What Is eLearning Localization, and Why Is It Important? What Is the Difference Between Translation and Interpretation?

Businesses now have more access to a diverse global talent pool. However, taking advantage of a global workforce requires a new training and development strategy.

Companies can now access a larger pool of talent than ever before because to technology-driven globalization. Employees are increasingly adopting to remote and hybrid employment conditions, and businesses are ready to benefit from unrestricted expansion potential.

Discovering new regions, on the other hand, comes with its own set of difficulties. Professionals in the field of learning and development (L&D) are frequently confronted with new audiences and languages. Communication gaps make it even more difficult to share vital messaging and develop staff capabilities.

While translating text from one language to another is a good start, it is insufficient. Culture involves who we are, how we communicate, and what we think and value, among other things.

What is eLearning localization?

The term “translation” refers to the process of converting text into the target language. Localization takes things a step further by making your eLearning content culturally relevant.

Organizations now have access to a competitive global workforce, with evident benefits like as higher-quality personnel, new market opportunities, and the potential to give employees more control over their work schedule.

Delivering online training to a worldwide workforce, on the other hand, presents unique obstacles. Your overseas staff are likely to communicate with you and each other in a different language. You can translate educational materials into their native tongue, but what about cultural differences? What if the comedy is lost in translation, a reference is misunderstood, an idiom is misunderstood, or a visual symbolizes your society rather than theirs?

This is where eLearning localization enters the picture.

Translation vs. eLearning localization

Here’s a simple way to think about the difference: translation transforms language, while localization translates culture.

Localization involves adjusting the following features in addition to translating the text:

• Break a leg, don’t judge a book by its cover are examples of figurative language and idioms.
• Storylines with a Tone
• Avatars, graphics, and images
• Fonts
• Symbols, money, and units of measurement (e.g., inches and centimeters)
• Acronyms
• Addresses with dates and times

The purpose of localization is to deliver course information in a clear and understandable manner to the intended audience, regardless of their ideas, customs, or social behavior.

Translation vs. localization: Three examples to further illustrate the difference

• The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is mentioned in your course’s storyline. Even if English is their primary language, your Arab staff will not understand this reference. The Fourth of July holiday is deleted and substituted throughout the localization process.

• You’re probably aware that comedy is an effective tool for engaging students and improving information memory. However, the joke that made your local staff laugh may offend those in other countries. The joke is modified throughout the localization process to better fit cultural norms.
• You’re training personnel in Mexico and Spain, and both countries’ workforces are bilingual. So you’ve decided to convert your text from Arabic to Spanish. The word ‘computer (حاسب آلي)’ is replaced by the word ‘ordenador’. During the localization process, ‘ordenador’ is changed to the Mexican Spanish word for computer, ‘computadora.’

You’re working on an eLearning project!

Get a free quote and consultation on how we can help you from our L&D Localization experts.

Our designers and translators can work with multiple E-learning platforms such as Articulate Storyline and Adobe Captivate. As the text is translated, we ensure that fonts, icons and all other multimedia are also re-engineered to give your target audience the same experience.

We have advanced degree holders in many fields of study who are trained in translating content accurately in eLearning translation services.