Lokalisation

Lokalisation, often written localization in English, is the process of adapting a product, content, or service to a specific locale or market. It goes beyond direct translation to adjust language, culture, formats, graphics, and metadata so that the offering feels native to local users and compliant with local rules.

Key aspects include linguistic translation, locale and terminology management, and the adaptation of dates, times, numbers, currencies, addresses, units, and legal or regulatory requirements. It also covers culturally appropriate imagery, branding, and tone. Internationalization (i18n) is the design work that enables localization, while globalization is the overarching strategy to serve multiple markets.

Localization typically follows a pipeline: content extraction, translation aided by translation memories and glossaries, editing and review, and localization testing, including linguistic QA and functional verification. Tools such as computer-assisted translation (CAT) systems, terminology databases, and style guides support consistency; machine translation can be used with post-editing.

Common domains include software user interfaces, websites and mobile apps, games, multimedia, technical documentation, manuals, and marketing materials.

Standards and practical aspects: locale identifiers (for example, BCP 47 tags) and formats are used to encode language and regional conventions; Unicode ensures correct text encoding (UTF-8). Standards such as ISO 17100 guide translation service quality. Challenges include cultural sensitivity, tone and gender considerations, regulatory compliance, and ensuring accessibility and consistent branding across locales.