What The Heck Does "MOOZ" Mean?

Software Localization: A closer look at deceivingly simple UI terms and associated challenges and costs

 

– "Hey Ron, what the heck does ‘MOOZ’ mean, in English?"
The holler came from my fellow Localization engineer in his next-door office. We were doing localization prep.
– "M-O-O-Z?" (I spelled it out.)
– "Yep. It's a drop-down menu item."
– "Check your GPS terminology guide."
– "Nothing there.
We had no running software, only RC files to localize. There was a long pause.
– "Oh, I got it!" said John. "You won't believe this. It's right underneath another menu item….”

Do YOU know the answer?  A translator error due to a misunderstanding. Take this little translator-awareness test to determine whether you fully understand the difficulties translators face when translating/localizing software and web UI.

We’ll get back to the MOOZ question in just a moment, but first let’s take a closer look at some deceivingly simple UI terms and how they can take on a life of their own.

When a translator works with software, strings in RC files must be translated.  In a typical translation environment, “the string stands alone”: there is no other information.  For example:

   "Default..."

Q1. What does “Default” mean?

1. a UI button
2. an entry in a list
3. a noun
4. a verb
5. any of the above.  I need more information.

Q2.  Selecting (e), the translator determines that more information is available. Consuming a great deal of time – time is money when working on a per unit basis – s/he learns that it's a UI button.  But what does this UI button DO?  Which of the following three apply?

1. most likely: ___________________________________
2. but maybe: ____________________________________
3. need more information

They all apply: translators must consider all the options all the time. If they do not, then QA issues increase.

Translation problem: 12 languages, 50% error rate because the translators make wrong decisions due to lack of information.  

Calculate the cost: What is the cost of correcting QA issues? Calculate the number of issues (N) x steps to fix each (S) x time needed (T) x 12 to correct each incorrect translation error based on lack of necessary information:

1. report the wrong translation
2. retranslate
3. rebuild
4. re-QA (recursion)

S x N x T x 12 = !!
How much does this single word cost?

Add context to this single word: a screenshot showing a button in a Page Setup dialog:

Q3.  “Default” of what?  Which of these possibilities is closest to its real meaning?

(a) Revert to the "Default" settings in the application for Margins (replace the settings shown).
(b) Revert to the "Default" settings in the application for Margins, Paper, and Layout (replace the settings on all the tabs).
(c) Set these Margins settings as the Default for all future documents (replace Word's standard settings).
(d) Set these Margins, Paper, and Layout settings as the Default for all future documents (replace Word's standard settings for those tabs).
(e) Display the normal "Default Settings" dialog and let me change those settings if I wish to.

Translation problem: in 8 of 10 languages, there are at least three distinctly different translations for these five possibilities. A probable wrong translation makes the localized button quite wrong --- the consequences in some languages could have very undesirable results.

Below is a screen shot in Microsoft Word. On the menu bar, go to File>Setup.  By clicking the “Default” button, a Warning dialog appears:

The button should REALLY say "Set as Defaults".

 

Q4:  In the dialog below, what does "Disk Cost..." mean?

 

ONLY when the "Disk Cost" button is clicked, we find it really means "Disk Space":

Translation problem: The translator does not know the real meaning of “Disk Cost” even with the screen shot in the initial context.
Probability of mistranslation without annotations: 25 out of 30 translations will be wrong. That's an 83% error rate.
Calculate the costs: what are the costs of an 83% error rate?

And now back to “MOOZ”

The conversation continued – and the answer:  "It's right underneath another menu item, 'ZOOM'....so it must mean “Reverse Zoom” --- “MOOZ” is “ZOOM” spelled backwards. The translator misunderstood the string because the string stood alone.

What's the Point?

1. ENSURE that the original language is completely clear in its function and meaning. (People responsible: designers/engineers – all-too-often, the localization engineer.)

2. INCLUDE comments or annotations in localizable text strings.

3. ENJOY quicker, less costly QA cycles, and happy end-users of your localized product.