Text Expansion and its Influence on Translated Content and Localisation

Text Expansion is caused as a result of translating one language into another where the second language requires more (or less) space to express the same thing.

For example, when translating from English to French, you will find that it the French version may require up to 30% more space due to the wordier nature of the French language. Other languages, such as Korean, Japanese or Finnish would usually require less space for translations.

Text expansion can challenge design, layout, and appearance of localised content.

Below you will find some useful pointers to consider when dealing with localisation, meaning you can make informed choices and keep one step ahead of any issues that may arise.

Software Localisation

Translating the user interface for an application can be tricky if the developer did not provide space for text expansion. If you are considering localisation, and you know the languages you require, it is worth planning ahead in the development stages to allow for text expansion. Be aware of development needs and follow best practices for internationalisation so that content is easier to manipulate for different languages and markets at later stages.

Layout and Design

While your English website, brochure or advert might look great in its original form, once it has been translated it might look sparse and disproportionate if the text is reduced or enlarged. Professional, multilingual DTP software can help with this by adjusting formatting to accommodate text differences once translation has been completed. Don’t forget that visual images must also be localised for new, specific markets and your translation provider can help with this.

Voice overs

While text translations frequently use differing amounts of space to express something, so too can voice translations. If you are considering translating a video, vlog, or other visual, sound based media that has time constraints, you will need to consider the impact that translation is likely to have upon timings.

Some languages just require many more words to express a sentiment, concepts or views. If timing is of the essence, suggest paraphrasing or condensing the translated version if it is too long, or taking a slower pace if it is too short. Translation specialists can help you decide which approach you will need and can rephrase the script so that it still works for your purpose.

Language specialists and translation service providers can assist you with predicting text expansion that may occur through localisation and these can be utilised early to avoid costly reworking of original content.

If you know you will require translation services try to plan ahead as it will save you time, effort and money in the long run.