Linguistic Quality Assurance
What Is Linguistic Quality Assurance in Localization?
Linguistic or language quality assurance (LQA) is a process in which all linguistic factors of a text are evaluated and verified. These factors include relatively simpler components such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation, as well as wide-scope and more pivotal factors like terminology and cultural adaptation. Overall, LQA makes sure that the content is cleaned of any inconsistencies and errors, and reads as if it was written in the target language. An effective LQA process involves systematic quality checks that are carried out by linguists throughout the localization task.
How Is LQA Carried Out?
An efficient and professional linguistic quality assurance process involves human agents specialized in linguistics and automated systems. CAT tools are vital to this task, offering the power of AI with translation memory and quality assurance systems. The human element is also indispensable, in the way that it allows for a sophisticated evaluation combining cultural aspects of language with linguistic accuracy.
Why Does It Matter for Localization?
When it comes to localization projects, linguistic quality assurance is carried out in a way that considers the special requirements of the local market as well as the type of content. In this sense, LQA is a game changer that elevates the performance of brands, making sure that nothing is lost in translation, which usually occurs as a result of a lack of linguistic and typological knowledge.
When the Farsi razor company Tiz decided to promote its products in the Arabic-speaking Qatar, the campaign was met with great disapproval. Tiz, meaning “razor” in Farsitranslates to “buttocks” in the target language, Arabic. As you might have guessed, Farsi and Arabic are spoken in regions that are geographically close. However, as typology tells us, Arabic and Farsi are, in fact, very different. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family, while Farsi is Indo-European. In this sense, Farsi is actually closer to English than it is to Arabic. This case study shows that LQA is a crucial element of localization, eliminating the content of any errors that result from uninformed assumptions regarding languages.
