Web Site Globalization and HTML

"Like software, web sites and HTML documents should be designed and developed with foreign language support in mind. Internationalization of web sites implies developing the site content to simplify hosting and display of localized information. This applies to graphics, placement of text, and local content.

Because web site internationalization is very much integrated with localization, the process of publishing web sites in foreign languages is usually referred to as web site globalization. A well globalized and internationalized web site allows localization vendors to focus on translating the content, as opposed to processing a wide range of complex file formats and types.

In short, the web site globalization process can be summarized as follows:

1. Choose a web site platform, server and software palette that supports multilingual site hosting.
2. Evaluate the site architecture to determine what should be changed to facilitate the localization process.
3. Identify which parts of the site can be translated and which parts must be re-written specific for tha target country - local content versus global content.
4. Create a multilingual web site structure or content database with language folders and navigation system.
5. Choose a toolset, for example combining a multilingual content management system with tracking tools and translation memory.
6. Develop a site update and maintenance plan." ¹

After going through these steps, Language Translation, Inc. can work with you to translate the web site content or create new local content. Language Translation performs foreign language translation services: Spanish to English translation, English to Spanish translation, French to English translation, English to French translation, German to English translation, English to German translation, to name just a few.

Harold Nevin

¹ Taken from "A Practical Guide to Localization", by Bert Esselink