Fitting squarely into the “Translation Practices Explained” series, this title is an important addition to literature used in (re)training both translation students and practicing translators. The author, a natural language processing researcher and principal research engineer at Symantec, provides as introduction a thorough contextualisation of main approaches to localisation (l10n) and internationalisation (l18n). The first chapter discusses relevant notions, such as the “digital ecosystem,” and their specific application in the field of l10n, whilst pointing out that this ecosystem and the app itself are what form the specific focus of the book although there are some necessary omissions due to space constraints.
In chapter 2, the author points out the growing impression of linguistic skills as such not being enough in modern-day l10n practice. The author provides a thorough overview of basic programming using the Python language, as well as explanations of key terms, file formats and trends in the field. There are a number of references to the move towards cloud-based, crowdsourced and volunteer translations. Although the content of this chapter is technically complex, the author makes a convincing case for the importance of the skills indicated as these forms of translation service provision are becoming more prevalent. Another worthy addition is the author’s wide range of references to (free) online materials and sources, including a website that complements the book.
The third chapter gives an overview of the components of a typical global app and its environment, including the notion of “reuse” and its relevance for l10n. Typical steps in the development of an app are presented in order and the chapter discusses a typical l10n or l18n workflow resulting from this. In this discussion, as throughout the book, the examples are relevant, practical, and therefore also authoritative and useful. Important skills like content writing, tagging and quality assurance also find mention.
Continuing from the above, the fourth chapter on “Localization basics” is an extremely succinct and practical discussion on the basics of the l10n process. The steps are presented in a logical order and interspersed with possible pitfalls, interesting examples and clear descriptions. The chapter considers these issues for three main content types: the software content (the user interface), offline “user assistance” content including user guides, and online “information content” such as blog posts or other related materials. Each of these has different requirements and potential challenges and this structure presents them in a sensible way.
In chapter five on translation technology, the author points out the danger of starting to think that procedures like post-editing are in a superior hierarchical position to other steps in the translation process. Different types of translation environments are discussed in concert with a consideration of real-world challenges, including the unique difficulties of quality assurance in a l10n context, and issues arising from the incorrect handling of terminology. The practical examples of what can go wrong and how to prevent it reinforce the notion that the author has a wealth of practical experience from which he gleaned for this book. A review of typical stakeholders in the translation process is a useful introduction to the last section of this chapter, where different types of checks are discussed. Translation teachers could prescribe this chapter to all current translation students, with or without the scope of the rest of the book, as it provides a very good overview.
The last content chapter considers the important fact that the digital ecosystem may also include non-textual content like screenshots and other graphics, as well as audio and video content. Considering the growth of platforms hosting media on the internet, this is especially relevant. Furthermore, the author considers the fact that both textual content and certain app functions might need to be adapted during the l10n and l18n processes. As the author states himself, these issues might not be of primary concern to most translators, but they are certainly a good way of broadening the scope of services a translator is able to provide.
The author concludes the book with a look into the proverbial crystal ball, considering specifically the issues of real-time textual l10n and the implications of voice-based user interactions for l10n processes.
There is no denying that the last chapter, and the book as a whole, has its finger on the pulse of an extremely dynamic and expanding field. Despite what the title states, the book is quite clearly about much more than just “apps”. The author’s obvious practical experience and the format of his discussion encourage the readers to try things out for themselves and to engage with the content critically. The practical exercises at the end of each chapter, and the complementary website especially, contribute to making this book a most relevant addition for any practicing translator not wanting to be left behind, and a powerful tool for teachers and students of translation.
Marius Swart
Stellenbosch University
E-mail: mariusswart@sun.ac.za