Internationalization and localization

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Internationalization and localization both are means of adapting products such as publications or software for non-native environments, especially other nations. The term internationalization is also sometimes used interchangeably with globalization when speaking broadly of the economic and cultural effects of an increasingly interconnected world.

Internationalization is sometimes abbreviated as I18N (the '18' refers to the 18 inner letters) and localization is abbreviated as L10N (the 10 refers to the 10 inner letters).

Focal points of internationalization and localization efforts include:

date/time format (UTC in internationalized environments)
currency
language (alphabets, numerals and left-to-right Vs. right-to-left) (Unicode).
profanity
names and titles
SSN and passports
telephone numbers, addresses and international postal codes
weights and measures.

The distinction between internationalization and localization is subtle but important. Internationalization is the adaptation of products for potential use virtually everywhere, while localization is the addition of special features for use in a specific locale. Subjects unique to localization include:

language translation
special support for certain languages such as East Asian languages
local customs
morals
local contents
symbols
aesthetics
cultural values and social context

Since free software can be freely modified and redistributed it is also more apt to be internationalized. Most proprietary software is not translated into languages that are not considered to be economically viable. An example of a project that has been translated into over 70 languages is KDE [1].

While internationalization is most commonly taken to refer to the addition of a framework for multiple language support, especially in software, it is also sometimes used to refer to the process whereby something (a corporation, idea, highway, war, etc.) comes to affect more than one nation. This usage has become uncommon and globalization is preferred. Because of globalization, many companies and products find themselves in many countries worldwide. This has given rise to increasing requirements for localization of products and services.

Also, as an alternative to economic globalization, localization has been used to describe the process of concentrating production of goods nearer their end-users, rather than wherever the lowest costs are. The idea is to cut down environmental and other external costs that can occur with the extra transportation and regional specialisation that globalization encourages.

Internationalization and localization

See also

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