medical translation/localisation: Can anybody explain? Iniziatore argomento: Bertha S. Deffenbaugh
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what this means?
medical translation/localisation work.
I have read some articles on localisation but I still find difficult to differentiate between medical translation and medical translation/localisation work.
| | | | Marta Goc 
Local time: 18:34
Da Polacco a Inglese
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| Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Da Francese a Inglese
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| localization | May 22, 2002 |
Localization is one thing. And medical translation is another. But they can occur in the same program.
Localization is used to make changes in the files of the computer programming so that for example, dollar signs $ show up as Yen signs. Or kilos replace pounds, etc. It involves actually opening the files, the code of the program, and making changes to the program, usually by changing one sign to another. Sometimes, it involves a bit of programming or adding to the programming in case... See more Localization is one thing. And medical translation is another. But they can occur in the same program.
Localization is used to make changes in the files of the computer programming so that for example, dollar signs $ show up as Yen signs. Or kilos replace pounds, etc. It involves actually opening the files, the code of the program, and making changes to the program, usually by changing one sign to another. Sometimes, it involves a bit of programming or adding to the programming in case they want to, say, keep the dollar, and add the yen sign. Then you would repeat the line of computer code with the dollar sign and change it to yen, for example. Also, when you open these files, all the menu language is in them. They are the files for the menus and operationality of the programs. So, if the word Treatment appears you would translate that to Tratamiento if you were translating as well as localizing the program. The files tend to be long and repetitive. The programers give you the files and the parameters for making the changes. The stuff to be localized and translated is in between quote marks like this > usually and you have to be told what the translation instructions are so you don\'t mess with the program\'s operationality. (Hate that word)So in your case, they want someone who knows how to do medical translations, and has worked with these long files [usually in .txt] format where you just change a word here and there. If the files are in HTML, you also have to make changes without disturbing the coding. Does this explanation help? There are various types of localization depending on the programming language used, BUT for the translater it involves going across the stream on little rocks. All they have to do is tell you the file format and where the language is you should translate. You change the words in English to Spanish or pounds to kilos and leave everthing else as is. It\'s easy and sometimes boring and repetitive. Companies pretend localization at the level of translation is a big to do. It\'s re-assembling all those files that is. And that\'s not the translator\'s job. Hope this helps. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Thank you, Jane | May 22, 2002 |
Your explanation really helped.
Anyway, I am still wondering whether to accept the assignment or not.
Regards,
BSD
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Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Da Francese a Inglese
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| bear in mind time with localization | May 22, 2002 |
Berta
Bear in mind that localization takes a lot of time because you have to open the files and carefully insert the words or phrases. I always charge by the hour. Last time I charged 40 an hour. It\'s boring but usually you can get going at a good rythm so it can be worth it. 
| | | | | Great, Jane. | May 22, 2002 |
This is the first time I have been offered a translation/localisation job. Thanks God the agency has an excellent reputation.
Thanks again for your help.
BSD
| | | | PaulaMac (X)
Da Francese a Inglese
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Thank you Jane! Finally, a REAL explanation of localization.
| | | | Tatiana Neroni (X)
Da Inglese a Russo
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| More aspects... | May 23, 2002 |
There is one more aspect to medical localisation. Example: one and the same disease (syndrome, medical test) is called by the name of one doctor in one country and by the name of quite another scientist in another country. Not all of these differences find their ways into medical dictionaries, sometimes it\'s quite difficult to discern, what is really meant (I use to do it through medical encyclopedias, monolingual & bilingual, to match the meaning...) - so, sometimes while you\'re just translat... See more There is one more aspect to medical localisation. Example: one and the same disease (syndrome, medical test) is called by the name of one doctor in one country and by the name of quite another scientist in another country. Not all of these differences find their ways into medical dictionaries, sometimes it\'s quite difficult to discern, what is really meant (I use to do it through medical encyclopedias, monolingual & bilingual, to match the meaning...) - so, sometimes while you\'re just translating a medical history of a foreign national, you\'re doing in fact localization rather than translation... ▲ Collapse
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| Still more aspects | May 23, 2002 |
Localization, really means the accurate adaptation of a web page/site, to the lingo, culture or some other specific conditions of a certain country or even region within a country. Jane explained well some aspects. Some large companies with enormous budgets demand sites targeted to individual countries within a certain language and, as part of localization, often local journalists and linguists are also involved. One aspect that needs attention is to ascertain that the writing that we see on our... See more Localization, really means the accurate adaptation of a web page/site, to the lingo, culture or some other specific conditions of a certain country or even region within a country. Jane explained well some aspects. Some large companies with enormous budgets demand sites targeted to individual countries within a certain language and, as part of localization, often local journalists and linguists are also involved. One aspect that needs attention is to ascertain that the writing that we see on our screens is going to be faithfully reproduced at the other end. I recently did the proofreading of a web site for a German translator and found that what was obviously typed correctly in Spanish showed some weird words in the pages that I received. I was able to do the fast required job by doing the proofreading directly in the html code and making all the necessary corrections along the way. All words with accents, tildes, etc., must be adjusted. For example the Spanish word \'éxito\' en html looks like \'éxito\', \'bilingüe\' becomes \'bilingüe\', etc. There are programmes that can produce reliable html for the text instantly but the problem is that more often than not the whole formatting changes and it is easy for a translator to get into deep shit.
One way around this is to run only the text segments through the programme, however this requires to be confident with the handling of the html code.
Chau
Al ▲ Collapse
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This very programme caught me good and proper! You people couldn\'t actually read what I typed as a demonstration for the words éxito and bilingüe.
They should have looked like this: ???
éxito
bilingüe
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