General Prerequisites
Students as well as teachers and trainers should be familiar with principles and methods of terminology, terminology management, translation memory (tools) and project management. They should make sure that they know the content of all eCoLoTrain Software L10N courses.
General Software Localisation courses, where theoretical principles as well as the general use of tools are covered, should be prerequisite for courses in LSP translation courses with integration of software localisation.
Technical Prerequisites
LSP translation courses with focus on software L10N, where students possibly have to work with a L10N tool, should ideally be held in a room equipped with enough computers – if possible, one for every student. An Internet connection, a terminology management tool, a translation memory tool, a software localisation tool as well as word processing software should be available to students.
These courses can be designed in different ways depending on teachers' objectives and available technology. Specifically, course preparation issues and working methodology may vary according to the software component(s) selected for the course – one or several software components for localisation may be selected –, and the technology available – e.g. terminology and/or translation memory databases (as server-based or locale solutions).
When preparing a course where more than one software component will be localised (e.g. user interface and online help), the use of terminology or translation memory databases is recommended.
For the implications that the use of terminology and/or translation memory databases in such scenarios may have, have a look at the eCoLoTrain Guidelines for Translation Classes integrating Terminology Management and Guidelines for Translation Classes integrating Translation Memory.
Learning Objectives
The main learning objective of these courses should be to enhance competence in LSP translation, specifically regarding language and translation skills in the area of software localisation. It is important to stress that the focus of the course is on specialised translation of software components, not on software localisation tools.
Course Preparation Issues
- LSP translation courses with focus on software localisation must be planned for one or two semesters. Courses should be held regularly – e.g. two hours per week. This would depend on the time dedicated to them in the relevant study courses – since they are very specialized courses in translators training they should be restricted to MA study courses.
- Depending on course objectives and students' level, teachers can point out which parts of eCoLoTrain courses are relevant for teaching theoretical issues, such as basic concepts and principles in software localisation, essential aspects, tools, etc.
- Teachers should bear in mind that besides preparing and organising course contents, they must also consider technical issues when working with L10N and CAT tools. For example, defining user rights and user IDs for the use of databases and CAT and L10N tools by students – this is, however, usually done by system administrators or CAT tool specialists.
- For the exercises, teachers may need termbases and translation memories, and since their creation is not itself a topic for LSP translation courses, teachers should use existing ones if possible.
- Alternatively, if termbases nor TMs are available, teachers can create them before the course starts and give students the possibility of further populating them as a class activity or homework.
- If raw materials are not available, the eCoLoRe training kits can be used.
- In order to expand the termbase according to the specific software to be localised, teachers should make background material, such as websites and glossaries, available to students as a source of terminology.
- Depending on course objectives, teachers may want to prepare the use of a given error typology to classify students' incorrect translations or terminology found in the TM database or termbase, or search for information to develop their own typology based on students' errors.