{"id":5556,"date":"2024-12-02T11:18:31","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T11:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poeditor.com\/blog\/?p=5556"},"modified":"2024-12-02T11:18:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T11:18:31","slug":"localizing-pluricentric-languages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poeditor.com\/blog\/localizing-pluricentric-languages\/","title":{"rendered":"Localizing pluricentric languages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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We’re surrounded by pluricentric languages. According to the WGNDV organization, approximately fifty languages<\/a> can be broadly classified as pluricentric, meeting at least the formal criteria for this designation. These languages encompass around 290 national varieties, each exhibiting differences in various aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, what are they? A pluricentric language is a language that has two or more standardized forms, typically associated with different countries, regions, or cultural communities. All forms are considered valid.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Different countries or regions adopt distinct norms for spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, or even writing conventions. Despite differences, the variations are generally understood by speakers across regions. However, this doesn’t mean it makes no difference which variant you localize your product or service in, and neither does choosing just one to represent all regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what you need to consider when it comes to pluricentric languages localization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify target variants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Which regional variants are relevant to your audience? This decision depends on the demographics of your users and the geographical markets you want to reach. For instance, if you’re localizing for Portuguese,<\/strong> you might need to account for European Portuguese (used in Portugal) and Brazilian Portuguese, which differ significantly in spelling (e.g., fato<\/em> vs. terno<\/em> for “suit”) and verb forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some languages, like German, regional differences may be subtler but still important. German used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland features variations in vocabulary (e.g., Br\u00f6tchen<\/em> vs. Semmel<\/em> for “bread roll”) and spelling (e.g., the use of \u00df<\/em> vs. ss<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Adapt content to regional standards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once the target variants are identified, the next step is to adapt the content to align with the regional standards of the language. Spelling differences are the most noticeable variation, but grammar and syntax require attention too. Let’s take a look at some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n