La localizzazione dall'inglese in italiano dei prodotti software: problemi e tendenze

pp.179-198Software localization, the process of translating and adnpting a software product into another language, is by definition an extreme example of target-oriented translation. This strong target-orientation derives from the very particular nature of the textual components contained in a software product. Typically, these are text strings embedded in the software interface and on-line and printed documentation. These components not only transmit operational information but also help in giving the product its commercial appeal. The translation process is thus subject to a double constraint: on the one hand, it must provide a text which is as effective as the original in transmitting information; on the other, it must ensure that the translated product has the same commercial appeal as the original. A cursory survey of the strategies and techniques adopted by localizers in the translation of software applications from English into Italian reveals that the source-language text is often substantially adapted, if not reworked, to meet the stylistic and cultural requirements of Italian users/consumers. Nonetheless, far from being a special case of language transfer, software localization can be considered as just another example, however extreme, of the cultural and extra-linguistic constraints placed on any act of translation