Localisation means adaptation of products, documentation, or an environment to the conditions, customs, rules and traditions of a particular region, state, nationality or groups of inhabitants. Localisation can concern a website, software, manuals, instructions for use, mobile phone applications, marketing materials, packaging and consumer goods, computer game environment and other things related to the cultural and social environment of the target segment.
A situation may occur when localisation as such is not sufficient and a more fundamental intervention is required, such as creating new texts and environments with regard to the cultural traditions of the target region. Such cases occur when using directly translated texts may lead to misunderstanding, insufficient effect or even harm the intended goal in the target language.
What is the goal of localisation? To show the meaning of the required content and to achieve satisfaction of the target group with the wording of the text in the target language.
Read more about localisation and internationalisation at www.w3.org .
