Web Theologian

The localization industry is where I have spent the last ten years of my career. Localization is is the process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market. It is obscure to many that are not directly involved in it, and even to many who use our services seem to be in the dark about what really goes on. I’m taking a look at some of the misconceptions or myths that I hear often with our industry itself, in Part I, I addressed the Misconception that I ended up here by accident.

Localization is an insular industry. There are a number of localization related events globally each year, and often I hear from people in the industry that they are tired of these events because they always see the same people. This is used as proof that we are an insular industry.

The people I hear this from have little exposure to other industries, if they did they would see that often there are the same people that make it to events whether it is within Travel, Fashion, or any other industry vertical. So this is common to how people work in general, they meet and collaborate with people that work on similar ideas.

Localization does have a few qualities that I find very interesting compared with other industries. While localization and translation are an ancient trade that has enable commerce since the beginning of time, as an ‘industry’ it is very young. There have always been translators willing to work, but organizing good process, scale, and the other dynamics of a mature industry have only happened recently. I point this out because even now within the industry the people that have started Computer Assisted Translation (CAT), Unicode, and other industry changing moments are still around. Without having to go too far these people are all within reach and in my experience often are extremely generous with their experiences.

Lastly on a very personal note, many people I work with in localization I would consider close friends and are people that I care about deeply. Since arriving to LocWorld Dublin early I have had the chance to catch up with my friends that make working in this industry the best experience of my life. In general, people that end up in localization have a large, imaginative, and creative view of the world and others. These are the folks I find great joy in talking to about how the world will be changed for the good. because of our work and presence in it.

If you haven’t read Part I of this series go back and do it, over the next few days I’ll also be talking  on additional Misconceptions within Localization as I explore the following: we are lagging regarding technology and there is no money.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.

-C. S. Lewis