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Q: What's the difference between translation and localization?
Localization is often treated as a mere "high-tech translation", but this view does not capture its importance, its complexity or what it encompasses. Though it is sometimes somehow difficult to draw the limits between translation and localization, in general localization addresses significant, non-textual components of products or services. In addition to strict translation (and, therefore, grammar and spelling issues that vary from place to place or from country to country where the same language is spoken), the localization process might include, among other things, adaptation of graphics, adoption of local currencies, use of proper forms for dates, addresses, and phone numbers, and many other details, including rethinking the physical structure of a product. All these changes plan to avoid local sensitivities and to gain the market by merging into its needs and desires. For example, localization is due to offer country-specific websites of the same company or different editions of a book depending on the place it is published.
Language localization can be defined as the second phase of a larger process (Internationalization) of product translation and cultural adaptation (for specific countries, regions, groups) to account for differences in distinct markets. Thus, it is important not to reduce it to a mere translation activity because it involves a comprehensive study of the target culture in order to correctly adapt the product.
The localization process is most generally related to cultural adaptation and translation of software, video games and websites, and less frequently to any written translation (although these also involve cultural adaptation processes). The process of localizing can be done for regions or countries where people speak different languages, or where the same language is spoken. Just recall the language differences in countries where Spanish is natively spoken (for instance in South America), or where English is the official language (e.g. in the United States, the United Kingdom and the Philippines).
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