Localisation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The procedure of modifying a product or service to suit a local culture or language context ; The practice of pinpointing the precise location of an item within a given area ; The approach of customizing communication and content to resonate with a distinct audience's cultural preferences
2. The act of adjusting products or content to align with cultural or linguistic traits of a particular region ; the technique of identifying the specific position of an object within a defined area
3. Modifying services or materials to meet the needs of a regional audience with specific language or cultural nuances ; locating the precise spot where something is situated

Etymology: "Localisation" is simply the noun form of "localise," with the suffix "-ation" added to it. The "-ation" ending turns a verb into a noun describing the act or process of doing that verb, so localisation is the process of making something local or fitting it to a particular place. The word is closely paralleled by the French "localisation," which English has adopted in a similar form, so the two languages built the same noun from the same verb. The meaning of the word has shifted over time. In its older, general sense, localisation referred to the act of confining something to a particular place or fixing it in one location. In modern usage, particularly in technology and business, it has taken on the specialised sense of adapting a product, text or service so it suits the language, customs and conventions of a specific region. A software program translated and adjusted for Japanese users, for instance, has been localised.

Synonyms: localization