RE: TRANSLATIONS

["Le Vie, DonaldX S" <donaldx -dot- s -dot- le -dot- vie -at- intel -dot- com>]

As someone who has been involved with locationalization projects in the past
(but not in the past 5 years or so), I would not recommend using
off-the-shelf software to manage your translations. I don't have the luxury
of time to elaborate, but do not trust these applications to perform phrase,
sentence or paragraph translations--they simply are not designed to consider
the idiomatic nuances and idiosyncracies of foreign languages. For example,
you want to translate to Spanish. Well, do you want Castillian, Caribbean,
or Western Hemisphere Spanish? And I can't even begin to think of the vast
number of dialects within those major categories.

Off-the-shelf-translation software cannot account for cultural, social, and
religious influences on a language, either. You're much better off seeking
the help of localization specialists (agencies or individuals) to assist
with your translation projects...preferably with companies or individuals in
the country of the target language. Yes, it's expensive, but the alternative
(use of translation software)dooms your project to failure.

Donn Le Vie



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