i18n & Localization Glossary

CAT Tool (Computer-Assisted Translation)

Software that helps human translators work more efficiently. Includes translation memory, terminology tools, and quality checks.

Example: SDL Trados, MemoQ, and Wordfast are CAT tools.

Context

Additional information about where and how a string is used. Helps translators make accurate translations.

Example: "Save" as a button vs "Save" as a noun requires different translations.

Continuous Localization

An approach where translation is integrated into the development workflow, with strings translated as they are added rather than in batches.

Example: Pushing new strings to TMS automatically via GitHub integration.

Exact Match

A 100% translation memory match where the source text is identical to a previously translated segment.

Fallback Language

The default language used when a translation is missing in the requested language. Typically set to the source language (often English).

Example: If German translation is missing, fall back to English.

Fuzzy Match

A translation memory match that is similar but not identical to the source text. Shown as a percentage (e.g., 85% match).

Example: "Save changes" might fuzzy match with "Save all changes" at 90%.

Glossary / Term Base

A list of approved translations for specific terms to ensure consistent terminology across all content. Defines how key terms should be translated in each language.

Example: A glossary might specify that "Dashboard" should stay as "Dashboard" in German.

i18n (Internationalization)

The process of designing software so it can be adapted for different languages and regions without code changes. The "18" represents the 18 letters between "i" and "n" in "internationalization".

Example: Extracting hardcoded strings to translation files is part of i18n.

ICU Message Format

A standard syntax for handling complex translations including plurals, gender, and selections. Widely supported by i18n libraries.

Example: {count, plural, one {# item} other {# items}}

Interpolation

The process of inserting dynamic values into translation strings. Variables in translations are replaced with actual values at runtime.

Example: "Hello, {name}!" becomes "Hello, John!" when name="John"

l10n (Localization)

The process of adapting software for a specific language, region, or culture. This includes translating text, formatting dates/numbers, and adjusting content for local preferences.

Example: Translating an app to Spanish and formatting dates as DD/MM/YYYY is l10n.

Locale

A combination of language and region that determines formatting preferences. Typically formatted as language-region (e.g., en-US, es-MX, zh-CN).

Example: en-US (English, United States) vs en-GB (English, United Kingdom)

LTR (Left-to-Right)

The default text direction for most languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Chinese. Text reads from left to right.

Machine Translation (MT)

Automated translation using software (Google Translate, DeepL, etc.). Can be rule-based, statistical, or neural (NMT).

Example: Google Translate and DeepL are machine translation services.

Namespace

A way to organize translation keys into logical groups. Helps manage large translation files by separating concerns (auth, common, errors, etc.).

Example: Namespaces: "auth" for login/signup, "common" for shared text

NMT (Neural Machine Translation)

Machine translation using neural networks for more natural, context-aware translations. The current standard for MT quality.

Example: Google and DeepL use NMT for better translation quality.

OTA (Over-the-Air) Update

A method of delivering software or content updates wirelessly to devices without requiring app store releases or manual downloads.

Example: IntlPull's OTA feature pushes translation updates to mobile apps instantly.

Pluralization

Handling different word forms based on quantity. Different languages have different plural rules (English has 2, Arabic has 6).

Example: 1 item vs 2 items (English), complex forms in Russian/Arabic

Post-Editing

Human review and correction of machine-translated content. MTPE (Machine Translation Post-Editing) combines MT speed with human quality.

Pseudo-localization

A testing technique that replaces text with modified characters to identify i18n issues before actual translation. Helps find hardcoded strings and layout problems.

Example: "Welcome" becomes "[Ẃéĺćőḿé !!!]" to test text expansion.

RTL (Right-to-Left)

Text direction for languages read from right to left, including Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Urdu. Requires UI layout adjustments.

Example: Arabic text: مرحبا (reads right to left)

Segment

A unit of text for translation, typically a sentence or phrase. TMS systems break content into segments for processing.

Source Language

The original language of content before translation. Typically the language in which content is initially created.

Example: English is often the source language for software translation.

String Extraction

The process of identifying and moving hardcoded text from source code to external translation files.

Example: IntlPull CLI scans code and extracts hardcoded strings automatically.

Target Language

The language into which content is being translated.

Example: Spanish, French, and German might be target languages.

TMS (Translation Management System)

Software that centralizes and automates the translation workflow. Features include translation memory, terminology management, collaboration tools, and integrations with development systems.

Example: IntlPull, Lokalise, Crowdin, and Phrase are TMS platforms.

Translation Key

A unique identifier used to reference a translatable string in code. Keys are typically descriptive strings like "home.welcome.title" that map to translated values.

Example: t("auth.login.button") references the key "auth.login.button"

Translation Memory (TM)

A database that stores previously translated segments for reuse. When similar text appears, TM suggests existing translations to save time and ensure consistency.

Example: If "Save changes" was translated before, TM suggests the same translation.

XLIFF

XML Localization Interchange File Format. A standard file format for exchanging translation data between tools.