multilingual app

The word linguistic often associated with the language is like a vast ocean. People throughout the global arena speak N numbers of languages and we all live in a multilingual society. The same statement can be issued for India as well, which has several languages and dialects. Now according to the latest statistics issued by the Internet World Stats, English has the highest number of speakers around the world, followed by Chinese, Spanish and Arabic. However, most corporate houses encounter problems with the language. It is because not all people worldwide know or speak English. Therefore, they need to hire translators or interpreters to do that job. But the linguistic apps have come as the biggest asset and brought a drastic change in the communication process. You get the exact translation of the words or texts and thus your job becomes much easier. According to a report published by UNESCO on Global Language Diversity Africa tops the chart, while Oceania and South East Asia lies in the second and third spot respectively. In order to eliminate this barrier of language, during business communications, the app developers are developing linguistic apps. And if you are planning to create the same, then it’s essential to get some useful tips in the beginning. So, just continue reading. The Important Guidelines to Developing a Multilingual App When you are creating a multilingual app, the first and foremost step to keep in mind is providing a comprehensive and satisfactory user experience. This means that your app shouldn’t just focus on simply translating the text of one language into another, but it should also understand the symbols, etiquettes or values. It needs to be both technically and culturally sound. Remember that a successful app is that which can be familiar with the culture of that region. Framing a Strategy for the Localization When you are making your apps ready for the localization, this procedure is referred to as internationalization. When you are about to begin, the first step should be focusing on the app designing process. You can lay out your screens and don’t just concentrate on a single language. While doing so just keep in mind a few vital points such as: Leaving some space so that the user can expand the text or for the process of coding during UI expansion programming. It becomes necessary because most languages such as Hindi use more space for translating. Try writing the string using the UTF-8 encoding because it is swifter and there are less changes of committing the mistakes. When you are localizing, it would be better to use their specific formats in your software including the date, time and currency. Offering the substantial support for the local language is very essential both from the app’s point of view as well as maintenance and help guides. Each of the languages should necessarily have a customized keyboard. Preparing the Visual Layout Designs While you are laying the visual design layout, the one aspect to remember is putting everything in a properly organized manner. The app should appeal to the targeted audience. It is possible that the app during the translation process may have to use a different style of writing, diction, the spellings can also change for which the existing layout designs may not work. As a result, the app can lose its relevance. In such a case it is advisable to develop a new layout design for the multilingual app. In this way you don’t have to deal with this problem. But this solution is not appropriate in many cases. Therefore, you might have to reduce the length of your string as well. Another method is to develop different types of layouts for different languages. When you are making the layout designs it’s crucial to: Don’t use any line for UILabels and nor indicate the number of lines. The main text will not come to the forefront because the pompous language will spill out correctly. You need to fix the width of the UILabels but do not set the height. Set up the flow of the content correctly and give due importance to all the vital aspects using proportional layouts and widen the white space. Give proper names to your controls which are free from content names. The Process of Translation It has been predominantly observed that creating a multilingual app can be both expensive and time consuming when compared to other normal apps. But we all know how important translation is specifically in today’s scenario as it connects two people from different cultures. As such there are three types of translation that we usually come across:1. Machine Based Translation2. Translation done by man3. Translation done by professionals The first translation is categorically easier because it is done with the help of computer such as the Google Translate. The outcome is also quite fast and this type of translation is not costly at all. Many companies and even the government department employ translators who may be professional experts to do the job. It is expected that they have good understanding of both languages, including the source text and the translated one. These persons may also be inexperienced and so they have their own limitations. Then we have professional translators who have wide experience of the field and use their knowledge database to produce a quality translation work. They prepare a glossary of terms that basically appears on your mobile screen. There needs to be a strong collaboration amongst the app developers and translators to create a significant and meaningful app. Getting Translation Management System (TMS) Right The major function of Translation Management System (TMS) is monitoring the control of translation process in a precise manner. They are generally a platform or a program that assists in mechanizing the important steps in reducing the time span for downloading or uploading procedure and also for communication. They also make the team work better so that each of the members developing the app can work together and monitor