English to French IT Translator Blog

Pre-TGS Game Localization Round Table Recap (IGDA LocSIG)

Here is a short recap of the round table the IGDA LocSIG held before TGS 2017. I will try to update this article with more details when time allows. I also apologize for the random order of topics, I wrote this as memories came back to me

The format

1 hour, 20+ participants, 5 broad subjects (market trends, localization technology, career, etc.) with a few specific topics each, 2 moderators to swiftly move the conversation from a question to another.

We had a fair mix of translators (aspiring, freelance, in-house), project managers/agency representatives and people from the end client side.

I admit I was worried 1 hour wouldn’t be enough to cover all topics, but it turned out to be just perfect. You would usually hear 2 or 3 points of view for each topic (often translator vs. agency), clear and concise. Everything flowed naturally and there was no idle time. More insights in 1 hour than you’d hear in 1 day at many conferences.

Topics

Can non-native speakers be trusted for translation?

Several participants noted they knew or had heard of at least 1 non-native English speaker who could a really good job on Japanese to English translations (I know such a guy myself! He now works for a big Japanese dev, still does great work). Interestingly, Japanese to English was the only language pair for which we could think of such people.

Is it OK to refuse translation projects? How to do it?
Refusing jobs is OK. A few project managers present agreed that if they were happy with a translator, they wouldn’t give up on them easily. Actually, one person went as far as to mention that translators who accept all types of projects without hesitation, even difficult ones or ones with a very tight deadline, could be “suspicious”. You shouldn’t try too hard.
Refusing a project is fine, but do give a reason so things can move on, or it will sound like you don’t care. Common sense, but apparently not so common for some of our colleagues.
My 2 cents as a translator: try to negotiate when you can (if the issue is related to the rate, deadline, etc.) – if that’s not enough, decline politely and explain why. If you’re not comfortable with the topic (may that be for lack of familiarity with the topic or personal beliefs/ethics), just say it, your honesty will be appreciated. If you’re simply too busy, try to give your PM an idea of how long you won’t be able to accept new assignments.
Project managers appreciate open and transparent relationships with their translators. Quality is all that matters.
Project management tools (Plunet)
Project managers seem to like Plunet a lot. I can’t say I’m too fond of its interface (I prefer talking to human beings, too), but it seems to be here to stay. Well, my friends, machines may take over the jobs of project managers before ours. OK, enough for cheeky remarks.
Getting jobs: ProZ, LinkedIn, networking&word of mouth?
Networking and referrals still seem to be the strongest way to build a clientele. Online, some noted that power is slowly shifting from ProZ to LinkedIn. Speaking personally, I still get strong leads from both. Build a strong profile and keep promoting yourself. On LinkedIn, try to be active in industry groups
(note: ProZ is currently developing and promoting a new feature, expert pools, to help game localizers get more visibility. It will be interesting to see how this turns out)
How to control quality when you don’t know a thing about the target language?
During localization: Choose proven partners, have an independent and equally trusted party review the translation
Post-release: gather as much feedback as you can in the target market:
– Check what the gamer community says
– Read reviews and look for mentions of localization quality
– Ask local industry experts, for example game journalists
Using text-to-speech during the proofreading stage
Nice tip shared at some point: listening to your own translation will help you catch things your eye may have missed, also helps noticing flow/pacing issues
Do I need a degree in translation to get started? What is the trend?
Most people of the industry have learned on the field. But now that our industry has matured, there are more and more universities offering audiovisual translation courses. The proportion of vocational translators is increasing and should continue to do so.
Creative vs technical profiles
Interesting comment from a former PM. Some people excel at creative translations, others at drier texts that require more accuracy. Agencies should have this in mind when building up teams for their projects.
On amateur translations…
Mixed feelings from agency people. The lack of frame and quality control is an issue to make them a reliable experience. However, if translated titles are relevant to a particular project (say you fan translate visual novels and such a project comes in), it can move your name at the top of the CV pile.
Conclusion: use your best judgment. Get specific if you feel your experience is relevant for a particular project, otherwise consider including it in more general terms (“I have translated xxx words of game content”, etc.)
Something that was said a few times by PMs: in the end, all that really matters is the quality of your work and your professionalism. Having experience and qualifications can help fast-forward things, but ultimately everybody gets a chance to show their skills because agencies are always trying to renew their translator pools
On post editing machine translation…
Machine translation may be improving, but it’s simply not there yet. Post-editing itself is a pain, and it introduces errors you wouldn’t make otherwise. If you’re going to reduce rates because MT was applied, you should expect quality to be affected proportionally.
Do you have to be a gamer to translate games?
Things like UI and menus can be very hard to translate if you don’t play games. For narration & dialogs, non-gamers can do a perfectly fine job. Once again, it’s all about selecting the right person for the job at hand.
Speaking for the French market: when game translation was a new discipline, companies would often turn to literary translators. Some of them have done wonders.
By Anthony Teixeira | September 21, 2017 | Game localization |

How to Get Game Localization Experience – Tips & Repository of Translation Packages

Getting started as a professional game translator is a bit of a catch-22 situation. Everybody wants you to be experienced before sending you projects, but you need to work on translation projects to gain experience.

One solution can be to build your own portfolio of sample translations & projects. To help you with this, I have a gathered a list of games you can freely translate right now and add to your samples. I have also put together a number of tips to help you find small translation projects and gain that all-too-important mileage in the localization industry.

I am planning to update this page regularly with new packages ready to be translated as well as links to other useful resources.

Translate Previous LocJAM Packages

LocJAM is (was?) an online contest for game translators. A short open source game in English is published on the official site and everyone has a couple of weeks to submit their translations.

The future of the contest is on standby at the moment, but you can still download and translate the games that were shared during previous editions.

If you translate from English

All translation packages for previous LocJAMs are available on the IGDA LocSIG’s GitHub repository.

LocJAM 1: https://github.com/IGDA-LocSIG/Republia-Times

Read README.md for special instructions. The translatable file is in the bin/locale/ folder

The Republia Times is an indie game created by Lucas Pope, released in April 2012. In the game, the player takes the role of the editor of a newspaper torn between personal opposition to the government and threats to the lives of the editor’s wife and children if the editor doesn’t generate loyalty among the population. Character limits, humor and puns will give translators a good run for their money. An excellent game to show your craft.

LocJAM 2: https://github.com/IGDA-LocSIG/Locjam2/tree/master/LocJAM2

Read instructions in readme.pdf

Grandpa is an interactive story about Emi and her Grandfather trying to find his hat. The game ends on a twist. Translating it while keeping all of its subtleties and hints will allow you to show your attention to details and creative writing skills. Here is my post-mortem about it.

LocJAM 3: https://github.com/IGDA-LocSIG/locjam3

Simply translate the .docx and .xlsx files.

The Hotel of Madness is a board game openly inspired by The Shining. For this edition, we tested translators’ ability to write accurate, consistent and unambiguous rules – essential qualities for this type of game. Not a video game, but a good title to add diversity to your portfolio.

LocJAM 4: https://mega.nz/#F!12hEnJgS!KrCryf7EgZSrbswVnYpP7w

Instructions in the Readme file.

Ikinari Maou is a puzzle game dressed up as an old-school RPG. With several plot twists and tons of hints hidden between the lines, the game is an excellent challenge for translators and a pleasure to play.

If you translate from Japanese

Grandpa: bit.ly/LocJAM2JP

Try you hand at one of the winning Japanese entries of LocJAM 2 and translate it to the language of your choice.

Ikinari Maou: Windows, Mac

The original Japanese game’s package, used for LocJAM Japan.

Other Ways to Gain Experience

  • Offer free translation to indie devs: To gain experience, it can be a good idea to offer your help for free. Rather than helping big companies for peanuts, I suggest starting with indie developers who really need help and don’t have the finances to hire a professional translator.
  • Browse the Indie Game Localization group on Facebook. Devs regularly post help requests there. Just be careful with whom you offer your help to, as some are taking advantage of the community to get free translation for their many games. Find a game that seems nice, from a dev who genuinely seems to need help. Make sure the word count is reasonable and go ahead.
  • Translate mods: Translating mods is a great way to earn a little experience. Most mod devs will be happy to receive a little help, and they’re usually not creating mods for profit. They also typically have a localization budget of 0 (does currency matter here?), so you’re not stealing anyone’s job. CurseForge is an excellent place to start browsing. Help requests for mods/games also occasionally pop up on GitHub.
  • Contact indie devs directly: you can use social networks to find interested devs. I particularly recommend Facebook and LinkedIn groups for indie devs (there are too many of them to list!) where people like to share information about their upcoming games. Once again, see what you like (you want good games on your CV, don’t you?) and get in touch.
  • Offer to translate articles, fan sites, game guides, reviews, etc.: let your imagination do the work here, there’s so much to explore! Just make sure you have the permission of the original author.
  • What about crowdsourced and amateur translations? They surely give you relevant experience, but you may not want to write about them explicitly on your CV. Rightly or not, crowdsourced translations are not associated with quality and professionalism. As for amateur translations, they’re usually on the wrong side of legality.
    My advice: write about your general experience (“I’ve been translated for xx years“, “I have translated a total of xx words of game-related texts“) and only mention titles you are allowed to. Have a small list of projects you’re proud of, with sample files if you are allowed to share them. It’s fine not to have a ton of titles to mention. I have translated well over a hundred games in my career, but I’m credited in a grand total of 4 of them. Give general information, and only informally tell about details if you are asked to.

WARNING: Whatever your translate for free, do ask to be properly credited and keep word counts reasonable – be willing to help, but don’t let people take advantage of you. Anything over 1,000 words is too much for a free translation, unless you are extremely passionate about the game in question AND the dev clearly doesn’t have the funds. When necessary, politely explain than you can only handle a few hundred words for free. An App Store description, menus? Why not. A whole set of dialogs? Probably too much.

By Anthony Teixeira | September 17, 2017 | Game localization, Localization, Tips |

20 Things Translators Know But Most People Don’t

What is something that seems obvious in your profession? You can probably come up with dozens of facts people outside of your field simply don’t seem to get. The language industry is no exception.

There are many preconceptions about translations and translators, as well as things known almost exclusively by people of the industry. I found this lovely list written by a colleague, Alice Tsymbarevich, and decided it to share it with my own twist. Enjoy!

1. Knowing a language is not the same as being able to professionally translate or interpret to/from it. A translation is a special set of skills that takes years to master and put together (and it’s not even a finite set of skills, new products, technologies and trends appear all the time).

2. Being able to translate FROM a language does not mean being able to translate TO it. In fact, it does not even mean being able to speak it. If a translator says that their translation pair is En-Fr, it means they translate from English into French only. Translation in both directions will be marked as En-Fr-En. And professional translators only produce works in languages they are native speakers – generally two at most (and we’re already talking about a small fraction of the translator community).

3. Some translators have specializations because different types of text require different approaches, different experience and different abilities. Some are specialized in SEO and can provide SEO translation and localization to bring more website traffic and get publicity for businesses. Some are better at terminology-filled legal texts. Some have a knack for translating poetry. Yet others are able to create concise and efficient instruction manuals, where a fiction-translator may easily get lost. And, of course, some translators are awesome jacks-of-all-trades! Specialized translators usually have a personal connection with their field. I received an IT degree, so I became an expert in software localization. Many medical translators have an educational background in the field, etc.

4. Translating fiction is actually more difficult than translating technical texts, not the other way around. Translating ads and catchy slogans is the worst. Creativity and cultural differences are quite an explosive cocktail. Such translations take great talent.

5. Spoken translation is called interpreting. An interpreter is not necessarily a good translator. A translator is not necessarily a good interpreter. The skill sets are completely different. A well-trained factory foreman with a decent fluency in a foreign language will give a much better tour of the premises to a foreign delegation than than a hired professional translator. Or than an non-specialized interpreter, for that matter.

6. Modern translation studies support the view that the “word-for-word translation” and word equivalency are myths. A translator’s worst nightmare is a client asking to “just translate a couple of words”. Broadly speaking, a translator turns one text with its context into another text with a corresponding context, not a string of words into a string of their dictionary counterparts. Even machine translation engines have given up this approach long ago.

7. Numbers may also require localization from one syntactic system into another. E.g. English 1,000, unless translated into French correctly as 1 000, will mean “one and zero thousandths”.

8. Translating/creating movie subtitles has specific rules: every language has a certain limit of how long a subtitle line is the best for the audience, how to choose words (long words may have worse readability for the viewer), how to adapt subtitles for people who are deaf/hard-of-hearing, etc. It’s a discipline in itself and requires yet another set of skills. It’s not something you just jump in as a translation generalist.

9. No, machine translation is not a valid replacement for an actual translator. Unless we are dealing with an extremely narrow and specialized context. No, Google Translate will not give you a decent translation of the ad for your product. Nor will your “nephew who’s spent a year studying abroad”. It may help you understand what your friend who lives abroad posted on Facebook. You may be able to have a general idea of what news say on foreign sites. But that’s about it.

10. Certain things, names, traditions, cultural norms etc. may require localization in certain types of texts.

11. A translator is, ultimately, a “complex computer that makes complex choices and considerations on many levels even for the simplest of sentences”. Not a dictionary. Not a language teacher. Not a “word-replacing dummy”.

12. There is professional translation software. No, it’s not like Google Translate or those fancy all-knowing sci-fi machines. What it does is find similar chunks in a standardized text and replaces them with what it has been taught by the translator, making the human’s work faster and less monotonous.

13. Humor is difficult to translate. Jokes and puns don’t necessarily have an equivalent in other languages. In fact, that’s what happens most of the time, so we need to get creative. Sometimes a translator even manages to produce a funnier version of the book than the original!

14. If translators face a bad original (poorly written, awkward phrasing, lack of elegance in the flow of text), they have two options: either to produce an equally ugly translation or to brush it up out of respect for the audience, the subject matter or the target language. In both cases, you never know to whom the audience will give the credit, be it good or bad – to the translator or the author.

15. It can be hard to form an opinion about a translated work of fiction because of the inevitable distortion and the translator’s enormous input into the piece. You don’t truly know a book unless you’ve read the original. It’s first of all true for poetry and the most creative works in general.

16. Unfortunately, translators are often invisible and unnoticeable. Hey, we do appreciate to be credited! It also puts positive pressure on us to deliver.

17. I’ve known translators to refuse to translate a text that offended their personal beliefs or could potentially offend someone else.

18. Everybody knows how a language becomes rusty and partly forgotten unless used. This holds true for the translators as well, so a long break from the profession may be costly for a translator. A professional translator is constantly learning – that’s the only way not to be left behind in the long run. New pages are constantly added to our internal dictionaries.

19. Still, a translator’s mind is always online. I often find myself wondering how I would have translated this or that when some ads or interesting phrases catch my attention. When I see translated materials, I sometimes try to guess what the original read like. And I’m ecstatic when it turns out I’m right!

20. I’m a freelance translator, but that doesn’t mean I work in my pajamas. I actually have fixed hours. I work at least as much as someone in-house and I do take the occasional holidays. I don’t spend my whole time home, nor having fun outside. I just have normal, balanced lifestyle.

By Anthony Teixeira | September 16, 2017 | Humour |

How Translating Your Website Can Help Boost Your Search Traffic/SEO

If you have been involved in internet marketing for some time, then you’re probably already familiar with most of the SEO techniques that are effective in boosting your site’s ranking. With the advent of internet marketing blogs and abundance of detailed and free guides that walk you through the process of ranking a site, every enterprising and smart marketer knows the basics of link building, social signals, and on-page optimization. The democratization of what used to be concealed knowledge coupled with Google’s increasingly complex algorithms has left marketers desperate for an edge over their competitors.

One method that could double the search traffic to your site but is seldom discussed by SEO experts is translating your site into different languages to branch out and reach a global audience. Many marketers conflate the notion of the English speaking market being the biggest one with it being the only one, neglecting the fact that 75% of all internet searches are not in English. If you aren’t satisfied with the traffic that you’re getting or you feel that your SEO campaign has hit a wall, it is probably time to consider investing in international SEO.

The best practices for translating websites and getting high rankings

It is essential to know that getting your website in front of an international audience requires much more than just the literal translation of text and titles. Various cultural and socioeconomic factors will come into play to render the process a little bit less straightforward and about more than just linguistic differences. Understanding what your target audience is searching for and for what purpose, having a grasp of dialectal variations, and being able to conduct keyword research in a different language are essential components of what makes a successful international SEO campaign.

The importance of keyword research

More often than not, the value of a keyword is lost in translation due to not just linguistic contrast, but also cultural differences. The right approach is to simply conduct proper keyword research in the second language; the key here is finding the corresponding keyword, not the literal translation. Having a comprehensive understanding of terminology, local competition, and the various metrics that make a good keyword is essential.

Making use of Hreflang Tags

Hreflang tags tell Google what language is used in a specific page of your website. They’re either inserted within the <head> tags in the site HTML’s header or specified in the sitemap if multiple languages are being targeted. Once these tags are configured, your site will show up in the search engine results to people searching in that language.

They’re a critical component of website localization and their implementation will have a positive impact on your SEO campaign.

Choosing the right site structure

How you structure your site is one of the most critical steps of an international SEO campaign. The four main options that you have at your disposal are:

  1. Country-coded top-level domains
  2. Sub-domains on a single global top-level domain
  3. Sub-folders on a single global top-level domain
  4. URL parameters

There are pros and cons to each of these, understanding the implications of each one is a primordial step before opting for a particular structure.

It is generally advisable to avoid URL parameters, and while Country-coded top-level domains tend to be the most accurate when it comes to geotargeting, they require a bigger budget than what a smaller company would be willing to spend. Subfolders are the best option for a small business as they’re accurate enough when used with hreflang and localization while requiring fewer resources.

Who should you hire for professional website translation?

When looking to translate your website, you’ll have the option of hiring a freelancer or working with a large agency, with the ultimate goal of finding results that marry the fundamentals of SEO with proper and accurate translation.

On one hand, agencies may alleviate the project management burden when you’re dealing with extremely tight deadlines or a large number of languages.

On the other hand, freelancers are the best option if you’re looking for more direct communication, a long lasting working relationship, and a more hands on approach when it comes to SEO. Working with a professional translator enables you to directly give specific instructions that you want and train the translator to follow the optimization blueprint that yields the results that you want in the search engine pages.

Conclusion

Translating your website while adhering to proven and tested SEO basics can do wonders to your ranking in search engine result pages. Exploring this often-ignored facet can help double your search traffic and offers you an alternative approach that is cheaper and less saturated than the usual SEO methods and tactics.

 

By Anthony Teixeira | September 12, 2017 | Uncategorized |

Let’s Meet At The Pre-TGS IGDA Localization SIG Round Table!

On September 20th, the IGDA LocSIG will organize a video game localization round table in Shibuya. It will be followed by a networking party, which I’m sure will be as friendly as ever. Let’s meet if you’re around!

About the event

The IGDA Localization Special Interest Group (SIG) Roundtable is a gathering event for all people involved in game localization, from developers to publishers, professional translators (freelance and in-house people alike) and linguists.

From translation trends to audio, from localization technology to testing, it aims to cover a wide range of topics with a brisk pace and a friendly atmosphere.

At the end of the event, everyone is invited to attend the Tokyo Indies show on the same floor or to have dinner together in lovely Shibuya.

The plan for now is to have 3 talks by local localization experts. A survey will be run on our group to determine the exact topics.

You will find details and registration page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/496037934082751/

Place and time

The event will take place at:

FabCafe
道玄坂1-22-7 道玄坂ピア1F, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0043

From 6 to 7pm. Hope to see you there!

By Anthony Teixeira | September 7, 2017 | Personal |

Game Localization Link Roundup – May-June 2017

A new era starts at the IGDA LocSIG with a new committee. I am delighted to be one of its members this time again, and I will be true to my statement by working toward new events for game localization experts and hopefuls alike.

It also means I will be handling the newsletter for a bit longer, so this series of link roundups should stay alive at least for that time! Here is my selection for the months of May and June.

Falcom President Comments on Licensing Ys VIII to NISA and How Localization is Handled

Undertale’s Japanese Localization Is Causing A Fan Frenzy – Another localization controversy, this time around the pronoun used by a character in Undertale’s official Japanese version. A little over the top, dare I say

Text Adventures: The Story of Visual Novels in America – Interesting insights from some of the companies taking the increasingly popular visual novels outside Japan

Persona 5 Gets A Small Change To Avoid Further Controversy In South Korea

Music and Localization: Fine-Tuning the Universal Language

Once Again, Overwatch Isn’t Very Good At Picking Kanji Characters – A little surprising to see another kanji issue with Overwatch, as they got laughed at pretty hard the previous time around

By Anthony Teixeira | August 26, 2017 | Game localization |

Japenglish / Wasei-Eigo: A List Of Japanese False Friends

The original list was compiled by keiichiro, a Japanese national who’s spent a couple of years in the United States and noted a growing number of Japenglish (or Wasei-eigo) terms. Since the original website is down, I have recreated the list here and will keep updating it.

-Janglish (KATAKANA)- -Janglish (Alphabet)- – English in the US –
Fashion?
スリーサイズ three-size measurements
ヒップ hip buttocks
When used for measurement, “hip” is used as hip in Japan. But hip is often used to describe buttocks there. In the US hip may be used to describe buttoks euphemistically. But mainly hip is used to mean the sides of the body below thw waist.
パンティストッキング panty stocking panty hose
I personally prefer “stocking” to “hose.” In U.K. “tights” is used.
スイミングパンツ swimming pants swimming trunks/shorts/suit
Bathing …. is also common. While I wear a suit at work, I don’t understand why I put on a “suit” to swim, too.
トレーナー trainer sweat shirts
ワイシャツ white shirt dress shirt
マフラー muffler scarf
Not that muffler cannot be used. But scarf is much more popular here.
チャック chuck zipper
ファスナー fastener zipper
カフスボタン cuffs button cuff link
モヒカンカット Mohican cut Mohawk
Why this difference? In U.K. “mohican” is used.
キーホルダー key holder key chain
グラマー glamour(ous) stacked/be really built
スマート smart thin/slim
ジーパン G-pan jeans
ジージャン G-jan jean jacket
スタ（ジアム）ジャン（パー） stadium jumper jacket with team’s logo
マニキュア manicure nail polish
オールバック all back swept back hair
フリーサイズ free-size one size fits all
サファリスタイル safari style camouflage clothes
ハイソックス high socks knee-high socks
ワンピース one-piece dress
One-piece is used for women’s swimsuits in English.
ツーピース two-piece suits
ピアス pierce earrings
In English whether your ears are pierce or not is not an issue. In Japan when your ears are pierced, earings are called “pierce”.
バスト bust breast/bosom
パンツ pants underpants
The Japanese word for pants is “ZUBON”, which is from Portuguese.
T-バック T-back thong
ノー・スリーブ no-sleeve sleeveless
ペア・ルック pair-look same outfit
ストレート・パーマ straight perm relaxer ?
エステティックサロン esthetic salon a beauty salon offering esthetic services
At home?
In the kitchen
コーヒーミル coffee mill coffee grinder
I don’t think “mill” is wrong. But “grinder” sounds more common.
フライパン fry pan pan
オーブントースター oven toaster toaster oven
ストーブ stove heater
レンジ range stove
Range is used but I hear “stove” more frequently.
Electric goods
クーラー cooler air-conditioner
テレビゲーム televi game video game
ファミリーコンピュータ Family computer Nintendo
スーパーファミコン Super Fami-com Super Nintendo
Nintendo named them diferently.
ビデオカメラ video camera video camcorder
VTR VTR VCR
ビデオデッキ video deck video cassette recorder
ラジオカセット radio cassette portable stereo /boom box
Then what if the power is weak and the sound is monoral as the one I bought when I was in junior high?
プッシュホン push phone touch tone phone
シャープ sharp sign pound sign/number sign
This is about the name of the key. I wonder why people don’t call it “sharp” as in music. I’ve heard it is called “square” or “hash” in U.K.
フリーダイアル free dial toll free number
Freephone is used in U.K.
ポケットベル pocket bell pager / beeper
The word “pocket bell” is made by NTT, Japanese phone giant.
ナンバーディスプレー number display caller ID
Another creation by NTT, Japanese phone company.
インターホン inter-phone intercom
アフターサービス after-service service after the sales
アフターケア after-care service after the sales
コンデンサ condensor capacitor
FD FD floppy disk
This abbreviation is not so popular.
バージョン・アップ version-up upgrade/improve
グレード・アップ gread-up upgrade/improve
.
Home improvement/tools
マンション mansion condominium
This is most famous and infamous Janglish in Japan.
ワンルームマンション one-room mansion studio apartment
フローリング flooring wooden floor
コンセント concent outlet
I guess it was from “concentric outlet.”
プラスドライバー plus(+) driver philips head screwdriver
マイナスドライバー minus(-) driver regular/flathead screwdriver
Since I think using “+/-” is easy to understand, I wonder why American don’t say this way.
スパナ spanner wrench
ピンセット pincette tweezers/foceps/pncers
マイホーム my-home owned house
ユニットバス unit bath prefabricated bath
Which contains a bathtub and a space where you wash yourself.
Reminder:You must not use soap in the bathtub in Japan.
others
リンス rinse conditioner
メロドラマ melodrama soap opera
Melodrama in Japan is used to describe soap operas while almost all of “soap operas” seem to be melodramas.
ワイドショウ wide-show talk show / morning show
ゴールデンタイム golden-time prime-time
ベビーカー baby car stroller
バギー buggy umbrella stroller
Baby buggy is used for a bigger one.
ベビーベッド baby bed baby crib
When my friend asked room service to bring baby crib, he somehow received a baby cream. He was disappointed by his English skill.
ヘルスメーター health-meter (bathroom) scales
テーブルセンター table center centerpiece
at School and Office
OL（オフィスレディー） OL/office lady women working in white-collar work place mainly doing clerical work.
In US I sometimes see the existance of the word “OL” refferd as a symbol how unequally women in Japan are treated.
ホッチキス hotchkiss stapler
Hotchkiss is a name of the inventor.
ブラインドタッチ blind touch touch typing
ダイアルイン dial-in direct number
セロハンテープ cellophane tape Scotch tape
マジックテープ magic tape Velcro
シャープペンシル sharp pencil mechanical pencil
ボールペン ball pen ball point pen
カンニング cunning cheating
When you have a exam at school. Not that you did.
リンチ lynch bullying/abuse/beating somebody up
シール seal sticker
In UK “Seal” is also used.
グラウンド ground playground
プリント print handout
-Janglish (KATAKANA)- -Janglish (Alphabet)- – English in the US –
Driving
セーフティードライブ safety drive driving safely
フロントガラス front glass windshield
I’ve heard “windscreen” is also used in UK.
バックミラー back mirror rearview mirror
ハンドル handle steering wheel
クラクション Klaxon car horn
ウィンカー winker blinker/turn signal
Indicator is used in U.K.
チャイルドシート child seat car seat
ボンネット bonnet hood
Bonnet in U.K. but hood in USA.
ガソリンスタンド gasoline stand gas station
Petrol station is used in U.K.
ベンツ Bentz Mercedes
Porsche is Porche. Ford is Ford. But Bentz is different. I’ve heard that called same in Germany.
シボレー SHI-VO-Rei? Chevrolet(Chevy)
I guess Chevrolet sounded Shi-vo-rei for Japanese when first imported.
ハイウェー highway express way / free way
Many of “highway” in U.S. have intersections and traffic lights. “Motorway” is used in U.K.
ナンバープレート number plate license plate
Number plate is OK in U.K.
タンクローリー tank lorry tanker
パンク punc(ture) flat tire
オートバイ auto-bi(ke) motorcycle
RV RV sports utility vehicle/SUV
Somehow, cars such as Jeep Cherokee and Ford Explorer are called RVs, not SUVs, in Japan.
In U.S. RV is also called a camper, which is much bigger than “micro bus” in Japan, and has a bed, a stove, and a shower inside.
キャンピングカー camping car trailer house? mobile home/RV?
パト（ロール）カー patrol car squad car/police car
patroll car is used but “squad car” seems more popular.
バン van (station) wagon
ワゴン wagon van
Somehow these two are mixed in Japan. A wagon is as tall as a sedan and usually uses a same model name, such as “Camry wagon.” But a full-size van is much taller.
マイカー my-car owned car
サイドブレーキ side-brake parking brake
セルモーター cell-motor starter
オープンカー open car convertible
ペーパードライバー paper driver person with a driving licence who seldom drive
メット・イン metto-in a style of scooter which has a compartment under the seat to hold the crash helmet
Sports
Baseball
スリーA 3A(three A) triple A
ホームイン home-in come home / is scored
ナイター nighter night game
フォアボール four ball walk
デッドボール dead ball hit by a pitch
After a batter is hit by a pitch, the ball is dead. Then runners can not move because it is a bead ball now.
タッチアップ touch-up tag up
タッチアウト touch-out tag out
バックネット back net backstop
フルベース full base bases loaded
ランニングホームラン running home run inside-the-park home run
テキサスヒット Texas hit Texas leaguer
スリーベース・ヒット three-base hit triple
ツーベース・ヒット two-base hit double
エンタイトルド・ツーベース・ヒット entitled two-base hit ground rule double
ハーラー・ダービー hurler derby the competition on the number of winning games among professional baseball pitchers(?)
トップ・バッター top batter leadoff
キャンプ・イン camp-in start/report to spring training
Golf
ショート、ミドル、ロング short/long/middle hole par 3/5/4 hole
ニアピン near pin closest to pin
ドラコン driving contest longest drive
パー・オン par-on hit the green in regulation
オーバー・ドライブ over-drive outdrive
フック・ライン hook-line right-to-left breaking putt
ブービー booby the second from the last
ブービーメーカー booby maker booby
Pro wrestling
バックドロップ back-drop suplex
フロントスープレックス front-suplex belly-to-belly
サイドスープレックス side-suplex back-drop
スコルピオンデスロック scorpion-death-lock sharp-shoop
ラリアット lariat close-line
Thanks to Nemoto-san who gave me those words. Actually I have no idea of these words.
Others
クイックターン quick turn (swimming) flip turn
How to turn at the end of the swimming pool
フライング・スタート flying (start) false start
ルームランナー room-runner treadmill
ヨット yacht sail boat
Yacht in Japan is usually used to discribes a small one masted sail boat while “yacht” in English is for a small ship and not limited to a ship with sails.
マラソン marathon jogging/long distance race
Please use “marathon” only when you run 42.195 km. Personally I do’t like them to call a 5k race as “xx city marathon” in Japan. You know it is much harder to finish 42km.
リュックサック rucksack(German) backpack
シーズンオフ season off off-season
ボブスレー bobsleigh bobsled
bobsleigh is English. But I’ve never heard it in TV during the Nagano Olympics. Every time “bobsled” was used.
スラップスケート slap-skate klap-skate
In Olympic in Nagano most of speed skaters used this new type of skate shoes. “Klap” is a Dutch word for “slap” in English. (“Klapschaats” in Dutch) I don’t understand why Japanese use “slap”, which is not Japanese of cource, while “klap” is used in English.
バトンタッチ baton touch baton pass
ゴール goal finish
Your goal in a race is not the goal but the finish line.
ラストスパート last-spurt last hard drive/
dash to the finish line ?
バトンガール baton girl baton twirler
Eating and Drinking
コカコーラ　ライト Coca-Cola Lite ——
Coca-Cola Lite is a product of Coca-Cola(Japan) and is not sold in USA. It has 12kcal/100ml, while Diet Coke has no calories. (Note:Summer in 99, Diet Coke is being introduced in Japan)
フライドポテト fried potato French fries
ポテトフライ potato fry French fries
Frites in France
バイキング Viking buffet
This is about a style of restaurants.
Because Japanese people pronounce it as “biking”, the confusion is sometimes big.
ホットケーキ hotcake pancake
Hotcake is used but “pancake” seems to be more popular.
プリン pudding caramel cream/caramel custared
Pudding in Japan is a kind of pudding. But because there are various puddings here, it is hard to order in restaurants unless you know the exact name.
アメリカンコーヒー American coffee weak coffee
Coffee served in the US is usually as weak as “American coffee” in Japan. I know a restaurant where they give us a choice of “French” or “American”. French one is strong as regular one in Japan.
At Starbucks Coffee they sell “cafe Americano, ” though it is made of espresso and hot water.
ソフトクリーム soft cream soft serve ice cream
シュークリーム chou (a la) creme cream puff
ハンバーグステーキ hamburg steak chopped steak
アイスティー ice tea iced tea
ミンチボール mince ball meatball
モーニングサービス morning service boiled egg, coffee and toast served as a breakfast combo menu
Let me assure you that there is nothing relevant to any religions.
カウンター counter bar (in a restaurant)
-Janglish (KATAKANA)- -Janglish (Alphabet)- – English in the US –
Others
ピエロ pierrot clown
Pierrot is not wrong but much less popular than “clown.”
ジェットコースター jet coaster roller coaster
レントゲン Roentgen (picture) X rays (picture)
Roentgen is the physicist who discovered X rays.
シュミレーション sumilation simulation
モーニングコール morning call wake-up call
サマータイム summer time daylight saving time
Summer time is used in U.K. In Australia “daylight saving time.”
ロス Los L.A.
We are talking about a name of the city in the U.S.
テレホンボックス telephone box telephone booth
アンケート enquete questionnair
トイレ toilet restroom/bathroom
Even if you ask where the “toilet” is, you will be directed to the right place.
W.C. W.C. restroom, men’s/ladies’ room
Though I’m not sure if “water closet” is used as English word, I’ve never seen “W.C.” sign in the U.S.
ゲームセンター game center video arcade
バックナンバー back number back issues (of magazines)
DM DM direct mail
This abbreviation is not commonly used.
ディープキス deep kiss French kiss
Then what in French?
スキンシップ skinship close relationship/quality time
Because “Skinship” sounds for American to mean physical and sexual touching, it may cause a big misunderstanding. It may be one of the most harmful words.
デマ dema(gogie) rumor
ガードマン guardman security guard
ゼロゼロセブン(007) zero zero seven double oh seven
ナイーブ naive ingenuous/pure-hearted?
Naive used in Japanese has a positive feeling while it has negative one in English.
テレビタレント TV talent TV personality
CM CM commercial
This abbreviation is not used.
マンネリ（ズム） mannerism routine
マンツーマン man-to-man one-on-one (one-to-one)
Man-to-man defense is used. But when you teach something to a person, you teach him “one-on-one,” not “man-to-man.”
フェミニスト feminist chivalrous/kind to women
If I remember correctly,in 70’s the word “feminist” meant something about women’s rights even in Japan. Somehow the meaning changed.
シルバーシート silver-seat priority seating
コストダウン cost-down cost reduction
キオスク kiosk news/food stand in JR stations
ミスコンテスト miss-contest beauty pagent
イメージ・アップ image-up improve one’s image
パイプ・カット pipe-cut vasectomy
ボディ・チェック body check body search /frisk
バージン・ロード virgin road aisle where a bride wallk
This is about a path where a bride walk with her father. Her virginity is not an issue, of course.
マスコミ mass komi (communication) mass media
トランプ trump playing cards
ベッドタウン bed town commuter/bedroom town
ドクターストップ doctor-stop the doctor’s order to stop the fight
ハイ/オールド ミス high/old miss spinster
ラブホテル love hotel hotel for couples for short stays (mainly for a couple of hours)
マイペース my-pace doing things at one’s own pace
ワンパターン one-pattern one-ideaed/repeating the same pattern
シンボルマーク symbol mark symbol
テーブルスピーチ table speach speaches at parties
タイトルバック title back credits
This is about the last part of movies where they show many names after most of audiences are out of the theater.
アルバイター arbeiter people who do part-time job
Part-time job is called “ARUBAITO” which is from German word “arbeit.”
フリーター free-ter?? people who do part-time job only/freelance worker
ヤンキー yankee punk
Not that the Japanese think Yankees are punks, of cource.
ハネムーン・ベビー honeymoon baby baby conceived during a honeymoon
ゲームセンター game center video game arcade
ライブステージ live stage performance
ライブハウス live house bar with live music/performance
ボーカル vocal vocalist
NG NG bloopers
Such as the one shown at the end of “A Bugs Life”.
キッチン・ペーパー kitchen paper paper towel
エネルギッシュ energisch energetic
The word energisch is a German word. It can’t be used in English.
ミラー・ボール mirror ball disco ball
ツー・ショット two-shot the situation where you are only with your boy/girl friend
ユニーク unique strange/interesting
ゴージャス gorgeous posh/luxurious
ブレイク（する） break become a hit
FC FC franchise chain
カメラマン（写真家） cameraman photographer

 

By Anthony Teixeira | July 10, 2017 | Uncategorized |

Does Knowing Another Language Give You a Richer Vocabulary in Your Mother Tongue?

Originally shared by Rebekka Wellmanns

As as freelance translator dealing with languages daily, I wonder if knowing another language makes you a language snob i.e. do you start to use ‘bigger’ words in your mother tongue when you are learning or know another language?

My immediate answer is yes, only because I learnt my source language at a young, impressionable age where I might not have had a wide vocabulary yet. We are exposed to a larger Latin vocabulary when we start to learn one of the modern romance languages (from my experience). For example, languages such as French and Spanish have a rich Latin base. English, in my opinion, has in a sense been “dumbed down”, in that we use everyday words rather than maybe a richer, more “formal” vocabulary.

For example, it is frequent to see Latin words in Spanish e.g. cadáver which is common in everyday use whereas in English the direct equivalent cadaver is seldom used in an informal context, where dead body is generally preferred. This might be down to ignorance of the word unless you’re a medical specialist.

In French the expression “I’m dead tired” is “Je suis mort de fatigue” (literally translated: ‘I’m dead of fatigue’). Fatigue being a word in English which is not very frequently used in an informal context. Although you wouldn’t use fatigue to translate this expression.

This may all be down to which technical vocabulary we use in certain contexts, however I do believe when we are learning another language we are exposed to more Latin based words (only looking at the languages I know) and through this we start using a richer vocabulary in English.

Conversely though, we could say that people, translators or not, learning English not so much enrich their mother tongue but are exposed to a wider range of synonyms in English. For example, hoard in Spanish is acumular roughly translated as accumulate. Some translators find it difficult to get out of the translationese rut and use the word accumulate, rather than hoard when referring to, for example, the Diogenes Syndrome. Take another example, the word feckless translated in Spanish is débil or incapaz and doesn’t quite portray the richness of meaning which feckless has i.e. lacking strength of character. English is a language full of synonyms. Other languages’ vocabulary often paraphrase words e.g. cot death in Spanish is muerte súbita del lactante (Lit. sudden infant death) and has no other equivalent.

Interestingly, the Inuit people have over 15 words to describe certain types of snow. So this whole discussion could be down to context and how we relate our immediate surroundings to the number of words we have for use in different contexts and the corresponding words.

I would like to know if you have had any experiences of your vocabulary being enriched from having learnt another language. In my case I was fascinated by the many Latinisms when I was learning Spanish which I could transfer to English and sound “smarter”. E.g. discussing the television series CSI with my friends I could say cadaver instead of dead body.

By Anthony Teixeira | July 5, 2017 | Uncategorized |

Game Localization and Internationalization Checklist

I’m taking the chance to share again the game localization and internationalization checklist we created at the IGDA LocSIG, a very useful resource based on our Best Practices. Ideally, you will want to read it and keep these points in mind during development, then use it as a final reference when you are producing localized versions of your games.

Game Localization and Internationalization Checklist

If you follow the general advice given here, the whole process should go smoothly. To take things further and make the most out of your localization initiatives, you can dig deeper and look for more specific resources. Most development environments offer some sort of internationalization and localization features nowadays – that is the case for for Unity3D (some interesting solutions are available on the Asset Store), XCode and Android Studio, just to name a few. No need to reinvent the wheel when great solutions already exist.

You could also save time and money by following the cost-saving tips that may apply to your project. In the end, being prepared and informed is what will save you from headaches and help you release your games in new markets at a reasonable cost.

By Anthony Teixeira | June 24, 2017 | Game localization |

[Guide] How to Become a Game Translator

This is the text version of the presentation I showed on Crowdcast with SmartCAT (video available here). It is based on the notes I took to prepare for the webinar, hence the disjointed writing style. Still hope you will find it useful to start your journey toward a career as a professional translator!

Working in the game localization industry is a dream for many gamers, but the path that leads to a career in this young world isn’t necessarily obvious. Here are a few pointers to help you get started and work in the right direction.

What Studies?

An educational background in translation/languages is not a necessity, but always a welcome addition to your CV. Two scenarios here:

Relevant university studies

As far as I know, there are no university studies fully dedicated to game localization yet, but a few specializations will help you in your quest for a job. Here are the three types of studies you should be aiming at:

– Audiovisual translation: More and more universities offer courses in audiovisual translation, which generally include a part about video game localization. You can find a list of such universities here.

– Translation (general): More broadly available, courses in translation will teach you the general theories of translation and help you prepare your career in the industry. Although not as focused as the above, it is still perfectly relevant and appreciated in the industry.

– Languages and culture: Translation will have a smaller, but not insignificant role here. Such studies are also valued highly, especially if you study the language in a country where it is natively spoken. When I was working in-house, several of my Japanese to English translator colleagues had graduated from such schools in Japan and found a position soon after.

You’ve already graduated

A diploma is great, but you may be considering a career switch after working in a different industry. Don’t worry, there are still ways to fill the Education part of your CV.

– Lessons/Courses/Books online and offline: first of all, you will want to learn about translation as a profession. There are plenty of courses and books available online and offline, some as specific as teaching you the basics of game localization, while other covers different aspects of the job, from finding clients to managing your taxes. Perform an online search, compare the options and see what works best for you

– Go to seminars/workshops: look for relevant seminars and workshops in your area. A quick Google search will generally do wonders, but you can also check the websites of translator associations in your country. Most of them have a calendar listing such events

– Consider taking a certification exam: once you’ve learned enough about the job and are confident in your skills as a translator, you may consider taking a certification exam. The most famous one is probably the ATA‘s, but again, feel free to look for options closer to you

Freelancing vs. Working In-House

Game localization projects can be handled in-house by developers, outsourced to localization agencies working with their in-house team and/or freelance translators, or handed directly to translators. Your first decision in your journey will be to decide the way you want to follow: in-house position or freelance work.

Here are the main characteristics of both:

Freelancing…

– More freedom: as a freelance translator, work whenever you want, wherever you want. No commuting, no fixed hours.

– Possible better long-term income and security: once you’re established and projects keep flowing in, you will likely make more money than you would in-house. And you don’t risk losing your job all of a sudden. If one of your clients closes their doors, you still have other customers to keep you busy

– Requires motivation/self-discipline: freedom is great, but you’ll still need to dedicate enough time to your job. You’ll have to keep track of projects, chase clients for payment, keep marketing yourself, etc. That’s also part of “being one’s boss” job description. I know some extremely talented translators who never managed to succeed as freelancers because they didn’t have that self-discipline

– Getting established takes time: building a clientele takes time,  no matter how hard you try. Receiving enough work to live on translation will take you at the very least 6 months, while 2 years or more is not rare at all. Try to put some cash aside before taking the plunge, or keep a part-time job on the side to keep bills paid

Working in-house…

– Stable income, no need to hunt new clients: busy or not, your income is the same and you don’t have the pressure of finding new clients

– More focused work: you will be translating/editing most of the time (hopefully). No accounting, no marketing, no sales, just what you like and what you’re good at

– Comparatively limited financial prospects: the higher the risk the greater the reward. A busy freelancer will typically make more money than an in-house translator. In general game translator salaries are rather in the low end in the gaming industry. There are, of course, fortunate exceptions to this

Preparation

Qualifications alone won’t land you assignments. Before you start your job hunting efforts, you will want to make sure you are prepared for success.

– Learn about the ins and outs of the job (read articles/ebooks, take courses, etc.): this is especially true if you are going to work as a freelancer. Learn about the business aspects of freelance translation (how to define your rates, how to get paid properly, how to communicate with your clients in different situations, etc.). You will find a lot of articles, ebooks and courses online for a large number of topics.

– Build a solid CV/introduction highlighting relevant strengths: make sure you highlight every relevant educational or hands-on experience you’ve got with translation. Be specific: make it clear game localization is your main or one of your main specialization fields. Mentioning your favorite genres can be a plus when project managers will need to select the most suitable translator for their project.

Note about fan translations: in my opinion, that kind of experience is perfectly relevant and show your motivation, but you may not want to get too specific in public to avoid trouble. Mention word counts, game genres, etc. but only give names informally to parties interested in more details (small devs and game localization agencies will generally be curious and really just want to know what you’ve worked)

– Gain experience with a few projects: the best way to be ready for prime time is to actually try your hand at a few projects. Put everything you know in practice and make your beginner’s mistakes. More on how to gain experience in a minute.

About translation tests

Many potential employers and clients will ask you to take a test. All have different criteria for evaluation, but I would classify them in two categories:

– Ability tests: typical with localization agencies, a classical pass/fail test. Your basic translation ability will be checked: are your translations accurate, natural, free of typos/punctuation mistakes, do you follow instructions and terminologies? Most criteria here are objective, and a serious work should be enough, regardless of style considerations.

– Shootouts: typical with end customers. They want to find the one translator whose tone matches theirs. You’ll of course need to meet the basic quality standards expected of a professional translator, but the rest is very subjective in nature. You may deliver a great translation and still see someone else get the job.
As a general advice, check their games, see what inspired them and try to find something similar in your native language to give you ideas about what they may be looking for.

Gaining Experience (Part I)

Offer free translation to indie devs

To gain experience, it can be a good idea to offer your help for free. Rather than helping big companies for peanuts, I suggest starting with indie developers who really need help and don’t have the finances to hire a professional translator.

– Browse the Indie Game Localization group on Facebook. Devs regularly post help requests there.

– Contact indie devs directly: you can use social networks to find interested devs. I particularly recommend Facebook and LinkedIn groups for indie devs (there are too many of them to list!) where people like to share information about their upcoming games

– Offer to translate game mods, articles, fan sites, reviews, etc.: let your imagination do the work here, there’s so much to explore!

– [!] Keep word counts reasonable: be willing to help, but don’t let people take advantage of you. Politely explain than you can only handle a few hundred words for free. An App Store description, menus? Why not. A whole set of dialogs? Probably too much.

Gaining Experience (Part II)

The LocJAM:

– Online game translation contest, a chance to compare your skills to your peers. Winning entries are selected by reputable video game localization agencies, giving you a great chance to get noticed by professionals

– Free and open: no need to join the contest, you can translate and share your work anytime (translation kits available here). That’s concrete work you can show your prospects

– Local study groups: generally before/during LocJAMs. Great opportunity to learn & network with fellow translators

For more information about the LocJAM, you can read this related article.

Note: The contest is on a bit of a standby at the moment, the IGDA LocSIG is working hard to come back with a new formula

Gaining Experience (Part III)

– Start in a different position in the game/localization industry: many game translators started in testing, marketing, project management, etc. Once you have a foot in the industry, it’s much easier move toward a translation position, for the same company or somewhere else

– Consider internships: many localization agencies have some sort of internship program. It can be a good chance to gain experience and possibly impress your employer. Again, I know of people who started as interns and became full-time employees after that. I also know several freelance translators who still work with companies where they used to be interns

Finding Work In-House

– Specialized game job sites: browse industry sites such as games-career.com, Gamasutra’s job section and similar portals in your native language

– General job sites: big job sites such as Indeed, Monster or even LinkedIn have a lot of localization job listings. Make a smart use of filters and notifications, and check new postings regularly

– Local job sites: don’t underestimate the smaller job portals. Many of them are free and appreciated by employers for this reason. You may find exclusive offers there, so look at sites specifically covering your area

– Translation portals (Proz, TranslatorsCafé): while most projects posted on those websites are aimed at freelancers, offers for in-house positions, including in the video game industry, are occasionally published there. They’re also a great place to network with and learn from fellow professionals

– Dev websites, social media accounts: regularly check the websites of developers/agencies in your area that have a job page. Follow such companies on social networks and look for job offers in your feed

– Networking, online and offline: more on that a little later

Finding Work as a Freelancer

– Register and check job postings on translation portals (Proz, TranslatorsCafé): register on those websites and build a solid profile to gain visibility and be able to bid on projects posted. A lot of agencies are recruiting new translators and offering projects through such platforms

– Contact specialized agencies directly: there are lots of localization agencies specialized in video games, and many of them are constantly looking for new translators. Check their website, social accounts, etc. and see their preferred method contact.
Be careful to only contact reputable agencies with good payment practices. The Blue Board on Proz is a good way to distinguish good payers from the bad ones. To help you get started, I included a small list in the notes of the slideshow above.

– Freelance offers on job sites: you can occasionally find freelance (sometimes labeled as “part-time”, “remote”, etc.) job offers on all types of sites mentioned in the previous section

– Networking, online and offline

More on Networking…

I am a strong advocate for networking. It has plenty of benefits. You meet great people, build relationships, learn from each other and, yes, get access to jobs otherwise unavailable. Many experienced translators are happy to refer their clients to younger translations when they are busy, or to introduce them to colleagues in different language pairs.

– Prepare business cards and an introduction: always carry business cards with you. Make sure the key information is there: your name, language pair and specialization, contact info, etc. Also prepare a quick introduction you can repeat when you meet new people. Clearly tell who you are and what you do. Then forget a bit about business and try to build a genuine relationship!

– Go to game/translation conferences, seminars: conferences and seminars are great places to meet potential clients and colleagues. Don’t restrict yourself to just translation or game-related events, both are perfectly fine places to network. Don’t underestimate smaller, local gatherings. It’s easier to talk to people and have them remember you when the place is not awfully crowded

– Join associations, attend meetings: here again, target both game and translation associations. They will always have more or less formal networking events, besides conferences mentioned above. For those that have a directory of service providers on their website, it’s also a good way to earn visibility

– Also look for informal meetings around you: once you start networking with people and join their circles, you will realize that a lot also happens besides publicly advertised meetups. I can only speak for Japan here, but we have a lot of fun meetups, with a good mix of freelance translators, in-house project managers, developers, students, etc. Be curious!

– Use translation portals social media to interact with colleagues and game developers: establish yourself as an expert in your field. Share interesting content, interact with developers and colleagues, answer questions people may have about localization. Consistency is key here. If you regularly show up in someone’s feed with strong content about localization, they may remember you the next time they are looking for translation services. Websites like ProZ also allow you to discuss various topics with translator colleagues. It’s a great way to learn about best practices and business principles

Start acting now!

– Define your goals and strategy: decide if you will be a freelance translator or try to work in-house, do your homework and pick up a couple of strategies you feel comfortable with to get started. It always gets easier once you take that first step

– Look for communities around you: look for associations and groups in your area, as well as online. Join a few and start networking

– Join the IGDA LocSIG group on Facebook: because we’re a bunch of nice people who love games and languages. You will find plenty of useful information about translation case studies, interviews, tips for beginners and the latest news about the LocJAM.

And don’t forget to connect on LinkedIn!

By Anthony Teixeira | June 23, 2017 | Game localization |