While reviewing some Localization strings, one of my friends commented that this is translation, and what we’re aiming for is localization. This just make me realize that these are two different things.

Localization is not just about translating, but you need to deliver the message. It can be using different wording, phrasing, grammar, terms (to some extent), or combination of those, essentially, adapting to local cultural context. Hence, it can be different, depending on your target user. Are they technical user, are they just a normal general user. It depends.

Translation, in the other hand, most of the times it is done without further consideration, doesn’t understand nuance or context, or worse, translate word-by-word. For example, the translator might use formal terminology for that word in the target language, but it gives off this awkward feeling for the whole UI/app. In other words, you just translate it without knowing additional context (user target, etc).

For (exaggerated) example, in English we have the word “It can’t be helped”. If someone that didn’t know the intention for this word, they might translate it to “tidak dapat dibantu” (literal: cannot help), while localizing it will produce “mau bagaimana lagi” (literal: there’s nothing [we] can do). We don’t use “tidak dapat dibantu” to tell people that there’s nothing we can do about it.

If you speak Japanese, you might understand the term 風邪をひく. In English, this often translated as “catch a cold” or “get sick” (in some context), and not “pull a wind”.