Here at Transcription City, we pride ourselves in our adaptability and flexibility when it comes to translation services. We believe that providing quality translation services means being able to cover a wide range of disciplines, including video translation, audio translation, document translation, video game translation and of course website translation, otherwise known as website localisation (or website localization).
What is Website Localisation?
Website localisation is more than just translating text from a website from one language to another. Our website localisation of course includes translation. If of course the original website is written in a different language to the country it is being displayed in. Website localisation includes not only website translation, but also knowledge of the local language spoken (including any slang, well known sayings), customs or traditions of the area being targeted.
This is especially useful as it allows visitors of the website (potential customers, clients, subscribers and readers) to relate more closely to the product, service or subject being portrayed on the website. Website localisation can help the local readers feel more connected, as it can include local knowledge and of course omit any text that is inappropriate or potentially offensive. This requires specialist skill from the translator, which includes exceptional writing skills, this includes knowledge of spelling differences (also common in English language – ‘website localisation’ versus ‘website localization’).
Website Localisation (Website Localization)
The world is such an exciting place because of all the different cultures and customs that there are. That is what makes it so interesting in regards to travelling. But sometimes you come across customs that are slightly different to other things.
In the UK you may have come across asparagus a few times. It is green, there will be all but one type of it in the average vegetable aisle of your supermarket and more often than not it is expensive and comes from a country far, far away. In recent years asparagus has featured a little more on the menus and in celebrity chef’s tv cooking shows. But hey, have you ever been to Germany in late Spring? There is asparagus everywhere. And I mean everywhere. It is the “Spargelzeit” (asparagus time) and you could almost call it a season in its own right.
You will find it hard to find a restaurant serving traditional food that has not got a special asparagus menu. You will also find that most of the asparagus there is not green but white. White asparagus is grown undercover and the lack of sunlight causes it to stay white. It is also local asparagus, grown in Germany. It is being sold in every shop by large bundles and there are even particular shacks that pop up on the roadside of the asparagus farmers where you can buy it directly.
Local Knowledge
If you are wondering, the asparagus season is following on from the “lauch”, or Wild Garlic season to you and me, in early spring. This is another one, where restaurants quite literally adapt their menu to include dishes made of the green leaves such as Wild Garlic soup or Wild Garlic Pesto. It is healthy, nutritious and yummy and it is said not to leave the rather unpleasant aftertaste of garlic the next day. But it is not effective on fighting off vampires, I am afraid.
Do you want some more? Of course. The third season in Germany is the one with the funniest-sounding name, the “Pfifferlinge” time. These are chanterelle mushrooms and again, the Germans are pretty in love with these too. And as you have already learned above, yes, they will feature heavily on special menus all through the summer.
And when that is finished and autumn arrives, then they move on to the mushroom season. Not just the average closed cup mushroom you can buy in the supermarket in the UK. A number of wild mushroom varieties that are most often collected by one of the restaurant staff itself. Or even better, the Germans love mushroom foraging in the autumn themselves. If the weather conditions have been ideal (some rain, followed by sunshine for a day or two), then they get up early, drive into a forest somewhere and go mushroom hunting. They then clean them up, fry them in butter for a long time and enjoy them with a thick slice of buttered rye bread. Heaven on a plate, honestly!
Guten Appetit!
Website Localisation
If you would like more information about our website localisation services. Also translation services, transcription services, subtitling services or closed captioning services, why not get in touch today? We are available 7 days a week and always happy to help.
