Combining single-sourcing and localization of software and documentation multiplies both the benefits and the challenges. Learn the difference between globalization, internationalization, localization, and translation. Tools, tricks, and best practices help your localization project go smoothly.

1. Single-Sourcing and
Localization
Leveraging Content Across Languages
Laura Dent
Freelance Technical Writer

2. Overview
Combining Single-Sourcing and Localization
• Relationships, Processes, and Definitions
• Benefits
• Challenges
• Best Practices, Tips and Tricks
• Tools

3. About Me: Laura Dent
• Writer since I was 5
• Languages since I was in elementary school
• Majored in Russian at Harvard
• Technical Writer since 1986
• Freelance since 2012

4. About Me, cont’d
Current and Recent Clients
• Venga Global
• Advanced Language Translations
• Aker Wade
• ShareStream
• Venture Interactive
• Previously, Rosetta Stone

5. About You
Poll:
• Single-Sourcing?
• Localization?
• Both?

6. Relationships
Writing
Single-
Sourcing
Localization

7. Process
You
Language Service
Provider (LSP)
In-Country
Review (ICR) –
You or LSP
You or LSP
You or LSP

8. Definitions
• Single-Sourcing: Use of a single document or set of files to
produce multiple outputs.
• Localization: The process of adapting a product or
document to the language and location of the target market.

9. Definitions, cont’d
• Globalization: Business strategy for expanding markets to
multiple regions in the world.
• Internationalization: Design of a product or service to be
readily adaptable to different languages and locations.
• Localization: The process of adapting a product or
document to the language and location of the target market.
• Translation: The process of recreating content in a
different language.

10. Definitions, cont’d
Locale: Combination of the language and location, such as French-France (fr-FR) or
French-Canada (fr-CA).
Examples - English:
• Localize, color, truck – American English (en-US)
• Localise, colour, lorry – British English (en-BR)
Spanish:
• Montacargas (forklift), equalización (equalization) – Latin American Spanish (es-419)
• Caretilla elevadora (toro – colloq.), igualación – Spanish-Spain (es-ES)

11. In other words …
Think Globally …
… Act Locally

12. Benefits of Single-Sourcing
• Cost savings – multiple outputs from one master
• Ease of maintenance – update all versions at once
• Quality control – all documents in sync

13. Benefits of Single-Sourcing and
Localization
• Cost savings multiplied – translate once for all variations
• Ease of maintenance – across languages (translate updates)
• Quality control – all languages in sync

14. Challenges
• Linguistic – grammar differences, variables
• Formatting – word length, paper sizes
• Quality – how to verify? Need in-country review

15. Best Practices
• Writing: clean, concise
• Writing for single-sourcing
• Writing for translation

16. Writing for Single-Sourcing
• Structured content – topic-based
• Variables and conditionals:
• Variables: Single elements with discrete options
• Conditionals: Longer passages
• Start from master document
• Anticipate single-sourcing if possible
• Or, retrofit: compare existing documents

17. Writing for Translation
• Simplified language
• Terminology
• Grammar
• English quirks to avoid if possible:
• Noun stacks
• Gerunds
• Idioms
• Cultural references

18. Writing for Single-Sourcing and
Localization
• Right unit to translate: paragraph/sentence? Workarounds.
• Word order – German/Japanese: verb at end
• Articles, combined forms
• Gender – grammatical issues
• Number – Russian/Japanese: “small plurals”

19. Internationalization
• Software and documentation
• Measuring units
• Date formats
• First/last names
• Addresses
• Word length – allow room for text to expand
• Formats: 8.5x11 vs. A4

20. Tips and Tricks: Articles
Articles with variables – a, an, the – for example, in English:
Install a <brandname>. Install a A-brand.
Install a B-brand.
Install <article-brand> <brandname>.
Set <article-brand> = <an> for A-brand,
<a> for B-brand.
Install an A-brand.
Install a B-brand.

21. Tips and Tricks: Articles, cont’d
Articles in French:
Installer le <brandname>. Installer le A-brand.
Installer le B-brand.
Installer <Fr-article-brand> <brandname>.
Set <Fr-article-brand> = <l’> for A-brand,
<le> for B-brand.
Installer l’A-brand.
Installer le B-brand.

22. Tips and Tricks: Articles, cont’d
Better yet, rewrite to remove the article issues:
English: Install the <brandname> device. Install the A-brand device.
Install the B-brand device.
French: Installer l’unité <brandname>. Installer l’unité A-brand.
Installer l’unité B-brand.

23. Tips and Tricks: Articles, cont’d
“to the”
a + la = a la
a + le = au
a + l' = a l'
a + les = aux
Allez <Fr-to-the> <brandname>.
Allez a l’A-brand.
Allez au B-brand.
“of the”
de + la = de la
de + le = du
de + l' = de l'
de + les = des
Installation <Fr-of-the> A-brand.
Installation de l’A-brand.
Installation du B-brand.
French combined forms: search for “to the” and “of the” before just “the”

24. Tips and Tricks: Grammar
Don’t use variables for common words.
“The <device/machine> should be plugged in. Then, turn it on.”
French:
• L’appareil doit être branché. Puis, allumez-le.
• La machine doit être branchée. Puis, allumez-la.
Example courtesy Jennifer Schudel, Advanced Language Translations

25. Tools
• SmartDocs from ThirtySix Software
• Plugin to Word
• Word and pdf outputs
• MadCap Flare
• Topic-based
• Multiple output formats
• Graphics – integration with MadCap Capture
• Localization engineering

26. Thank You!
Questions?
Laura Dent
www.lauradentwriter.com
laura@lauradentwriter.com
www.linkedin.com/in/lauradentwriter

27. References
• Jennifer Schudel, Advanced Language Translations: Presentation,
“Five Things to Consider When Developing Multilingual
Content”
http://www.madcapsoftware.com/demos/player.aspx?
v=2197c5687bd28
http://assets.madcapsoftware.com/webinar/
Presentation_FiveThingsFlareTranslation.pdf
• Dave Nealon, Series: Optimizing the Localization Process
https://tonewords.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/why-does-
localization-take-so-long-2/