Why Localise When Presenting Content to the Arabic Speaking World
Speak the language of your audience
Even though these are all English words and phrases, chances are they didn’t resonate well with you.
Contextualised, you may have been able to guess what they allude to, but generally speaking they do sound pretty much like gibberish.
If instead you read… ‘raining like cats and dogs’… ‘the gist’… and ‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’, and the cost was listed in your local currency or the US dollar, wouldn’t that make a lot more sense to you?
What you encountered are just a few examples of why localisation matters. Continue reading to find out more about localisation.
What is localisation?
Presenting information in a language and format that has a reference point in the mindset of the audiences of the target language and is easily attainable to them.
Why does it matter?
Every communicator would want their messages to be fully understood by their target audience. If you don’t speak to your audiences in a language that speaks to their hearts and minds, then your messages will not actually reach them.
What does it cover?
Almost everything that has a different reference point in the mindset of speakers and readers of the target language including:
- Proverbs, expressions and phrasal verbs
- Measuring units, currencies, sizes, space etc.
- Historical figures or historical stories used to illustrate a specific point
- Sensitive materials that are either culturally, politically or socially sensitive
- Replacing or supporting a contextually important content with a local one that fits the topic.
Ultimately, the key question to ask before releasing your content is "Who is your audience", the answer to that will determine how your content can be tailored appropriately.
