Multilingual Documentation

Subject: Multilingual Documentation
From: "France Baril" <France -dot- Baril -at- ixiasoft -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 09:25:30 -0500


I'm not sure what kind of issues you are having with XML authoring, DTD and formatting.

I'd say the 2 most important things are to use the right output format and to put XSL(T) character stings in external files. UTF-8 used by most anglophones do not output international characters properly. If you use an external xml file for strings generated by xsl(t), you will be able to use the same xsl(t) for multiple languages. You can use the xml:lang attribute to identify the strings and extract them in the proper language xml:lang.

I do not have information about most of the translating tools you named. However, I know that Trados is a very efficient translation memory tool that works pretty well with tagged languages, including XML. I have used it a few times and if it wasn't that expensive, I'd buy it for myself. Another popular translation memory tool worth looking at is SDLX. I'd let the translators choose the tool they feel the most comfortable with.

If you have never done this before, I would suggest you work with a good localisation/internationalization team. Languages are tricky and it's easy to make mistakes that can be offensive to other people. Even graphics can have different meanings in different cultures.

Software can only do so much, a good team will help you get started in the right direction.

Hope this help,

France


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