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Introduction |
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The purpose of this chapter is:
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To set out recommendations of a technical nature, concerned with design and content, for the preparation of a multilingual web site, that is to say, in several languages.
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To describe the process of production
of a multilingual web site, known
as the localization of
a web site.
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It is addressed
particularly to web managers who:
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manage a web site in only one language and wish to translate it and incorporate other languages in it,
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manage a web site which is already multilingual, or
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are creating a company web site from zero.
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The contents have been structured
in the following way:
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First of all, we show different models of production for multilingual webs.
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hen we explain a series of guidelines
for the design of the web site,
which will then simplify the work
of production in several languages.
These guidelines are in reality
criteria for the internationalisation of the web site, that is, systems for doing it in the most generic and international way possible, recommended by international bodies such as W3C (World
Wide Web Consortium).
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This organization has
also prepared some directives
for adapting the webs for
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with visual deficiencies, within the
framework of the so-called Web
Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
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Finally we describe the
the process of production in several
languages, called localization
of the web site, as this
process consists of "making it
local", that is, adapting the
contents and design aspects of
the original web site to another
language and culture. Specifically,
this starts from two possible
situations: first that the web
manager is also in charge of the
localization; and second that
the localization is commissioned
from another company or professional.
In each of these situations, tasks
relating to the preparation of
the original web site are discussed,
the carrying out of the localization
project and checking the result
after the localization.
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The preparation of the original web site consists in analysing the web site to foresee the difficulties which could occur and the work involved, preparing the files for their subsequent translation and choosing and preparing the tools to be used.
With regard to the implementation phase, we describe some of the tools which help web managers to obtain a translation of the text into various languages, placing emphasis on the automatic translation tools for Spanish-Catalan.
With regard to the phase of checking the localization, we explain the basic control points which guarantee that the production in various languages has taken place satisfactorily.
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| Web managers who design web sites with Macromedia Flash have a document available with the latest versions of the programme, explaining how to use it for the production of multilingual webs. |
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