

An app (application) is a type of software that allows users to do all types of tasks and serves as a digital tool. There are many types of apps, with the most commonly known being online and mobile apps.
Apps can be paid for or obtained free of charge and are available for download on such popular platforms as Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store. Just like any other software, apps are created using previously written programming language.
The following are just some of the characteristics of a mobile app:
English is the most widely used language on the Internet. The same goes for applications; English is the most widely used language for web applications, and even when English is not the native language of the developers, they choose to use it for their applications in order to reach a wider audience.
However, it is also true that many applications use other languages and are subsequently translated. Again, English is the most common target language because of its status as the lingua franca, but there are many other languages into which applications are constantly translated because of their large number of speakers.
When translating applications, as with any other software (video games, computer programs, etc.), it is not enough to just translate the words; all the elements surrounding the app must also be adapted to the culture of the receiver so that nothing is perceived as being foreign. Similarly, the translator should take into account the space and design constraints of the application. This process is called localisation.
Localisation is the process of adapting software to suit a specific region and its audience.
Just as the case with website translation, translating an app brings with it many advantages for a business:
The translation of apps, especially mobile applications, is a sector in high demand today. This is mainly due to the globalisation of online markets and the ever-increasing possibilities offered by smartphones due to constant improvements, as well as the emergence of ever-faster networks, such as 5G.
When translating an application, we must consider that it is a coded software with a user interface (once the code has been compiled) and that software will condition the translation possibilities. What’s more, translations must be adapted to the target audience and be simple yet effective. Finally, the various aspects of the culture cannot be neglected, as they often have to be adapted for the target audience.
Graduate Degree in Translation and Interpreting from Universidade de Vigo, Spain. Degree in English Language and German from Bangor University, UK. English teacher and translator and proofreader in the German and English to Spanish combinations. Published author.
® Englishpanish Translation & Communication, S.L.
Phone (Spain) : +34 881 93 20 92
Phone (Portugal) : +351 21 457 1766
E-Mail : englishpanish@englishpanish.com
Web : www.englishpanish.com
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.