Analog to Algorithm
As I think about the way media is localized, I think about technology’s role in the modern age like AI and algorithms recommending what entertainment I should consume next. However, localization has existed in many forms before the terms AI and algorithm were spoken of outside of tech circles.
Media like broadcast news show national stories of interest but also inform us of news happening locally. Weather reports are also forms of content tailored for a specific area. Even your mailbox might be full of newsletters, brochures, or coupons from local businesses in your area. These examples fit into the definition of media localization; according to Agnieszka Szarkowska, University professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warsaw:
“localization is the process of adapting audiovisual content to meet the linguistic, cultural and technical requirements of a specific region or country.”
In today’s landscape that means incorporating technology to perform previously manual tasks of subtitling/captioning, dubbing, which are the most frequent forms of localization for language.
Beyond Words
As anyone who is or wants to be multilingual knows, translation involves more than word to word translation. There may be linguistic aspects like grammar, vocabulary and syntax existing in one language and not the other. With any translation, maintaining the context of the original message is vital.
Localization in modern times means creators and content providers must also consider cultural nuance in localizing media. In his paper “The Benefits of Multilingualism in Education”, Benard Odoyo Okal defines multilingualism as the ability of an individual to communicate effectively along with the coexistence of multiple languages within a society. Localization today requires adapting content for cultural sensitivities, user preference in language choice, and societal influence.