When a proprietary company localizes software, it first determines whether the effort would be commercially viable. Then it hires localization experts, including linguists and cultural experts, to develop a technical dictionary. Meanwhile, well-paid analysts and programmers modify the software to accept and display the script for the language.

当一家私有软件公司本地化软件时，它首先要确定这项工作在商业上是否有利。然后它将雇用语言和文化专家，开发技术词典。同时，高薪聘请的分析师和程序员修改软件以便接受和显示那种语言的文字。

The lion's share of localization work involves translating and then replacing the labels, menu items, error messages and help files of the software. Sometimes the appearance of the software must also be modified to fit awkwardly long or short words. The technical dictionary, in some cases, is the first of its kind for that language, and new terms are invented.

本地化工作的最主要部分包括翻译和替换软件的标签、菜单项，错误信息和帮助文件。有时为了适应特别长或短的词，软件的外观也要相应地调整。有时技术词典是第一次用这种语言编写，就需要加入新的词汇。

Closely following the technical dictionary and programming standards, teams of technical writers enter the new phrases alongside the English original. When it is all done, testers ensure not only that every message has been translated, but also that the terminology is consistent and logical.

紧随技术词典和编程标准的是技术作家在英文原稿旁边写上新的短句。这个工作完成后，测试人员确定所有信息都得到了翻译，而且术语前后一致并符合逻辑。

Work of this sort follows an exponential curve, where the initial work is painfully slow, and then accelerates rapidly when the technical dictionary and standards are well established. After a few programs have been localized, an experienced team can localize additional software at greatly reduced costs. Marketing and training determine how successful they are in getting users to adopt the software. Often, they publish their technical dictionaries and standards, selling them for a profit or making them available free of charge to governments, universities and the online community.

这样的工作表现为一条指数曲线，开始的工作极为缓慢，然后在技术词典和标准建立后迅速地加速。在完成几个本地化项目后，有经验的队伍可以用大大减少的成本本地化更多的软件。营销和培训决定了他们让用户使用这些软件的成功程度。通常，他们会出版技术词典和标准，用于出售或者免费提供给政府、大学和网络社区。

Language Considerations
=语言因素=

FOSS has typically been localized by a few volunteers working remotely, without the benefit of linguists or a technical dictionary for translation. The work can take a long time and it can be riddled with inconsistencies or errors.

自由／开源软件一般都是由几个远程工作的志愿者进行本地化，而缺乏语言学家或者技术词典的帮助。这项工作可能花费很长时间，而且可能受到不一致或错误翻译的影响而让人迷惑。

The pace of FOSS localization is uneven. In countries where the language is similar to English and there are many bilingual volunteers, FOSS localization is well established. Where governments and other agencies have stepped in to provide financial support for localization, the results have also been impressive. (The "CJK" partnership of China, Japan, and Korea stands out as an example.)

自由／开源软件本地化的进程并不一致。在语言与英语类似并且有许多双语志愿者的国家，自由／开源软件的本地化非常发达。有些国家的政府和其他机构介入开发并为本地化提供资金支持，这些地方的结果也非常引人注目。（中国、日本、韩国的“CJK”合作项目是一个突出的例子）。

In countries without much technical infrastructure, localization of both commercial software and FOSS is slow. It is far slower when the language is not of the Indo-European group. Commercial companies see little profit in the work, and few local professionals have the time or skills to localize FOSS. Even though the source code is freely available for localization work to begin, few specialized technical standards or technical dictionaries exist.

在技术水平不高的国家，商业软件和自由／开源软件的本地化都很缓慢。如果当地语言不属于印欧语系进展就会更缓慢得多。商业公司认为这样的工作无利可图，也很少有本地专业人员有时间或者技能来本地化自由／开源软件。即使本地化工作可以利用开放的源代码来启动，也几乎不存在专用的标准或技术词典。

Some languages, particularly those with Latin-based scripts, are relatively easy to localize. Others can be very difficult. As an example, both Lao and Thai share a 42-consonant script, with vowel and intonation marks. These scripts follow complex rules of layout involving consonants, vowels, special symbols, conjuncts and ligatures. All of these writing systems share certain characteristics: spaces are not necessarily used to separate words, and vowels appear before and after, under, over, and after consonants.

有些语言，特别是基于拉丁文字的，相对容易本地化。其它的可能非常困难。例如，老挝和泰国都使用同一种42辅音的文字，带有元音和声调符号。这些文字的摆放规则涉及辅音、元音、特别符号、复合词和连写，非常复杂。所有这些书写系统都有一些共同的性质：词之间不一定用空白分开，元音字母可以出现在辅音字母的前方，下方，上方和后方。

Thai and Lao volunteers responsible for localizing FOSS have saved a great deal of time and avoided frustration by cooperating on technical issues, and sharing information on resources and tools.

负责本地化自由／开源软件的泰国和老挝志愿者通过技术合作和分享资源与工具的信息节省了大量时间。

Across Asia, opportunities exist for shared localization efforts at the inter-governmental level. Many other Asian languages share similarities, and often the programming tasks are nearly identical across similar language groups. Properly funded and organized, pan-Asian software localization is a realistic goal.

整个亚洲都存在着在政府间分享本地化工作成果的机会。许多其它的亚洲语言都有相似性，而且编程任务在相似的语言群中几乎都相同。在适当的资助和组织下，泛亚洲的软件本地化是一个可以实现的目标。