termslocallanguage

Termslocallanguage, abbreviated TSLL, is a formal data language designed to model and exchange localized terminology within multilingual software and content workflows. It provides a lightweight, machine-readable representation of terms, their translations, and related metadata to support consistent terminology across products and markets.

Core concepts in TSLL are terms, locales, and translations. A term represents a canonical concept or label used in a product, while locales specify language and regional variants (for example en_US, fr_FR). Each term can include a translations map that assigns the term’s value in each locale, along with optional metadata such as domain or category, gender, plural form, usage notes, and contextual guidelines. Terms can be grouped into term sets or glossaries to reflect subject areas or product families, enabling governance and review workflows.

TSLL supports data governance features such as validation rules, conflict resolution when multiple translations exist, and versioning for tracking changes over time. It is designed to interoperate with common localization pipelines and can be serialized in JSON, YAML, or XML formats to fit existing tooling. Validation schemas help ensure consistency of locale keys, pluralization rules, and required metadata.

In practice, TSLL is used to manage terminology in content management systems, software localization pipelines, and documentation projects. It helps teams maintain consistent terminology across interfaces, help texts, and marketing materials while enabling efficient updates as languages and markets evolve. TSLL aims to complement existing i18n frameworks by providing a dedicated, structured vocabulary for term-level localization.