cultural context and the specificities of the target language.
  1. I18n (Internationalization): The design and development process that enables a product to be easily localized later, without the need for major retroactive changes.
  1. LSP (Language Service Provider): A company or organization that offers language-related services, such as translation, localization, interpreting or language consulting.
  1. [L]QA ([Linguistic] Quality Assurance): The process of ensuring that the translated content meets specified quality standards, including linguistic accuracy, consistency, and adherence to style guides.
  1. MT (Machine Translation): The automated process of translating text or speech from one language to another using computer algorithms, often with the assistance of neural networks.
  1. GUI (Graphical User Interface): The visual interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices or software applications through graphical elements such as icons, buttons, and menus, as opposed to text-based interfaces.
  1. TMS (Translation Management System): A software system designed to streamline and manage the translation process, including tasks such as project organization, collaboration, workflow automation, and translation memory management.
  1. XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format): An XML-based standard for the interchange of localization data between different tools and systems. But what is XML, you ask? Well…
  1. XML (eXtensible Markup Language): A markup language that defines rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
  1. RTL (Right-to-Left): Refers to languages and scripts that are written and read from right to left, such as Arabic and Hebrew. Opposed to, you guessed it, LTR.
  1. MTPE (Machine Translation Post-Editing): The human process of refining machine-generated translations. When done right, helps translators skip straightforward terms and focus on creative l10n.
  1. FIGS/CJK: Acronyms representing specific language groups - FIGS (French, Italian, German, Spanish) and CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean). They’re grouped this way because they are by far the most requested for their respective continent.
  1. API (Application Programming Interface): A set of functions allowing different software applications to communicate with each other. That’s how MagnaPlay can import GitHub projects or send notifications in Slack!
  1. DNT (Do Not Translate): Instruction to exclude specific content or segments from the translation process.
  1. POC (Point of Clarification): Requests translators can send to devs or publishers through the MagnaPlay platform, allowing for easy communication of additional context or explanations.
  1. Live Ops (Live Operations): Ongoing, real-time management and updates of localized content or services in a live environment. Most common with MMOs that require a steady flow of new content.
  1. Fuzzy Matching: An automated matching technique in localization that identifies and aligns similar but not identical source and target language segments.
  1. Strings: Individual lines or units of text that make up the game’s content. Each string is identified by a unique String ID.
  1. Markup/Tags: Units of code embedded within content to provide formatting instructions, often requiring careful handling during translation to maintain structure. Usually marked DNT.
  1. Smart Chunking: Intelligent segmentation of text for translation, distributing tasks in an optimized way relative to context and similarities between strings.
  1. Transcreation: Adapting content not just linguistically but creatively, ensuring it resonates culturally and emotionally with the target audience.
  1. Concordance Search: Searching and identifying instances of specific terms or phrases in a translation memory or corpus to maintain consistency.
  1. Language Code/Locale: Standardized codes to identify a specific language. Language codes only indicate a language family, while locale ties it to a specific territory. Example: EN is a language code (English), EN-AU is a locale (Australian English).
  1. Language Pair: The combination of source and target languages in a translation project. Language codes or locales are sometimes used. Example: EN > FR (English into French).
  1. In-Context Translation: Translating content within its original layout or design to consider visual context and user experience.
  1. Glossary: A project-specific list of useful terms whose translation consistency matters to the overall coherence of the product. Often comes with brief definitions.
  1. Termbase (Terminology Database): A database that stores and manages a collection of terms and their corresponding translations, as well as comments and specific rules, ensuring exactitude and consistency.
  1. Style Guide: A set of guidelines detailing preferred writing and presentation conventions to maintain consistency in translated content.